Patrick Marleau Breaks All-Time Record Amidst Longest Losing Steak of the Season

The last time the Sharks matched up against the Minnesota Wild, the Sharks had a two-game sweep against them, and coming into the action Friday night, April 17th, the Sharks were hoping for a similar result. The puck drops, and Tomas Hertl gets the Sharks off to the quick start, only 3 minutes and 30 seconds into the contest when he skates through the Minnesota defense and puts a slap shot on Cam Talbot for the early 1-0 Sharks advantage. The Wild answer back about six minutes later and end up scoring the next three unanswered goals. Evander Kane makes it a game with the 3-2 score with about 7:20 left in regulation with a short-handed goal, but too little too late as the wild hold off a late surge and edge out the Sharks. San Jose loses its fourth in a row.

Coming into the second game of the series,  Patrick Marleau was set to tie Gordie Howe's NHL all-time games played record with 1,767. It's really quite impressive once you think about it, a record that has stood for 59 years longer than any games played record of the other four major sports. After the puck is dropped and with 8 minutes left in the first period, Brent Burns snaps a shot on the net from the blueline that comes out of the net as fast as it goes in for the 1-0 Sharks lead. After that, the Wild seem to find their leggings and rattles off three straight goals in a minute 12 seconds. The Wild add insult to the injury by scoring two more goals in the second period. Joel Kellman adds a garbage-time too-little-too-late goal for San Jose, spoiling the night's festivities. The Sharks are eviscerated, in an embarrassing 5-2 score.

Monday night in Vegas against the Golden Knights was a night of celebration. A celebration of all things that are #12, Patrick Marleau. Come his first shift of the game, Patrick moved into sole possession of the all-time leader in NHL games played record, passing the immortal Gordie Howe. A record we could very well never see broken in our lifetimes. For the majority of the game, the Sharks played over their heads, putting forth a grade-A effort in front of Patrick's accomplishment, scoring the first goal of the game on an unassisted play by Knyzhov, his second of the season. All the whole holding Vegas scoreless through the first period. The second period starts, and more of the same, Noah Gregor with his own unassisted play to make it 2-0 Sharks. Shortly after that, about a minute later, Mark Stone scores the first of his two successive power play goals on the night, 2-1 Sharks. Then again, in the third, Stone ties the game 2-2 to force the eventual overtime in a point well earned by San Jose, but do eventually fall to Vegas on the shootout 3-2, but it was all eyes on Patty Marleau all night. 

If setting the NHL record for all-time games played wasn't enough, Patrick Marleau came into the second game of the series, playing in his 900th consecutive game, a streak dating back to the 2008/2009 season. For the first half of the game, the Sharks got what looked like a stellar goaltending performance from young prospect Josef Korenar. The second half of the game told a completely different story, one where the Sharks looked overmatched by Vegas, Mark Stone in particular. San Jose extended their season-long, six-game losing streak in a 5-2 loss to The Golden Knights. I want to start having positive takeaways from each loss from either club, even when there aren't many. So my positive takeaways from this game was Brent Burns laying a hit and upending Max Pactrociety, such a sight to see!

Bruins Return from Covid, Vladar Shines Again but Mediocre Play Continues

If there has been anything that has been a constant thorn in the Boston Bruins' side this season, it has been the New York Islanders. Thursday, March 25th, their first game in a week, fresh off their league-mandated covid-quarantine. The Bruins welcomed those very Islanders to the TD Bank Garden with Tuukka Rask back in net for the Black & Gold. The Bruins found themselves quickly up 2-0 with strikes by Kuhlman and Kampfer but soon found themselves looking at a tie game with 2 goals by the Islanders, one in the second and again another in the third after Halak Replaces Rask on goal after the first. The Islanders go ahead late in the third only to give up the game-tying goal to Bjork to give the game into overtime. The Islanders make quick work of the Bruins in the extra period by a score of 4-3, a frustrating loss, to say the least.

In a Saturday matinee affair, the Bruins welcomed Jeremy Lauzon back into the lineup for the first time since Lake Tahoe. The Bruins also welcomed the lowly Buffalo Sabres to the garden, where rookie netminder Dan Vladar made his second start of the season. Early on, we learn that Brad Marchand would not be available for the contest, for he had joined Jake Debrusk and Sean Kuraly, who have remained on the covid protocol list. Buffalo takes advantage of a powerplay late in the first before Matt Gryzclyk ties it in the second, his 2nd goal of the season. Shortly after that, Buffalo makes it 2-1 on a backhand shot by Kyle Okposo. That's before, in the third, a beautiful feed from McAvoy's stick finds the tape of Nick Ritchie's, who puts it home for his 9th goal of the season. Craig Smith adds his 6th goal of the season to seal the win, 3-2 Bruins!

Sometimes the inexplicable is exactly just that, inexplicable. Which sums up my feelings about the Bruins' season-long struggles with the New Jersey Devils, and no disrespect to them but a team Boston should handle every single time. Sunday afternoon, March 28th, Jersey rolls into town for a 2-game affair. A goaltender's duel and defensive effort with neither side giving up many chances besides a Kyle Palmieri tip in the first. That was until 1:10 left in regulation with the goalie pulled; David Krecji jars a puck lose from under goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood's glove, which Patrice Bergeron promptly puts home for the game-tying goal. Upon further review, it was determined Krecji's stick pushed blackwood's glove to free the puck, no goal for goaltender interference, a tough break Boston Bruins. Blackwood then solidifies the 1-0 Devils win and shuts the door with an unreal kick save as time expired.

Those pesky Devils returned to the garden for the second game of the series, with Brad Marchand and Brandon Carlo making their much-needed returns to the team. Devils get on the board not even 1:30 into the match by Devils public nuisance #1 Miles Wood, with the Bruins soon thereafter scoring their first 5-on-5 goal of the season against New Jersey by Nick Ritchie tying the game. Devils go ahead on a breakaway halfway through the period to put the score 2-1 going into the second. The second kicks off with a Bruins no-goal call by Matt Gryzclyk, and then New Jersey adds to their lead not 4 minutes later, 3-1 Devils. Brad Marchand delivers a crushing hit behind the New Jersey net, which Jesper Bratty takes exception with. The two drop the gloves before Marchand judo-flips Bratty to the ice, jumping on top of him with some finishing blows. The scrum really seems to change the trajectory of the game. A minute out of the box, Marchand sets up Bergeron, who beats Blackwood for the 3-2 score. Just over a minute later, Kyle Palmieri adds to New Jerseys' lead 4-2. In the 3rd period, Charlie MacAvoy inches the Bruins closer 4-3 with a score off a Craig Smith rebound, who also provides the assist on Matt Gryzclyk's game-tying goal with 4 minutes left in regulation to force the overtime. Neither team is able to breakthrough in the extra period; David Pastrnak ends the game in the second round of the shootouts for a hard-fought 5-4 Bruins win!

Bruins can't score even strength goals, huh?

After a humiliating 1-0 loss at the hands of the New York Islanders, where we saw a J.G. Pageau wrist shot effectively send the Bruins to the locker room with less than 5 minutes left in the 3rd. The writing was on the wall. The Boston Bruins struggle to score 5-on-5 even strength goals. 

Up until that point the Bruins had won their opening night contest against New Jersey 3-2 in a shootout but had suffered losses of 2-1 and the aforementioned 1-0 loss, until the broad Street bullies rolled into town for a two-game set starting on Thursday January 21st. When an onslaught of even strength goals sealed the deal of a back and forth affair meeting it's ultimatum with a Jake DeBrusk shootout goal for 5-4 victory, let's hope this is a step in the right direction for the eternally streaky Debrusk. The Saturday night tilt did not bode much better for Philadelphia, when the Bruins handed them a 6-1 beat down. Glad to see Boston put their early season struggles in the rearview for the time being!