Boston Bruins vs. Thrashers Live-blog!!!

Thanks to NHL.com and the wonderful feature known as GameCenterLive, I am able to bring a live blog to those of you who are once again blacked out by CenterIce or just can't make it down to Philips for whatever reason. And who could blame you with what is sure to be horrible traffic after the Falcons game. Luckily, your Atlanta Falcons disposed of the Green Bay Packers in yet another nail-biting thriller in which Matty "Ice" Ryan moved the team into FG position for the game-winning kick by Matt Bryant. Now, on to the hockey!!

-- "top" line of Ladd-Pevs-Bergie start the game with Big Buff and Enstrom on the blueline.

-- what's this? All-star Chara flips the puck up over the boards and we go to the power play!!

-- well, a server error wiped out my furious typing to give you some play by play on the PP; Thrashers got a few shots on net, but couldn't come up with any rebounds to penetrate Rask. B's kill the PP and now Thorburn goes down blocking a shot...what else is new?

-- Jack Edwards, who does a great job calling the game, says Thorbs needed help getting on down the tunnel...not good. B's are tough enough when at full-strength and now we're gonna have to mix up the lines to compensate for the loss of an important presence defensively on RW.

-- damn, Stewie loses his stick and is forced to hold to break up a streaking Bergeron...Thrashers going on the PK with Ladd and Pevs to start out the kill unit

-- Thrashers PK looks lively and clears several times before Kane carries puck deep down the right wing to drive the net hard before Seidenberg runs over his own goalie...good play by Kaner, but no real scoring chance on the play; Slater with another clear and we're down to :20 secs

-- Hunwick's drive gets through but Pavelec sees it the whole way and Pevs clears the rebound easily to kill off the PP for good

-- Rask is sharp but he's giving up rebounds on just about every shot on goal, hopefully Thrashers can recognize this and get to the greasy areas to score some goals

-- Thrashers survive some good pressure by the B's after Pavs coughs up a rebound leading to a scramble in front and one failed clear attempt leads to a point-blank chance that is snuffed out by Pavelectric!! Oh yeah, 12:11 left at the TV timeout. No score.

-- I spoke too soon!! THRASHERS STRIKE FIRST ON A GOAL BY KANE!! Anthony Stewart finds a streaking Evander Kane in front after Big Buff carried the puck deep and drew the defense out of position leaving Stewie all alone on the right half-wall to survey and flip the puck to Kane who re-directs the puck into an empty net. Now the B's with some pressure...no damage, phew.

-- Andy Brickley, the B's color guy, who also does work on VS for the NHL is one chatty guy on their NESN broadcast. He is very astute but I just do not care much for his gravelly voice.

-- Sopel with an easy flip on net to force an offensive zone face-off, Ramsay will surely try to take advantage of the match-up. Commercial break-time under 9 minutes.

-- well I'll be, Mr. Thorburn has returned and Rammer puts the Greek gods out for the offensive zone F/O...to no avail. B's win it and take it into the Thrasher zone for some pressure and a near miss by call-up James Arniel who was given the puck in front by a hard-working Greg Campbell. T/O in the corner by the D leads to the chance but Pavs makes an easy save. Another defensive zone F/O coming up.

-- Pevs' line with some good forechecking pressure leading to a chance at the point by Big Buff, but I think they're deferring to Byfuglien too much as the B's do a very good job of covering the points. And just as I type that, Dustin Byfuglien rips a wrister through a screen on a rush to beat Rask on the stick side and put the Thrashers up 2 to love!! Wooo hoooo! Right through the legs of #45 who I think is Stuart. Play was started in the defensive zone by an adroit stick-check by Johnny Oduya I believe.

-- HOLY SHIT!! SLATER SCORES ON THE BREAK-AWAY off a neutral zone turnover. Greek gods exploit the call-up Arniel and the Thrashers take a commanding 3 goal lead!! Was that a quick release flip over the pad and arm of Rask by Slater?? Another 2 on 1 break but Pevs loses the puck trying to move the puck to his back-hand in front of a scrambling Rask.

-- Thrashers now on the PP, as if Boston didn't have enough of a hill to climb. Buff misses Ladd on the slap-pass. Buff shoots wide on the glove side but Birds keep the puck, no they don't. Toby Enstrom re-sets and brings to the blueline but offside. C'mon guys, get a greasy one!

-- PP expires with no further damage and then Pavelec makes a very good save -- standing tall on his knees -- to thwart Seguin on a loose-puck wrister from the right circle. Thrashers now with an offensive zone F/O which they win. But Ladd and the boys can't come up with the puck behind the net, B's break-out. Clock ticking down and we're under 10 as B's go offsides.

-- as the clock expires on the 1st period, Andy Brickley scolds Atlanta for not showing up to watch the "best hockey this team has ever played!"...well that's certainly nice to hear but we did have some winning streaks last season and a 14 - 7 - 3 start that turned out to be Fool's Gold. Oh yeah, Milbury is an asshole.

-- after one period of play, shots are 12 to 10 (21 - 17 if you like Corsi stats) in favor of the T-birds, who take a stunning 3-goal lead to the intermission. Keep talkin' that trash Milbury!

-- LAUNDRY BREAK: GOTTA FINISH FOLDING SO CHECK OUT ZEE TWEETS TO KEEP UP WITH THE SECOND PERIOD ACTION!!