Weekend observations

Here is my latest edition of quick hitting points over the weekend.

- The Bruins look to be back on the winning track. Despite that disappointing OT loss to the Devils on Thursday they still did not play a bad game and they have followed that up with two solid efforts in back-to-back nights against the Rangers and Canadiens. They are now only 14 points away from their entire point total from last season and there are still 2 and a half months of games to play.

- On the same topic, Tuuka Rask looked great against the Rangers on Saturday. Unlike some, I'm not going to get carried away and say that it is time to trade Fernandez and just go with Rask and Thomas for the rest of the season but his play certainly makes it easier to part with one of those guys in the off-season. He got a little skittish at the end of the game when he knew that the shutout was in his grasp (watching him scramble for that last puck as time was running out kinda reminded you that though a professional, he's still just a kid) but he held on for a great victory both for himself and his team. Next year, he probably splits time with whoever gets kept (odds are on 2-time All-Star Thomas right now) and maybe even takes up to 50% of the load by the end of the year. More quality contribution from the youth in the Bruins organization.

- The BC hockey team was once again disappointing at Providence. Their biggest problem, not shooting the puck. At one point during the game they possessed the puck with good cycling, and forechecking in the Providence end for over a minute and came away with zero shots on net. One of the biggest problems is the lack of shots from their defensemen. With the exception of Petrecki, the defensemen seem to treat the puck like a hot potato, looking to get rid of it the minute it hits their sticks. This team needs to take more shots from the point, even if they are getting blocked. At least make the other team think about that possibility. When you look at the Bruins you realize how much more potent their power play became after Savard scored a couple of those tough angle, roof shots. The other teams began to respect Savard's shot and that became another option. The BC defensemen need to be a option of this team to succeed for the rest of the season. They yo-yo's out of the tourney for a day but Maine's win over UMass last night got them back in...for now.

- Speaking of the rest of the season, tonight begins this season's Beanpot. BU is the prohibitive favorite (as they should be) but watch out for Harvard. At least twice I have seen an outclassed Harvard team shock their first round opponent (1998, 2008) but I wouldn't count on that happening tonight. BC needs the win over Northeastern to solidify their tenuous hold on 14th in the PWR (much like the BCS, the only rankings that really matter - why basketball doesn't develop it's own version of this is beyond me). I will have my impressions for you hopefully later in the week.

- Finally, the Big Game (otherwise known as the Super Bowl). That was a great contest last night, it's just too bad that that interception and the Cardinals inability to tackle a massive defensive lineman for 90+ yards ended up really making the difference in that game. Taking nothing away from Santonio Holmes (possibly one of the most disgusting catches in Super Bowl history) and the Steelers, Arizona threw that game away between their penalties and turnovers. I great season for them (considering how earlier in this space I mentioned they didn't even belong in the playoffs) and a big congratulations to both teams for turning what could have been a terrible game into something worth watching.