Bruins boosted by returns of Horton, Savard in trip-closing victory
Horton/By S. Bradley
The idea that Nathan Horton’s struggles were some sort of media creation and that he wasn’t deserving of any criticism he received is laughable.
Horton entered tonight’s game at Toronto without a goal in his last nine contests — his second such slump of that length this season — and just three goals in his last 21. Some nights, you’ve needed a microscope to find his contribution to the Bruins beyond the goose egg on the score sheet.
In Tampa Bay last week, head coach Claude Julien — not the media or the fans — benched Horton for a chunk of the third period because of his ineffectiveness. In the aftermath, Horton even admitted he had to be better.
To his credit, Horton turned his words to actions almost immediately. He was active both with the puck and on the forecheck in Buffalo Saturday. And tonight, he was finally rewarded for his revitalized play when he skated to the high slot with the puck on his stick and ripped a shot off the post and past Toronto James Reimer for the first Bruins goal of their 2-1 win over the Maple Leafs.
It’s been a while since Horton and Marc Savard — his center for a couple weeks now and his brother in being benched during the Atlanta game — have looked like the offensive talents their histories say they are. Savard’s goal tonight, which proved to be the game-winner, ended his seven-game drought. It has been a slow climb from completely ineffective, to generating a little offense, to being inches away, to lighting the lamp for the Bruins’ pair of top-line forwards.
Now, as it always is, the key for both players will be to keep pushing the boulder up the mountain rather than letting it slip down. Horton, in particular, should be due for a hot streak. He scored five goals in his first six games in black and gold and had folks thinking about a 50-goal season. Those projections have come back to Earth, but maybe Horton’s ready to take off again for another few weeks of unstoppable shots and engaged physical play. Inconsistency has been his Achilles heel for a couple years, he knows it, and now we’ll see if he can make the last six weeks look like the exception rather than the norm.
Savard has had his own demons to slay, especially the rust that comes with six months of being out with post-concussion syndrome. Most of us expected him to be back into fine form a little earlier than now. He’s supposed to be a point-per-game player and with three in his last four games now, he’s on the cusp of erasing the specter that comes with returning from serious injury.
Nathan Horton and Marc Savard couldn’t have picked a better place or time to make their return to form. They starred on the big stage in Toronto at the expense of Phil Kessel and the Leafs, and the Bruins have to be glad to have the duo back.
Now the club can only hope the pair of relied-upon performers stay in their current productive state for a while.
Yeah, Konz was unreal, even against us. He was voted Goalie of the Tourney last year and looked amazing this year, yet went undrafted?! I’m sure he’ll end up in someone’s system very soon. The kid just doesn’t give up on pucks… Remind you of someone?!
Before the tournament the media here sang the American line-up’s praises, and for good reason. On paper, I don’t think I remember a US team looking so good. A bunch of phenomenal skaters with 8 players returning from last year’s gold-medal squad.
Like you said above, this team should have been able to out-skate every team in this tournament, but I guess Cameron was right in putting together a huge, blue-collar, team to hopefully combat that. It seemed to work. We just simply out-played them… badly.
In the early going I think your speed almost worked against you. The US was forcing the tempo (which was beautifully fast) but in doing so we counterpunched and created countless odd man rushes, in transition, as a result. I think all of our goals were scored that way.
Do you think you were hurt by playing in the weaker pool? It just looked like Canada was better prepared for a tough game.
And as for the crowd, it does help that Toronto is about 1.5 hours from the HSBC. Even Sabres/Leafs games are predominantly Leaf-fans. Not to mention the JR tourney has been a Christmas tradition for as long as I can remember (at least 25 years for me). Last year’s gold medal game was watched by 5.5 million Canadians on TSN. Considering Canada is only about 33 million strong, that’s quite a percentage.
CNL: “They barely beat really weak Finnish and Swiss…”
Obviously, per my comments, I think that Canada and the Finns play a similar style. Tight fore checking and really physical through the neutral zone. The US team just couldn’t compete with those systems. They got beat up both games, but managed to squeak out the win against the Finns.
I, unfortunatley, missed the Swiss game, but from what I hear, and from what I saw during their game with Canada, that Konz kid was standing on his head. He’s a great little (short) netminder, and kept the Swiss in every game, much the same way that Campbell did for the US. And yeah, if it wasn’t for him, that game last night would have gotten really out of hand, really quick.
Regarding the US effort, it was lacking. That’s what I meant about being out skated. With a line-up like that, that sort of thing just shouldn’t happen. Maybe they really did miss Dean Blais, like some people have been saying. They definitely didn’t play flat last year.
Now, on to the US crowds, or lack thereof. It really was enough to bring a tear to my eye. I mean, I get it, World Jrs aren’t a big deal here, but come on! A great hockey tournament, where the home team is the defending champion should get a better turn out, then just the parents of the players. It is and was quite sad.
Thanks for the retort CNL.
Just a comment on the World JRs for PCL… I’m Canadian so my opinion probably isn’t relevant but I didn’t see many great efforts from the US side this tourney. They barely beat really weak Finnish and Swiss teams and couldn’t match up against Canada’s complete team effort.
On paper, this US team looked brilliant but, once again they lived up to US hockey stereotype of not playing as a team. If not for Campbell that game could have easily been 6 or 7-1. He showed up at least.
US vs Sweden should be a great game though. A matchup of 2 teams I thought may play for gold. I’m hoping for a US win bigtime after the comments the Swedish coach made after beating us, saying he thought we were their easiest opponent aside from Norway. Nothing would please me more than seeing them go home empty-handed.
As for us, Russia is always scary, but we’ve had their number recently so I can only hope that continues.
Just a side note. I felt kinda bad for the American kids yesterday. I think the slow start had a lot to do with the fact this was their home tourney, yet it was obviously not their home crowd. They were handing out American flags in an attempt to make it look more even, but it didn’t help much. My buddy said there wasn’t a single American fan sitting in his section (that he noticed) and this wasn’t even a game Canada was expected to play in. It was the semi- reserved for the American team from the beginning of the tournament.
Obviously this is a way bigger deal for Canadians. Here in the Toronto area, the bars were playing Can/US instead of the Leaf game even. But I still expected that crowd to be far more even than it was.
I really like Coyle on the US team. Damn San Jose.
bet looch is hurt and too proud to come out (lineup not closet).
Agreed guys. Rex could use a few extra days off during the upcoming stretch run… maybe bring Caron back up to wing the Bergy line, since nobody wants to handcuff that 3rd line with cement-hands DP.
Any thoughts on what might happen when Stewie comes back? I don’t wanna see Kampfer sent back down, and McQuaid has more than earned a regular spot on the 3rd pairing. Besides I think MK mentioned in another article that Quaider would have to go through re-entry waivers. I love Stuart, but should we expect a trade on the horizon?
Hey Grant, I agree a few healthy scratches for Shawn Thornton and Mark Recchi wouldn’t hurt at all especially Rex where as he is most needed during the playoffs.
Anyone else a little worried about Rex? I think he’s going to need a make-believe ‘bad back’ to get him 2 weeks of rest before hockey gets serious in a few months.
Lucic hasn’t produced, which may be his linemates or his own slump either is a little disconcerting. However, unlike his linemates, he puts the fear of God into opponents even when he’s ice cold making him at least useful. I would think that’s still holding true.
I was glad to see Horton and Savard break through. If this team is to approach its full potential those guys are going to have to contribute. The one thing that kept me optimistic throughout Horton’s recent slump was that he really seemed to care and was perhaps even pressing a bit. I’d rather have a guy that cares enough to press than someone that just cashes a paycheck and doesn’t care. Horton was seen as “ckecking out” at times with the Panthers. I never got that impression this year. His talent will eventually show itself.
Also, you can see Marc Savard getting better with each passing game. Now, when Seguin get completely comfortable this team will be ready for its late season run.
Kudos for Wheeler, he is have a pretty good season.
Thanks, PCL. It was a long trip and got my Sun Belt cities mixed up. MK
I don’t see a problem with Lucic lately, actually. I think his biggest problem is his linemates have been useless for 2-3 weeks now
Not to be a douche or anything, but Horton and Savard’s 3rd period benching was in Tampa Bay, not Atlanta.
Glad they got the win and that the 1st line busted out of their slump. Lets hope it continues.
Glad to see Tuukka get the start and the W. He looked really good.
Hey Matt, are you going to have anything on the World JRs? I thought that the US team was going to have trouble with Canada’s forecheck and physical game, especially with the trouble they had against the Finns, but I didn’t think that they would be out skated by anyone in the tourney. Yet last night they got beaten, beat up, and out skated. Didn’t catch the whole game as I was changing back and forth between it and the B’s, but what I saw was pretty ugly. Congrats to Canada. If their first game against Russia is any indication, they should have the gold all but sealed.
US and the Tre Kronors should be a really fun game to watch for the bronze.
Lucic looking slow last couple… wondering if he’s got a bum knee or ankle or groin……?
I think Horton’s drought overshadowed the fact that Lucic has been a ghost offensively… he seems a little off his game too in terms of puck possession. Hope he can shake the funk soon.
Funny Dupont on BDC said that line should be broken up. See what happens when you just turn and shoot eh ?
It was only a matter of time until that line would start to click just need it to continue.
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