7 games to watch in 2009-10

October 1st vs. Washington - All eyes will be on this opening night matchup of Eastern Conference contenders. Expect a huge amount of media attention and a sloppy, entertaining game. This is also the first matchup in a neat home-and-home -- the Bruins visit the Caps on April 11 to end the season.

November 3rd @ Detroit - It's been years since the Bruins visited the Motor City. Last season their home win against the Red Wings signalled a shift from also-ran into contending status; this game could also be a turning point in the Bruins' season.

December 4th @ Montreal - Montreal's official Centennial Game will close a disastrous commemorative year. Boston has played a huge role in spoiling the Habs' celebrations, from their Patrick Roy Day victory to an ignominious playoff sweep. It would be sweet to win this one, and flip one final bird to the Habs' Year of Self-Congratulation.

January 1st vs. Philadelphia - No extra hype necessary.

February 13th @ Florida - Leading into the Winter Olympics break, Boston plays four road games in six days: divisional matches in Buffalo and Montreal, then a game in Tampa and one in Miami. That's a brutal road trip leading into the 3-week break, especially since all four have the potential to be embarrassing upsets. This game will set the tone for the stretch run.

March 16th @ Carolina - Like the Florida game above, this will be the end of a grueling road trip that features games against 5 of the 8 Eastern playoff teams from 2009. Especially important is the Carolina game, which allows for a true measure of Boston's progress from last season. This one comes 24 hours after a game in Newark, and two days before the Bruins host the defending champs.

April 5th @ Washington - While I could as easily have picked the season-finale in Washington less than a week later, this game is the one I'll be watching most closely. The Caps have an opportunity to punch the Bruins in the mouth, and establish themselves as king of the hill before the playoff rush begins. I would compare this matchup to the Habs game last April 9, which devolved into blatant message-sending on both sides. If it's going to happen between Washington and Boston, it'll probably be in this game rather than their final contest.

Blackstone unveils a major innovation in skate technology

This is not a paid endoresement. I am in no way affiliated with Blackstone, nor did I derive any personal profit from this article.


Last month, HCTB profiled the amazing breakthroughs in stick-shaft technology going on at Easton. Small tweaks in the composition of Easton shafts allowed Zdeno Chara to break the NHL slapshot record at this year's All Star Game.

Now, we may be witnessing a similar breakthrough in skate technology. Blackstone Sports recently unveiled the Flat Bottom V (FBV), an innovation which promises to change the skating capabilities of players at all levels of hockey.

The FBV is a departure from traditional sharpening methods which forced skaters to choose between varying degrees of speed and agility. In layman's terms, the blade of an ice skate is actually two edges separated by a crescent-shaped hollow. A generic skate-sharpener grinds this hollow in order to either increase speed (shallow) or control (deep).

Using FBV blades, a skater can have the best of both worlds -- smooth acceleration as well as improved maneuverability in the corners. The concept is simple. Instead of grinding the blade into a hollow, the FBV leaves a flat surface with a sharp "tooth" at either side. Instead of digging deep into the ice, the skater stands flat on the surface, maximizing the energy used in each stride.

HCTB recently spoke with Steve Wilson, co-founder and VP of Blackstone, a family-owned company based in Ontario which is applying for a patent on the FBV dressing system.


How did you get involved in developing skate technology?

I actually got my start in a hardware store at age 12, sharpening skates for my dad. He ended up going to work for a competitor, and being older and wiser I ended up following him there... before long we had branched out. We started Blackstone 11 years ago.

And what led to the development of the FBV?

In developing a sharpening machine, we had always developed for the operator in the past -- we made machines that were easier to use but did basically the same things as before.

The FBV led us into a whole other area -- we could put a shape on that wheel that would give the skater a performance enhancement. It took 2 1/2 years to get it right, but now we have a product that can actually affect your performance on the ice.

What makes the FBV different from a traditionally-sharpened skate?

The FBV sharpens the blade flat, leaving two fangs. Instead of digging down into the ice, the skater is actually flat on the ice. That allows him to have better forward movement while still getting the same bite in the corners.

We can control the angle of the fangs to control how much they go into the ice, how much flat is on the ice, a lot more variables. It can only happen because of the changes in the dressing system. We've never had the technology to change the way a blade is sharpened before, and now we do.

So this reduces the friction between the skate and the ice?

You could say that. It's a matter of how far the skate edge sinks into the ice.

When I was learning how to ski, I had very long skis that lay flat on the surface of the snow. Since then, the parabolic ski changed the industry by changing the way the skiier comes down the slope -- he sits on the edges. We've done the same thing with skates.

Does it feel different to skate on FBV blades, as opposed to traditional ones?

Players get on it and they instantly say "wow". It's very easy to use and you can feel a difference almost immmediately. And it takes only about 10 minutes to adjust.


If this allows players to go faster with less effort, won't it also be a boost to their endurance?

Definitely. With the FBV blades, when they go into the corners, they maintain their speed going through. If you can get more glide and less pushing, you end up with more energy.

The pro players come off the ice and they say "My legs aren't burning". The beer leaguers, guys like you and me, they say "I can have more beer!"


Can this be used for goaltenders' skates as well?

We're working with goalie skates now. Eddie Belfour's actually working on them with us. The goalie blade's thicker and reacts differently. A lot of goalies are switching to a deep hollow in order to get that sharp lateral movement. With FBV they get the bite without sinking into the ice.


Is there a way to put a precise measurement on the advantage that it gives to a skater?

University of Ottawa is doing a large study of this. Their first phase was to qualify it -- they took a look and decided that, yes, there is something to this. That's what justified the study.

Then there's the second phase, to quantify the results. They had 6 pro players come out on the ice. They all had their original [blade] cut that they usually skated on, as well as 4 others to rank by comfort. They had to skate a timed lap for each hollow, and rank them in terms of how comfortable they were throughout the process.

When they were finished, all 6 said they were most comfortable with their original hollow. That's about what we expected. But the #2 ranking for every single one of them was also the blade with the fastest skating time -- it was FBV in all cases.


So, how did it test with pro players?

Cory Stillman [Florida Panthers] was the first to test the prototype. He said, "I'll tell you in 3 strides if I like it".

He took 3 strides, then came back and asked "What is this?". He told the equipment manager to "do whatever you have to do" to keep the machine. Now, I had to tell him I was under strict instructions to bring it back home with me when I left. I couldn't leave without it.

At the end of the day, I ended up leaving it there. Cory insisted.


Who's using this right now?

Bear in mind that we approached the Panthers about it mid-season. The fact that they wanted to switch in the middle of the season blew us away. We're also seeing it used by the Blues, the Predators, the Sharks. The LA Kings equipment manager flew all the way to Canada to find out about it. We can't make machines fast enough.

Also, Boston University has a lot of guys on the FBV. They used them while they won the Beanpot Tournament.

Nick Boynton told us, "Thanks for adding three years to my career".


Are any of the Bruins in on this?

Right now there are no Bruins using it. Of course this only came out in November, and they were the number-one team in the East. None of the players wanted to change anything -- they do all that stuff in the middle of the season.


How is the market reacting to this so far?

It's going very well in North America, and we're heading into Europe now. We're in Switzerland, Sweden, France and the Ukraine. The direction is now to get into figure skate sharpening -- we don't have to get into the details, but the faster they can go the higher they can jump. So we're looking at that as well.


It sounds like this has the potential to become ubiquitous. It's affordable and doesn't seem to have a downside... is this going to be the industry standard in a few years?

It's absolutely possible. You can have a $300 stick and $800 skates, but unless the skates are sharpened right you can't play the game.

For more information on FBV, visit the Blackstone website.

For reviews by knowledgable customers, visit the FBV thread at Modsquad Hockey.

Who Should We Cheer For?

We've reached that time when playoff matchups start to become tangible. Right now, there are four teams (Sabres, Panthers, Habs, Rangers) who could likely become the Bruins' first-round opponent. The obvious question: which poison would we pick?

Over the next couple of days, we'll break down the potential matchups according to traditional "who's ready for the playoffs" categories. These should reveal any red-flags which might signal a potential first-round upset. First up...

SABRES

Matchup: Early in the season, the Sabres were seemingly the only team who could figure out the Bruins. They play a fast-paced game and sometimes carry a large chip on their shoulder. Generally, divisional matchups favor the underdog.
Record vs. Bruins: Split 4 regulation games, and won a shootout.
Notable performances: Miller has been subpar against the Bruins, with an ugly stat line of 3.36 and .895. Pominville led the team with 1-6-7 and Derek Roy chipped in 3-3-6.
Recent play: Despite collapsing under the loss of Miller, picked up some timely wins against playoff competitors -- including an inspiring comeback against Florida.

Clutch player: Miller is the heart and soul of the team; he has to play big for them to win. Coaching: Lindy Ruff is the league's most stable and experienced coach.
Injury Situation: Mair and Numminen are banged up, but the real question: Is Miller 100%?

Recent playoff history: The Sabres made Conference Finals runs in '06 and '07. Historically, they lost their first 5 playoff series against Boston before winning the past 2. It was an epic matchup in the early '90s and still has that division-rival flair.
Tough barn?: Yes. Buffalo might be cursed for championships, but you don't want to play there in April. That's about the snow starts to melt and the local residents come out of hibernation.

Overall: C-minus. The Bruins would rather play a team who doesn't have their number lately, but the Sabres are clearly not a major postseason threat. The bigger question is whether the Bruins would survive this series in a condition to win the second round.

PANTHERS

Matchup: The Panthers can't seem to crack the Bruins' defense, and even a phenom like Vokoun can only hold a game close for just so long.
Record vs. Bruins: Brutal. A tight 2-0 win doesn't compensate for their 3 losses, in which they were outscored 14-3.
Notable performances: Vokoun (2.30, .941) would surely get the start over Anderson (5.04, .864). Against the Bruins, Horton (0-1-1), Weiss (0-0-0) and Zednik (0-0-0) were invisible.
Recent Play: Cooled off considerably. They've shown little poise under pressure.

Clutch players: Vokoun. There would be a lot of pressure on Bouw, Booth and Horton.
Coaching: Rookie Peter DeBoer has done an admirable job, but is not a magician.
Injury situation: Hulking D Bryan Allen is a longshot to return from a knee injury.

Recent playoff history: None. Upset B's during '96 Finals run, their only successful playoff year.
Tough barn: No, barring any rat-throwing.

Overall: A. This is the sort of opponent that a #1 seed is supposed to draw. The Panthers are spunky but they would be clear-cut underdogs in this series.

Death Watch Update: Stretch Run Edition

This is going to be a much more frequent feature over the next two weeks. With only about 10 games to play per team, the playoff bubble is quickly shrinking.

DEAD

These teams are toast, and probably wishing they'd lost more often for draft purposes.

Islanders

Thrashers

Lightning

Senators

Leafs

Avalanche

Coyotes

RISEN ZOMBIE-LIKE FROM THE GRAVE

Blues - WTF? These guys were out of contention by training camp, and were pronounced "DEAD" on the very first Death Watch in January. Since then they've been winning 3 out of every 4 games, and are now only a single victory away from the 8th seed. Their 3-game series against Columbus will have the atmosphere of the tournament in "Bloodsport".

ON THE DEATH WATCH

Kings - They've been tenacious, but the clock is running out. Their next 4 games -- Blues, Stars, Preds, Stars -- are all must-wins. After that it's a home-and-home against Phoenix. That stretch will either make or break LA's season.


Sabres - It's been tough to watch this train wreck after such a spunky season from Buffalo. A 1-5-1 stretch in March is poison, especially when it involves two losses to Ottawa. This week's games against Florida and Montreal are a last-chance opportunity for the slumping Sabres.

Stars - Yeah, they're only 3 points out of the 8th seed. But the Stars have an unfavorable schedule and just lost Brad Richards. They're already staring up the bracket at 4 other bubble teams, so there is almost no room for error as this team tries to right its losing streak.

SOMEHOW STILL KICKING

Panthers - This might be one of the NHL's best stories of the season, but also its most under-reported. GM Jacques Martin made an incredibly ballsy move at the trade deadline by not dealing Bouwmeester, gambling that the Panthers could make the playoffs and possibly convince their stud defenseman to give it another year or three in Miami. Today the Cats are only a point behind Montreal for that precious 8th seed.

Predators - If the most under-reported story isn't the Panthers, maybe the Preds deserve that title. Quietly, they're on an 8-2-3 streak that's got them in the 8th seed... for now. Nashville, virtually devoid of marquee players and led by obscurities like JP Dumont and Pekka Rinne, has a brutal schedule down the stretch.

Ducks - It's time for someone to be a hero in Anaheim, which fights for its playoff life tomorrow night in Nashville. The Ducks are on a mini-streak (3-0-0) but are one of the league's least consistent teams. Anaheim has to avoid the too-predictable losing streak, or they're going to be done in short order.

Wild - Hobbled by injuries, the Wild are going to count on Marian Gaborik's return to spark them into the playoffs. An ill-timed road trip and a schedule full of desperate teams won't make it any easier for Minnesota, who will need a good push to overcome the other Western bubble teams.

Bruins vs. Panthers: Stuff To Look Out For

Continuing the Sunshine State road trip, the Bruins head to the NHL's southernmost destination for a rematch with the Panthers. Last time these teams met in Boston, with the Bruins winnig 4-2. The highlight of the game was when Nick Boynton dropped the gloves with Lucic and got a little, uh, fucked up.


Things to keep an eye on tonight:

M.A.S.H. Unit: It's that time of year when you can't really avoid minor injuries any longer. The Bruins will be missing Andrew Ference and Aaron Ward tonight, and Dennis Wideman is still questionable. That means the Providence Bruins will be supplying half of our defensemen: budding star Matt Hunwick, average reserve Matt Lashoff, and Johnny Boychuk (who, judging by his name, is a comic book sidekick in his spare time).

But far be it from us to complain. The Panthers are the poster children for crippling injuries. They will enter tonight without the following forwards:
David Booth (top goal scorer with 12. twice as many as the next guy)
Nathan Horton (4th on the team in points with 13, right behind Booth's 14)
Cory Stillman (near the top of the team in +/- when he was injured)
Richard Zednik
Rotislav Olesz

Ouch. It goes without saying that both teams will have to deal with personnel issues in this game.

Better than you think they are: Not to put too fine a point on it, but Florida sucks almost every year. Like the Isles, they are the kind of team you can get used to thinking of as a doormat.

But the Panthers really aren't that bad. Currently they're tied with Buffalo for the 9th spot in the conference, only 1 point out of the playoff bracket. They've beaten the Sharks, Ducks, Caps and Rangers (a 4-0 curb-stomping last week) and played close games against Montreal and Detroit. This is all counter-intuitive and based mostly on the otherworldly goaltending of Craig Anderson, who is the only guy in the league who can challenge Tim Thomas' stats this season. He starts tonight, so be on the lookout for a goalie-driven performance by the Panthers.

Speaking of goalies: Manny Fernandez starts tonight. Manny is doing everything in his power to keep from being relegated to a true "backup" status. He's won 6 straight including 1-goal showings against Detroit and Montreal. The Bruins play well in front of him and he's incredibly re-established himself as a 1A next to a guy who has every right to win the Vezina.

Look out for: Expect Jay Bouwmeester to have an impact. Incredibly, it took the guy 21 games to score his first goal in the biggest season of his career (in the sense that he's being shopped openly to other teams). In their 5 games since, he's scored 7 points as the Panthers have gone 3-0-2. Considering their massive injury issues they're facing to their forward core, it's highly likely that this guy will have the puck on his stick at every possible opportunity.

Letdown game: Ok, I've made this prediction a few times lately... but this time I feel pretty sure about it. It is highly improbable that the Bruins will continue to win games at the pace they've been going lately. There has to be a stop eventually, and this game represents a likely chance for it to happen. Road game with injury issues in front of a small crowd against a team that's got no reputation but isn't half bad and has a phenomenal goaltender. It's gotta happen tonight, right?

Other previews:
Cornelius Hardenbergh
Stanley Cup of Chowder
Kynch's Bruins Korner
Cat Scratch (Panthers)

Thoughts on Bruins/Sabres, Bruins/Panthers

All good things must come to an end, but this hot streak just seems to stretch on and on. Therefore, I believe, we should be prepared for a major letdown very soon. All things considered, I'd rather it be tonight than on Saturday. But first, the positives:


Bruins/Sabres

- For most of the season so far, Zdeno Chara has had no room to operate. Even on the PP, he always has a defender stuck to him like glue. That's why he's rarely able to unleash his nuclear slapshot, and hasn't been much of a factor as a pointman. So it's odd that the Sabres (who should know better, since they play him 28 times this season) gave Z so much room -- he scored twice, so don't expect them to do it again Wednesday.

- At their best, the Lucic/Savard/Kessel line is just dreamy to watch. Lucic and Savard are to the 2000s what Neely and Oates were to the 90s. Kessel is something different altogether, a pure goal scorer like the Bruins haven't seen in a long, long time.

- One door closes, another opens: Matt Hunwick has a goal, two assists and a +2 in relief of Andrew Ference. He's got great foot speed and a sense of when to jump into the play. Though he still makes the occasional rookie mistake, his career arc will be a lot like Ference's... which makes this early experience invaluable.

- Games against the Sabres are important enough anyway, but after Wednesday the Bruins will only play them twice -- January 2 and April 11. So winning a 4-point divisional game is huge for a team now eyeing a division title.

Bruins/Panthers

- The Panthers are astonishingly low-powered on offense -- Nathan Horton leads them with 11 points (Savard has 25 for Boston).

- Though his stats are poor, Tomas Vokoun is one of the league's elite goaltenders. He can shut you down no matter how you play. Putting him up against Tim Thomas is a great matchup of underrated netminders.

- Jay Bouwmeester still hasn't scored yet this season. Think he's squeezing the stick by now? You better believe he will shoot the puck at every possible opportunity.

- The Bruins have to be very careful not to look past this game to Saturday night, when they visit Montreal for Roy's number retirement. The Montreal media will be on them as soon as this game is over. In a sense, I'd almost rather they lose this one if it helps relieve some pressure against the Habs.