Bruins vs. Leafs

Tyler Seguin during a game against the Buffalo Sabres during the 2010-11 season (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Boston 28-14-6 vs. Toronto 26-17-5 

Season Series: The Bruins had a 3-1 record against the Maple Leafs this season. 2-0 in Boston and 1-1 in Toronto.

For the first time in nine seasons, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That’s right, last time the Maple Leafs made the Stanley Cup Playoffs was during the 2003-04 season.

So, starting tonight, the Leafs are trying to shed the label as the Make Me Laughs. Looking at the history books, the Maple Leafs are also the last “Original Six” team to win a Stanley Cup Championship (1967). That means If my math is correct, that 46 years since the Toronto Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup. The Bruins ended a 39 year drought when they won the Stanley Cup in 2011.

One of the stories lines is former Boston Bruins forward Phil Kessel, who was traded to Toronto and the struggles he has had against his former team scoring (3g-6a—9pts) in 22 games against the Bruins. Kessel also didn't want to talk to the media in Toronto this week, either.

Steve Simmons, Toronto Sun – Phil Kessel has managed the impossible — he’s pulled a disappearing act before the playoff series begins against the Boston Bruins.

And in doing so, refusing to fulfil his contractual obligations and meet with the media, he wound up embarrassing team management in the process.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” said general manager Dave Nonis, when apparently informed of Kessel’s unwillingness to play meet the press on Monday afternoon and doing his best to explain why. Nonis was clearly unimpressed with Kessel’s silence.

“We’ll deal with it internally,” said Nonis, who added. “Our players will be available on a going forward basis.”

Lets hope that the Boston Bruins make young Nazem Kadri eat his words, I don't know about you, but that looks like bulletin board material to me.

Nazem Kadri: "This is a very, very winnable series."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 1, 2013

Zdeno Chara scores on his own goal against the Flyers

Not a very proud moment for the Boston Bruins as defenseman Zdeno Chara scores on his own net. It was also a bad display of goaltending by Bruins goaltender Anton Khudobin. The Flyers scored two goals in seven seconds during the second period to take a 3-1 lead into the third period.

(Video) Embellishment City

What's laughable is a Canucks fans would come up with this spoof video on another team in the NHL diving. The Vancouver Canucks are the poster boys for diving and embellishment, if needed we can do a review of the offenders. This remotely amusing video, calls out the Brad Marchand for what a play during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Whatever. You would probably circle the earth twice with video tape, of all of the instances of the Canucks diving and embellishing calls.

More P.K. Subban and Canadians Diving.

After the game last night, Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julian wasn't happy with the Montreal Canadians, he said they were embellishing to draw penalties on the ice. I don't think that you would have to work very hard to prove his point. The Canadians historically, are a team that is known for it's embellishment.

I included the check that Boston Bruin's tough guy Shawn Thornton put on Canadian's defenseman P.K. Subban, in my opinion, it looks like Subban over dramatized that hit quite a bit. Sounds like Bruins head coach Claude Julian agrees with me as well.

“It’s about the game and the embellishment embarrasses our game and we need to be better,” Julien said, before turning his focus solely to Subban. “It’s pretty obvious when P.K. gets hit and throws himself into the glass and hold his head. You know what? If we start calling those for embellishment, maybe teams stop doing it. Until we take charge of that, it’s going to be an issue.”  

Was that hit a penalty? I suppose, but because of  P.K. Subban's reputation of being a diver, and a flopper, he's not going to get the benefit of the doubt. Personally would compare Subban to an Alex Burrows type player, I would imagine the ref wasn't inclined to call a penalty on that play, look at the video, it's there for you to see. 

To me it looked like an embellishment and Subban should have received an Academy Award for his acting skills. 

“Tonight, as everybody saw there is a lot of embellishment,” Julian said. “This is embarrassing for our game, embellishing. Right now They [Canadians] got over 100 power-plays so far and it’s pretty obvious why. We’re trying to clean this out of our game and it’s got to be done soon."

In my opinion, the Habs are becoming the Vancouver Canucks of the east.