The euphoria of the Winter Classic at Fenway on Friday has all but worn off. The Bruins returned to reality playing the New York Rangers on Monday night. The game, televised on Versus, seemed so boring at times that I found more entertainment looking up drink recipes than paying attention to the game.
The Bruins were trailing 2-0 in the third period. They had penalty trouble in the first period with Vladimir Sobotka getting two penalties and Dennis Wideman adding one in between. The Rangers had a 5-on-3 advantage for over one mine and scored during Wideman's penalty.
The Bruins looked like they were going to be the comeback kids yet again when Matt Hunwick got them on the scoreboard with a shorthanded tally. Then Blake Wheeler scored over a minute later to tie the game.
But the Rangers would get the go-ahead goal with 1:09 remaining and that would be it.
It didn't help the Bruins when Patrice Bergeron, their best player this season, was hit in the hand by a shot off Wideman's stick. Versus reported that Bergeron had X-rays taken, but it was unconfirmed by the Bruins. Bergeron didn't return to the game and is on his way back to Boston while the team goes to Ottawa.
The Bruins didn't deserve the point they were close to getting tonight. Even Claude Julien knows that. We'll see how the Bruins respond to tonight's game when they play the Senators tomorrow.
