SURVIVED AND SURVIVING

SURVIVED: The Boston Celtics. They look like the recent swoon of losing 7 of 9 after starting 27-2 is over. Proof- The team lost 4 straight last week to the Knicks, Bobcats, Rockets and Cavs. But the team regrouped for a win in Toronto. In the rematch, at Boston hours later, the Celts had to go to OT to win as they scored only 19 points in the final session. But in OT the team scored a whopping 22 points en route to a 115-109 win. The team then took on the Nets in a home/home series. Needless to say, the Celts found their swagger and crushed the Nets both games by a combined score of 223-171. The Celts bashed the Nets early and often in both contests as both games were basically over in the 1st half. After losing 4 straight they've now won 4 straight. The team is a sparkling 33-9 mark and hold a 12.5 game lead in the division. The team takes on the Suns, Heat and Magic this week. Should be fun!
SURVIVING: The Boston Bruins. The team is hurting. Despite having the best record in the league, they are running on empty as the NHL break ensures in mere days. The injured list is long: Ward, Ference, Bergeron, Kessel, Sturm and Lucic. They are missing integral parts here. The scoring is down and the team is out of synch. Without Looch, teams are physically bashing our skill players. The opponent knows we are without our enforcer. The results this week sort of showed it too. The week started wonderful, as the Bruins won a key game versus the Habs. The team got steady goaltending from Thomas and Chara chipped in 2 goals. The team traveled to play the NYI in what should of been an easy win. But it wasn't. The team was outshot and outworked, but Thomas shut the door and despite a late goal in the waning seconds, the team won 2-1. Revenge was in order the next match as the East's 2 best clubs, the Bruins and Caps, dueled it out in Washington. The Bruins let a 1-0 lead go and a late score in the final frame pinned a 2-1 loss to the black and gold. The team was once again offensively challenged without key contributors and it showed. The Bruins are now 0-2 vs. the Caps. Both games were nail biters. A chance for redemption will happen in Boston later this month. Now the wild game. On a Monday matinee versus the Blues, the Bruins took a 1-0 lead early on. But the Bruins(with a roster of mostly young Providence Bruins players) were shut down until late. The team fell down 2-1 entering the third. After not recording a shot for 17 minutes, the team suddenly tallied 3 goals in just over a minute! The team led 4-2 with a minute to play. But the Blues pulled their goalie on the PP to set themselves up with a 6-4. It worked, as they pulled within one goal. With the net still empty, the Bruins missed numerous chances to score the EN goal, but didn't. On the Blues final rush in the last seconds, they tied it with under a second to go, 0.02 to be specific. Even though the puck was swatted out of the air above the crossbar, the goal was somehow allowed. Needless to say, the Bruins lost the momentum and the game in a shootout. A horrific way to end the game. But on the bright side, the team found a way to score some goals. Also, if someone had told the Bruins during the 2nd intermission they would get a point they would of surely taken it. Even so, not a good finish. The team is still in first place and is well on their way to big things. They have one game, against the Leafs, to play before the break. Go Bruins!