Now might be the time to consider a change in the song that’s played when the Bruins first hit the ice for games and warmups…top consideration might be, Tina Turner’s fast-paced, “Proud Mary.” Nothing signifies the current style of play of the Bruins better than the lyrics from the song: “Proud Mary keep on burning And we’re rolling, tell you rolling, we’re rolling.” With their impressive record of 47-8-5 (99 points) to lead the National Hockey League, it sure seems fitting, especially with the team finding so many ways to win games in which they were not playing at their best – and still be able to post an eight-game win streak. Take for instance Tuesday night’s 4-3 overtime victory versus Calgary Flames, Boston was definitely not at their best, perhaps understandable as they were playing their fourth game in six nights, at the end of a tough West Coast trip. Easily outshot by a wide margin 57-18, Boston at times seemed a few steps behind, while Calgary applied constant pressure, it was only the stunning 54-save game (Bs franchise record) turned in by Linus Ullmark that allowed the locals to end their road trip a perfect 4-0, with the come from behind win. The game-winning goal came off the stick of defenseman Charlie McAvoy on an excellent feed from Patrice Bergeron with less than five seconds to play in overtime. That prompted consideration of another fact…when one of the Bruins’ defensemen scored (23 games); the Bs came away with a victory in 22 of those games. Versus Calgary the Boston blue liners accounted for three of the four goals tallied, as newcomer Dimitri Orlov connected on the two goals early in the first period. Ullmark now boasts a mind-blowing record of 31-4-1, numbers that shout “Vezina Trophy winner!” On a down note, the Bruins will possibly be lacking the services of Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno, both nursing injuries, for the next game.
The Bruins will be back in the friendly confines of TD Garden tonight (Thursday 7:00pm) to begin a four-game homestand by taking on their Atlantic Division rival, the Buffalo Sabres. The New York Rangers recently made a significant move by acquiring Patrick Kane in the trade market from the Chicago Blackhawks; the locals in a Saturday matinee will host them at 1:00pm. The Bruins will then enjoy a rare, four-day break, before gearing up for a pair of matchups with both the revenge seeking, Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers on Thursday (3/9) at 7:30pm, followed by another Saturday (3/11) 1:00pm matinee as they take on the Detroit Red Wings. Remember to mark your calendar, as tickets are now on sale for the 4th Annual Pucks & Paddles, to be held on Tuesday, March 7th, 2023 from 3:00pm-6:00pm, at the House of Blues Boston (15 Lansdowne Street). Join the Boston Bruins Foundation, Patrice Bergeron, and 98.5 The Sports Hub for an afternoon of Ping-Pong. The tournament will feature players from the active Bruins roster, 98.5 on air talent, and Special Olympics of MA athletes.