Projo Bruins Blog

April 19, 2009 - April 25, 2009 Archives

The Boston Bruins today recalled goaltender Adam Courchaine from the Providence Bruins (American Hockey League). He is expected to join the team today for practice at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington

Courchaine, 20, split the 2008-09 season between the Providence Bruins and the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League He started and played in one game for the P-Bruins this season and went 0-1-0 with a 3.00 goals-against average. He played 30 games for the 67's and registered a 13-11-2 record, a 3.28 GAA and two shutouts.

Courchaine was signed by the Bruins as a free agent on Sept. 30, 2007.

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By MARK DIVVER
Assistant Sports Editor

A few one-timers while waiting to hear how many games Mike Komisarek has been suspended for his crosscheck to Milan Lucic's face:

*** BRUINS SWEEP HABS IN 3: Why did they even bother with the fourth game? After Chuck Kobasew outbattled Canadiens' captain Saku Koivu for the puck and buried an empty-netter in the dying seconds of Game Three, it was obvious that the series was over. In their 100th year, Les Glorieux -- from the fans, to the front office to the players -- thoroughly soiled themselves. For Bruins fans who have suffered through so many beatings by the Canadiens, this one was sweet. And Bruins rooters aren't the only ones celebrating the Habs' downfall. Bring on the Rangers!

*** LUCIC OWNS KOMISAREK: Keith Jones' beatdown on Mike Komisarek was nearly as brutal as Milan Lucic's. Maybe Komisarek can reinvent himself as Ulf Samuelsson by keeping his gloves on. A free-agent as of July 1, he cost himself some money with his performance against the Bruins.

*** RECORD TV RATINGS: NESN says that the Montreal series drew the highest ratings for any Bruins series in the network's 25-year history. In a related development, playoff TV ratings are up across the country.


*** PLUNDERING THE PIRATES: There's no question that the Providence Bruins played a strong game on Sunday in beating Portland, 5-1, to take a 2-1 series lead heading into Game Four on Thursday night.

But as well as the Bruins played, the Pirates were awful.

In the playoffs, says P-Bruins coach Rob Murray, taking what the other team gives you is important.

"Whatever we were given, we took advantage of the opportunities. We did play a very good game. We did a lot of things well. We played physical, we were disciplined -- a lot of things that come with playoff hockey. So it was a big win, get home ice back in our court," said Murray.

Providence's top offensive players -- Vladimir Sobotka (1-3-4), Martin St. Pierre (1-3-4), Brad Marchand (1-1-2) and Johnny Boychuk (2-1-3) -- had breakout games after starting the series quietly. One stat that jumped out was Boychuk's 10 shots on goal.

"Our success is predicated on a few things: Tuukka (Rask) playing well, our scorers scoring and Johnny getting shots on net. . . . It's no secret that a great part of our success this year has been his shots from the point,'' Murray said.

Murray is certain that a different Portland team will show up for Game Four. ''We're expecting a lot better team (Thursday) night. (Portland coach) Kevin (Dineen) said in the (Portland) paper that they hadn't had a game like that in a long time. Those things happen. We expect a lot tougher game (Thursday) night.''

*** GERBE SPEAKS: Portland's Nathan Gerbe answered questions from fans on theahl.com Wednesday and he touched on the Providence series and the Pirates-Bruins rivalry.

What does the team need to change in order to tie up the series against Providence with a win in Game 4 on Thursday?

"Well I think it's pretty obvious what the team needs. Guys like myself, Tim Kennedy, Mathieu Darche need to step up and take control of the series on the offensive end. You know, we haven't done our part yet, but at the same time there's still a lot of the series left.''

Which road arena is your favorite to play in and why?

"I think my favorite road arena would be Providence, just because it's close to Boston and I can have friends from there. It's pretty fun, especially the history between the two teams, with a lot of games played and the playoffs.''

Growing up, which NHL team was your favorite and why?

"I always liked the Red Wings. They're always a dominant team, and a lot of fun players to watch have come through there. A guy like (Steve) Yzerman is one that I admired on the Red Wings. So I always watched them and rooted for them, and they've had pretty good success.

"There are always players that you try to take different things from, but Martin St. Pierre is a guy that I've always tried to watch. He's had a great career so far, and it's something I'd like to follow.''

No knock on Martin St. Pierre, but I think Gerbe meant to say Martin St. Louis.

*** BUTLER'S BACK: The Portland Press Herald reports that Chris Butler is expected to be back in the lineup Thursday after attending to a family situation last weekend.

Don't underestimate what Butler can do for the Pirates. The former Denver University defenseman was plus-11 in 47 NHL games with Buffalo. That was second-best on the Sabres.

Butler's father, Doug, played at St. Louis University in the late 1970s and was drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1977.

*** GOULET IN; REUL, BARTLEY OUT: Alain Goulet, a defenseman from Gatineau of the Quebec junior league, has joined the P-Bruins, while defensemen Denis Reul and Victor Bartley were released.

Goulet, 20, left the University of Nebraska-Omaha in December to play in the Q. He's a 6'1'' 186-pound offensive defenseman. He was drafted in the sixth round by the Bruins in 2007.

Like the six previous free-agent defensemen who had tryouts before him, Goulet is a right-hand shot.

Rob Murray says it is strictly a coincidence that Goulet, Reul, Bartley, David Kolomatis, Jason Fredericks, Brian Miller and Dinos Stamoulis were all righties.

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Zdeno Chara is one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy, which goes to the NHL's top defenseman in the regular season, the NHL announced today.

The other finalists are Niklas Lidstrom of Detroit, who has won the Norris six out of the last seven seasons, and Mike Green of Washington.

Bobby Orr won the Norris a record eight times, every year from 1968 to 1975. Ray Bourque won it five times.

This year's winner will be announced on June 18.

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The Bruins rolled this ad out after last night's beatdown of the Montreal Canadiens. No truth to the rumor that it's Jack Edwards in the bear suit.

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Tickets for the first and second games of the NHL's Eastern Conference semifinals, in Boston, go on sale at 11 Thursday morning on the team's web site or through Ticketmaster.

The Bruins' second-round opponent is yet to be determined (as are the dates of the games), but right now the New York Rangers look like a solid bet. The Rangers last night took a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series against the Washington Capitals; since the NHL re-seeds after each round of the playoffs, and the Rangers are the number-seven seed in the East, they would automatically face top-seeded Boston if they can close out the Capitals.

If Washington comes back to win the series, Boston would either play the sixth-seeded Carolina Hurricanes (tied with the New Jersey Devils, 2-2), or in the case of a New Jersey victory, the Bruins would get the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins-Philadelphia Flyers series (which the Penguins lead, 3-1).

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Saying that he "just felt it was time,'' Bemidji State sophomore goalie Matt Dalton has given up his final two years of college eligibility and signed with the Boston Bruins.

"A day after the Frozen Four my advisor called and told me the teams that were interested," Dalton told the Bemidji Pioneer. "After some lengthy discussion we decided Boston was the best fit - because of the way the organization treats its players and also their goalie depth. No matter where you go at the professional level, there are going to be good goalies, but I believe Boston afforded me the best opportunity."

Dalton, who was not drafted, said he expects to play in Providence next season.

Dalton's postseason numbers were off the charts. In five games, including the College Hockey America tournament and the NCAA tournament, Dalton was 4-1 with a 1.60 goals-against average and .948 save percentage.

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Peter Chiarelli has done a masterful job rebuilding the Boston Bruins, but the Kris Versteeg for Brandon Bochenski trade with Chicago in 2007 is probably going to haunt the B's GM for years.

Versteeg put up 22-31-53 totals for the Blackhawks this season and Wednesday was picked as one of three finalists for the Calder Trophy, the NHL's rookie of the year award.

Journeyman Bochenski spent most of the year in Norfolk of the AHL.

To Chiarelli's credit, he unloaded Bochenski on the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Shane Hnidy and a sixth-round pick in 2008, which the Bruins used to take Clarkson University center Nicholas Tremblay.

NHL.com's Phil Coffey says that Bruins Blake Wheeler and Matt Hunwick were among a bunch of first-year players who deserve recognition.

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Monday was Patriots Day in Massachusetts, so NESN's Bruins announcer Jack Edwards offered up a little history lesson for viewers at the final horn of last night's Bruins win in Montreal. Read more about it here.

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