Dave Sanford- Getty ImagesThere's been a Tim Thomas sighting in Alberta, everybody!
The Bruins started off the Western portion of their 6-game road trip at Calgary's Saddledome on Tuesday night. Like the first two, things went Boston's way. However, unlike the first two, this one would be a much closer game against a better opponent.
The Flames came into Thursday night's game winning their last 3 in a row and garnering at least one point in 13 of their last 14 games [including a 4-0 shutout of Montreal on Sunday; just sayin'- NANESB!]. The Bruins took a 1-0 lead with one minute remaining in the 1st when Milan Lucic managed to get the puck past Miikka Kipursoff.
That's the way the scoreboard would look until 5:55 had gone by in the 3rd when Brad Marchand would make it a 2-0 game. However, Calgary would get a late power play when Patrice Bergeron was sent to the bin for slashing with just over 3 minutes remaining in the 3rd. Curtis Glencross was able to beat Thomas with just under two and a half minutes to cut the Bruins lead in half. However, after pulling the netminder Kipursoff and a few quality chances for the Flames, the Bruins got the dagger in the form of an empty-netter from Milan Lucic at the 19:31 mark to seal the game for Boston by a final of 3-1.
Tim Thomas faced 29 shots on the night and stopped all but the Glencross PP goal. Miikka Kipursoff stopped 26 of 28 shots faced for Calgary.
It's interesting to note that unlike the games against Dallas or Montreal, the Tuesday night game at the Saddledome had a grand total of 8 penalty minutes. By way of comparison, the February 3rd game against Dallas had 91 penalty and the epic February 9th home game against Montreal had 182 total penalty minutes assessed. [On a side note, way to represent Boston faithful! I heard alot of cheering for Thomas when the three stars of the game were announced and the Flames broadcasters confirmed this- NANESB!].
The Bruins don't play again until Saturday when they face off against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver B.C. at 10PM ET, 7PM Pacific. The game will be broadcast on both NESN and CBC.
NBA: After nearly a week off, it would only be natural to worry that the C's might come out of the All-Star break looking a little rusty. And when they headed up to the San Francisco Bay area on Tuesday night, they did indeed look a little slow and lethargic.........for all of three minutes in the 2nd when the Warriors had managed to pull ahead by 5 points.
With things knotted up 60-60 at the half, the C's would go on to pull ahead in the second half and win by the final of 115-93...so much for 'rust'! Kevin Garnett would have 24 points and 12 rebounds on the night while Paul Pierce would have 23 points and Rajon Rondo would get 19. Glen Davis would come off the bench for 12 points and 10 rebounds in Tuesday night's game.
The C's continue their Western road trip with a game at Denver against the Carmello Anthony-less Nuggets at 10:30 PM ET, 8:30 PM Mountain on Thursday, which will be broadcast on TNT.
OTHER CELTICS NEWS: The Boston Globe is reporting that C Shaquille O'Neal is rehabbing his injured leg in Florida, not too far from his residence in the Sunshine State. Head Coach Doc Rivers says that he doesn't expect Shaq to rejoin the team until after their west-coast road trip.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NBA: The Denver Nuggets have traded forward Carmello Anthony and guard Chauncey Billups to the NY Knicks in a complex 3 team, 13 player trade involving Denver, New York and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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