Boston Bruins: Game 3

Record: 2-1-0

     I hate that the last column in the record is tie loses and not just ties.  There is nothing wrong with a tie in the regular season and even if there was, shootouts is not the way to solve it.  A shoot out win ends so anti-climatically.  Even the best goal scorer only scores on a penalty shot 20% of the time.  Why not just hold a coin flip?
     But I digress without even really starting what I want to write about, game three of the Bruins 2010-2011 season.  There are high hopes for the B's this year coming off a disappointing regular season and one of the worst exits in sports history last year, an exit of Yankee like proportions.  The hopes are high after an offseason that saw the Bruins pick second in the draft and trade for the sniper the team has needed the last couple of years.  Even with Marc Savard, the teams best playmaker, out for an indefinite period of time with post-concussion symptoms, the Boston faithful can't help but be excited about what the team can accomplish.  And, so far, so good.  After a lifeless first game in Prague, the B's have bounced back with two excellent games.
     Last night's 4-1 domination of the New Jersey Devils is hopefully a sign of what this season has to hold for the Bruin's fans.  The B's were in total control of both zones as they handed one of the best defensive teams in hockey a beat down.  Reminiscent of the 2008-2009 season, when the Bruins surprised everyone with the best regular season record in the east, everyone on the roster added to the victory.  11 different players had points and those who didn't made their present felt none the less.
     If things keep up this way, coach Claude Julian is going to have some tough choices to make when Marc Savard is able to return to the line-up.  The odds on favorite to be kicked off the roster, Michael Ryder, had a bounce in his step and his shot that was lacking all of last year.  Its still a little early to determine if all the talk of Ryder being left off the roster has motivated him to find his 2008-2009 form, but things are looking bright so far.  Another nice surprise so far this year is rookie Jordan Caron, who scored his first NHL goal on future HOFer, Martin Brodeur.  Caron seems to be the prototypical Bruin, a big winger not scared to get dirty in the corners or in front of the net.  I have high hopes for this kids future.
     My choice of player to sit when Savard returns is Blake Wheeler.  I'm just not impressed and haven't been even when he was putting pucks in the net on a regular basis.  His decision making is beyond poor and he tends to take full games off, forget about shifts.  Daniel Paille, even though he doesn't score goals, has skills that the team could use and I can't say the same about Wheeler.  If Caron keeps up his play, Wheeler, who plays much smaller then 6'5", 205 lb frame, is easily the most expendable player on the team.
     The other question Savard's return will bring is what line should he be on?  Julian will probably want to stick him on the first line with Horton and Lucic but why mess with the chemistry David Krejic has formed with the two?  I have said for two years now that what Krejic needs to be a huge success in this league is a true sniper on his wing.  A Brett Hull to Krejic's Adam Oates.  A Cam Neely to Krejic's Craig Janney.  Nathan Horton is that sniper.  If Julian keeps Horton and Krejic together both of them will have career years.
     So, like I said, so far so good.  Up next for the B's is a home and home on Tuesday and Thursday with the Washington Capitals.  This will by far be the biggest test of the young season.  We will know for sure where the B's stand this time next week.