After a Five Game Stretch, The Defense is Winning for the Bruins

As far as a five game stretches of hockey go, the Boston Bruins have met, if not surpassed, my expectations. To near perfection, the boys in black and gold have rode Claude Julien’s system to a 5-0-1 record, all the while garnering a reputation as a team that will wear their opponents down with a defense-first approach until cracks begin to appear. This team plays a heavy, grinding style of hockey and the past five games have been a testament to not only Claude’s talent as a head coach but also the core of this teams faith in his scheme.

Tell that bitch to be cool! Say, "Bitch, be cool!"

I literally applauded, standing in my living room wearing only boxer shorts and a hangover, when I saw Julien’s press conference in which he basically told people to chill the fuck out. With Tom Brady modeling androgynous clothing somewhere in Italy and 98% of New England writing off the Boston Celtics after Rondo tore his ACL, the pie-eyed morning news anchors (I’m looking in the direction of NECN) have nothing else to blather on about other than the fatal side effects of children’s Tylenol and what their producer’s think is a “bad” power play. Chara and Seguin could start doing throw jumps in the middle of the power play and I would politely golf clap whilst sipping Merlot. The Boston Bruins are not built for 5-on-4 play and if they were they would not be the Boston Bruins we all know and love. This team is successful when Julien’s plan goes off without a hitch. Unfortunately for the editors stringing together glittery highlight reels, the Boston Bruins play hockey as it should be played: with noses to the grindstone and fists to the cheekbones.

The Bruins defensive lines, Chara-Boychuck, Seidenberg-Hamilton, and Ference-McQuaid (I will not include Johnson in this because I stand by my word in saying this guy is a liability) have been astoundingly solid. Boston’s penalty kill is the best in the league, 3 out of 4 lines are producing, and Tuukka is certainly demonstrating that he deserves to be number one. There is just not much to complain about. I do hate the fact that Julien and Chiarelli have given Aaron Johnson a spot on the team. Chris Bourque has not really lived up to expectations and Seguin has not been capitalizing on his chances. All and all, this team, at its core, this team is really impressive thus far.

We can only hope it continues through February.

@GrizzlyTheFett