That was Higgins' first goal at MSG and it figures that on this night, against the B's, an ex-Hab would score the winner.
The Bruins, however, experienced even more bad luck earlier in the game when Patrice Bergeron suffered an apparent right hand or wrist injury when he was struck with a Dennis Wideman slap shot in front of the Rangers net. Bergeron tried to play through the pain but couldn't, and according to Versus, he was whisked off to the X-ray room late in the second. This could be a monumental loss for the Bruins if Bergeron's injury is serious. He is their heart and soul, and right now they need all the offense they can get.
As far as the game goes, the Bruins really didn't deserve the win — they looked flat for the second period and most of the third. They played undisciplined hockey in the opening frame, but thankfully, Rask and the NHL's best penalty kill were able to come through. But it's time to stop depending on that penalty kill and goaltending. The Bruins have more skill than they're showing lately, and it's time their underachieving players play to their potential. If they don't, it may be time to ship some of them out.
Third period, 1:28, Rangers 3-2: Former Habs forward Christopher Higgins regains the lead for the Rangers in a crazy last five minutes at MSG. Tuukka Rask is now pulled for the extra attacker.
Third period, 4:01, 2-2: Blake Wheeler scores his first goal in 15 games and the game is suddenly tied at two. It was a great play by Michael Ryder to keep the play going and get it to Wheeler, and the Bruins have tied this game in a 1:04 span.
Matt Hunwick gets his second point with the secondary assist. Great character bounce back by the Bruins here as they have answered the bell with their heart and soul Patrice Bergeron out for the game with an injured hand or wrist.
Third period, 5:05, Rangers 2-1: Matt Hunwick scores a shorthanded goal, and Tuukka Rask makes a sprawling save to keep the Bruins in the game here.
Blake Wheeler and David Krejci had the helpers on Hunwick's tally.
Third period, 6:32, Rangers 2-0: The Bruins have done a good job of shutting down the NHL's leading goal scorer in Marian Gaborik, but sloppy play and a lack of discipline has hurt them. And right on cue, captain Zdeno Chara loses his cool and takes an interference penalty.
Third period, 11:54, Rangers 2-0: Steve Begin is doing what he's expected to do on the first line, create traffic and havoc in front, but the Bruins could really use another finisher up there.
Third period, 16:03, Rangers 2-0: The Bruins are on their third power play. They're 0-for-2 so far and haven't scored a power-play goal on the road in nine games.
Third period, 19:34, Rangers 2-0: The Bruins, minus Patrice Bergeron, are back at it with the Rangers in the final frame at MSG. Let's see how the Bruins respond to a giant dose of adversity here.
End of second period, Rangers 2-0: The Bruins find themselves down by two goals after two periods of play, but that may be the least of their concerns right now. Patrice Bergeron, as we pointed out below, is reportedly getting X-rays on his right hand or wrist after being struck by a Dennis Wideman shot earlier in the period. Versus is saying he will not return tonight.
Bergeron played a few shifts after the incident but could be seen grimacing in pain and holding his right hand and wrist. If Bergeron has a serious injury, the Bruins are going to need more than the deal they made with the Devil … uh, I mean Miroslav Satan. Their offense is anemic and Bergy is their leading scorer. But even more importantly, he's their heart and soul. I Tweeted earlier today that he is, in my opinion, a Hart Trophy candidate at this point in the season and that without him, the Bruins are not a playoff team.
As for the second period, the Bruins were horrible. They were outshot 17-11 in the second and, ironically, as I pointed out, they weren't shorthanded like they were in the first period. The Bruins are committing turnovers and they are playing sloppily.
Second period, 4:25, Rangers 2-0: Patrice Bergeron, according to Versus, has left the Bruins bench and is headed to the X-ray room. Apparently this is related to that Dennis Wideman shot he took off the hand/wrist area earlier in the period.
Second period, 5:34, Rangers 2-0: The Bruins are on their second power play as Marian Gaborik is called for delay of game.
Second period, 12:26, Rangers 2-0: Erik Christensen and Michael Del Zotto catch the Bruins napping and the Rangers are up 2-0 on Christensen's second goal of the season.
Del Zotto made a brilliant outlet pass and caught the Bruins jammed up in the neutral zone. Brandon Dubinsky tipped it to a streaking Christensen for the goal. It's some great transition play by the Rangers and sloppy defensive play by the Bruins.
Second period, 13:11, Rangers 1-0: Tuukka Rask really didn't have much of a chance on the Ales Kotalik power-play goal and has looked solid tonight. Remember, Rask shut out the Rangers last Jan. 31 with a 35-save performance and his first NHL shutout.
Second period, 15:37, Rangers 1-0: Can Dennis Wideman please stop hitting his teammates with his slap shots? Mark Recchi is the latest to be hit in front but he appears to be OK. Patrice Bergeron was also back out there, so that's good news.
Second period, 19:09, Rangers 1-0: Patrice Bergeron appears to have taken a Dennis Wideman shot off the wrist/hand area and went to the bench grimacing and holding that area. Not good.
Second period, 19:49: Rangers 1-0: We're under way in the second period, and we actually have even-strength hockey.
End of first period, Rangers 1-0: The Bruins have to feel lucky trailing just 1-0. The best penalty kill in the NHL has killed off three of four Rangers power plays. But they can't be happy they spent most of the opening frame shorthanded.
It must be something about Monday road games. Last week they found themselves on the wrong end of the referees' whistles and got what many could argue was a raw deal in a 2-1 loss to the Lightning. But part of the reason they lost was because they lost their cool and let frustration get the best of them, not because Tampa Bay's power play was so amazing. If the Bruins can refrain from complaining and letting the calls get to them, they should be OK.
Amazingly, the Bruins are outshooting the Rangers 12-9 right now, so when they're even strength, they're playing well and not getting distracted. They must keep pushing and the breaks will come.
First period, 2:30, Rangers 1-0: One would think that if the Bruins can contain their understandable frustration over the Rangers' 4-0 edge in power plays, the tide will turn and they will get their breaks. Just as I write that, there it is. The Rangers are called for having too many men on the ice. It's a definite payback call.
First period, 6:30, Rangers 1-0: The Bruins killed off another Rangers power play and are playing at even strength for a rare moment this period. They have already been whistled for four minors.
First period, 10:02, Rangers 1-0: Ales Kotalik just ripped one past Tuukka Rask for his first goal in 21 games and the Rangers have converted on their third power play of the night. Vladimir Sobotka also got called for another right after he got out of the box, and the Rangers are on their fourth power play with a chance to do more damage.
First period, 11:37: The Rangers are on a 5-on-3 power play after two very questionable calls. Vladimir Sobotka was somehow called for holding as he was held, and then Dennis Wideman got whistled for hooking and suddenly the NHL's best penalty kill faces a 5-on-3. The Rangers are 0-for-1 tonight.
First period, 16:47: Daniel Paille is in the penalty box and the Rangers are on their first power play. Remember, special teams will be huge so let's see what happens here.
First period, 19:50: We are under way at MSG with the Bruins facing the Rangers. Can Zdeno Chara contain fellow Slovakian Olympian Marian Gaborik? We shall see.
7 p.m.: If you're a betting person, you may want to take the under tonight (not that I checked, but it's rumored to be 5.5 goals total). As Aaron Grossman of NorthJersey.com pointed out, three of the last five games these teams have played have ended up in a 1-0 score, including the Rangers' 1-0 win over the Bruins at the MSG on
Nov. 1. It was Henrik Lundqvist’s only shutout so far this season.
This will be a tightly contested contest and as Claude Julien always loves to say, it's "a game of inches." It could also be a game decided by special teams, and if that's the case, the Bruins need to be cautious of one Sean Avery, probably the biggest agitator in the NHL. If Larry Brooks gets his wish, Avery will be a thorn in the Bruins' side and discipline will be huge.
The Winter Classic was great but life goes on. It's 2010 and the Bruins look to start the new year off right. Game on!
12:33 p.m.: The Bruins love to come out to some Jay-Z at the TD Garden, so one has to wonder if this was blaring on the bus to MSG this morning.
The Bruins (21-12-7, 49 points) take their two-game winning streak to Broadway, fresh off a dramatic 2-1 overtime win in the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. They will take on the struggling New York Rangers (19-17-5, 43 points) as the B's try to avenge a 1-0 loss in New York on Nov. 1 and grab their first win at Madison Square Garden since Jan. 20, 2008.
If the Bruins are to do so — and if colleague and friend Patrick Hoffman is correct — they may only need to shut down the NHL's leading goal scorer, Marian Gaborik (27 goals, 52 points). The Slovakian sniper has scored 25 percent of the Rangers' goals this season.
They will also need to solve goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who shut them out in that 1-0 game on Nov. 1. Both of these tasks are easier said than done, but if the Bruins, with a top shutdown player like Patrice Bergeron, can silence Gaborik and then create traffic in front of Lundqvist, they may be able to come out of Manhattan with two points.
According to NESN reporter Naoko Funayama, the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate was Tuukka Rask (10-3-2, 1.85 GAA, .935 save percentage), who will man the pipes for the Bruins. Lundqvist (17-14-5, 2.43 GAA, .920 save percentage) will get the nod for the Rangers.
Here are the expected lineups:
Bruins
Forwards
Steve Begin–Marc Savard–Marco Sturm
Daniel Paielle–Patrice Bergeron–Mark Recchi
Blake Wheeler–David Krejci–Michael Ryder
Shawn Thornton–Vladimir Sobotka–Byron Bitz
Defensemen
Zdeno Chara–Dennis Wideman
Andrew Ference–Johnny Boychuck
Matt Hunwick–Derek Morris
Goaltenders
Tuukka Rask
Tim Thomas
Rangers
Forwards
Brandon Dubinsky–Erik Christensen–Marian Gaborik
Christopher Higgins–Chris Drury–Ryan Callahan
Sean Avery–Artem Anisimov–Ales Kotalik
Donald Brashear–Brian Boyle–Enver Lisin
Defensemen
Marc Staal–Dan Giradi
Michael Del Zotto–Michal Rozsival
Wade Redden–Matt Gilroy
Goaltenders
Henrik Lundqvist
Matt Zaba
