OBSERVATIONS FROM BRUINS’ PRESEASON SHOOTOUT WIN OVER RANGERS

The Custom Bruins Jersey enjoyed a 4-3 shootout win over the Rangers in Thursday night’s preseason contest at TD Garden. Here are some observations from what proved to be a more-entertaining-than-usual preseason game.

– There’€™s no word yet on what the upper-body injury Zdeno Chara suffered is, but there’€™s a good chance it occurred on the hit he took from Ryan Bourque on his third and final shift of the night. As previously noted, Chara appeared to be OK after the hit, so perhaps he was taken out for precautionary reasons. The Bruins had better hope that’€™s the case, as they’€™re already without Dennis Seidenberg.

If Chara is to be out for any stretch of time in the regular season, the Bruins would be without their four best defensemen from last season’€™s camp:€” Chara, Dougie Hamilton, Johnny Boychuk and Seidenberg.

There was another scare on Boston’€™s defense when Joe Morrow blocked a shot and limped off the ice late in regulation, but he would return to the game.

– Jeremy Smith played the entire game for the Bruins, and there’€™s no better test for someone trying to prove they can hack it in the NHL than going against a good lineup (the Rangers had Rick Nash, Kevin Hayes, Keith Yandle and Ryan McDonagh, among others, in the lineup Thursday) without Zdeno Chara in front of you.

Dennis Seidenberg Injury Takes Experience, Tough Minutes From Bruins Blue Line

The Boston Bruins Jersey entered training camp without an ideal amount of experienced defensemen capable of playing against tough competition with difficult zone starts. 

This problem grew Wednesday with the announcement that veteran defenseman Dennis Seidenberg will have back surgery with an expected recovery time of eight weeks. 

Seidenberg has struggled since returning from a major knee surgery in 2014. He played all 82 games last season, but he didn’t make much of an impact offensively (14 points) and he failed to drive puck possession. His Corsi Rel at even strength was minus-5.84, which means the Bruins gave up nearly six percent more even-strength shot attempts when Seidenberg was on the ice compared to when he wasn’t. No other Bruins defensemen was worse than minus-3.09. 

The 34-year-old D-man, did, however, take on tough defensive assignments, both at 5-on-5 and the penalty kill. He led all B’s defensemen in shorthanded ice time last season, and per the War on Ice table below, he started more of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone than any Bruins blueliner.

Bruins vs. Capitals: Five thoughts from first period

BOSTON -- Here are five thoughts from the first period with the Bruins and Washington Capitals Jersey scoreless in a preseason game at TD Garden.

1)  A near miss for Frank Vatrano in the slot on Boston’s one and only power play of the period. Vatrano took a nice feed from Austin Czarniak, and showed off the wicked shot and release before cranking the puck off the post/crossbar. It was another example of Vatrano’s NHL caliber shot, which had completely beaten the goalie before catching iron, and bouncing harmlessly away. 

2)  On the other side of the coin, Chris Casto really struggled for the Bruins in a pairing with Joe Morrow. Casto struggled to get out of his own zone on multiple occasions, and had a couple of really careless turnovers on passes inside the D-zone. He won’t get much love from the Bruins coaching staff as a defenseman if he can’t tighten up his puck management skills. On the plus side, he did have three shots on net to lead the Bruins in the first period. But it wasn’t a good opening 20 minutes for him.

3) Honorable mention for the Womens Bruins Jersey: Austin Czarnik and Justin Hickman. Czarnik had the pass on the set-up to Vatrano on the power play, and then nearly scored himself when he crashed the net for a rebound bid. He was active in the offensive zone with and without the puck, and looks like a keeper for the Black and Gold. Similarly Hickman was very noticeable on the ice, played a heavy, physical brand of hockey and brought the nasty with a bunch of cross-checks after he felt Zach Sill hit the deck a little too easily.

4) Pretty decent period for Malcolm Subban with 11 saves. He stayed calm early when he got stormed a bit by the Capitals, and made a really nice save with the Bruins shorthanded, and Jay Beagle with the puck all alone after slipping out of the scrum in front. It was a good first 20 minutes to build on for Subban.

5) Two hits apiece for Justin Hickman, Brian Ferlin and Joe Morrow as they’re bringing out the thumping sticks tonight.

Coming Off Career Year, Bruins’ Jeremy Smith Ready To Finally Get Backup Job

BOSTON (CBS) — One professional goaltender on the Bruins’ organizational depth chart had a career year in 2014-15, and his name wasn’t Tuukka Rask Jersey.

Jeremy Smith, who turned 26 in April, had a .933 save percentage and 2.05 goals-against average in his sixth pro season and first with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League.

While Smith was coming into his own eight years after the Nashville Predators selected him in the second round (pick No. 54) in 2007, the Bruins were grasping at straws for a way to get Rask some rest. By the end of the season the Bruins gave up on that plan and Rask tied a franchise record for games played with 70.
Smith was overlooked, but he remained patient.

“I think if you get frustrated it shows immaturity,” Smith said after practice at TD Garden on Monday. “I don’t choose when I get put in the net and I can only perform when I am put in the net. So I think for me it was more or less just focusing on myself, waiting for my chance. And if I did get the nod, I wanted to be ready. I think it would’ve been frustrating if I got the nod and I didn’t perform. I think that would’ve been frustrating. I think it was all a learning experience for myself. It was a good year. I don’t think I can take anything bad from that.”

Beleskey expects big encore with Bruins

PROVIDENCE — Matt Beleskey Jersey is very familiar with David Clarkson.

The names and career stories of the two NHL wingers will inevitably be linked until such time as Beleskey proves that they shouldn’t be.

The B’s very much hope that happens — because on a team loaded with question-mark players, young and old, key free agent acquisition Beleskey is one of its most important variables. He has to prove that the dramatic upgrade in his career last season in Anaheim was not — as was the case with Clarkson — an aberration.

“Oh, yeah,” said Beleskey when asked if he knew about the cautionary tale of Clarkson.

Clarkson was an average, third-line-type player for the New Jersey Devils from 2007-11, averaging about 12 goals and 24 points during those four seasons.

But then in 2011-12, at age 26, after netting just 17 goals in his best previous year, Clarkson erupted for 30. And when he hit the free agent market two years later, he was lavished a seven-year contract by the Toronto Maple Leafs worth $5.25 million per year — more than doubling his Devils pact.

And proceeded to become the poster boy for Maple Leafs failure.

In 60 games in 2013-14, Clarkson posted 5-6-11 totals. The following season, in 58 games, he posted 15 points. Late last season, the Leafs traded Clarkson to Columbus for old friend Nathan Horton — even though Horton will probably never play again but has five years left on his contract.

So to sum up, based largely on one good season by Clarkson, the Leafs made a simply terrible signing.

Beleskey is determined his story will have a far happier ending.

He, too, was a rather run-of-the-mill player for years. In 2009-10, he recorded 18 points (11 goals) in 60 games for Anaheim. Spending much of ’10-11 in the AHL, he managed 10 points in 35 games with the Ducks. In ’11-12, he had 15 points in 70 games, then 13 points in 42 games the next year and 24 points (nine goals) in 55 games in 2013-14.

No BYU magic this time as No. 10 UCLA rallies in final minutes

PASADENA, Calif. — With quarterback Josh Rosen finally looking like a freshman, running back Paul Perkins was there to put No. 10 UCLA on his back.

And when Perkins finally got tired late in the fourth quarter, Nate Starkswas there to carry the Bruins into the end zone.

Starks ran for a 3-yard touchdown with 3:25 remaining, Perkins rushed for 219 yards and a score, and UCLA rallied to beat No. 19 BYU 24-23 on Saturday night.

Rosen threw three interceptions in a shaky first half, prompting coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone to lean on Perkins, the Pac-12's leading rusher last season. The often-overlooked redshirt junior responded with career highs in rushing yards and attempts, finishing with 26 carries.

"Paul's had some pretty darn good games, but what I thought was impressive about Paul was the toughness that he ran with," Mora said. "He carried people on his back, he moved the pile forward, he carried the ball a lot."

Perkins was set to receive his 27th carry of the night on the final drive for the Bruins (3-0), but Starks and the UCLA offensive line had the BYU defense in trouble. Starks had already ripped off runs of 31 and 22 yards on consecutive plays, and he scored the winning touchdown two plays later. The final six plays on the drive were all rushes by Perkins and Starks.

"The difference in the game was Perkins," said Cougars coach Bronco Mendenhall, who dropped to 1-6 against top-10 teams. "I thought he was really difficult to tackle and I thought he was a catalyst for their team. ... I think their running back was just very patient at creating holes and making us miss."

Tanner Mangum drove the Cougars (2-1) to the Bruins 42-yard line, but his fourth-down pass was intercepted by Myles Jack, allowing the Rose Bowl crowd of 67,612 to finally celebrate.