Toronto, Canada

Eastern Conference, Royal York Hotel

So we drew the Boston Bruins for our series matchup. I'm stoked and -- to be honest -- a little cocky. We all watched Boston struggle against the Flyers, Bolts and Caps. So this SHOULD be a breeze matchup for us. After hearing that our game was rescheduled to today, Wednesday, because the Bolts and Blue Jackets decided to hog the ice and take six hours and six overtimes to complete their damn game, we've marinated enough to the point that we're sick of sitting and waiting.

It's time for some Canes hockey!

So, I'm on the bench for the start of the game. We get off a few shots on net in the opening minute, but there's nothing. There is, however, a small skirmish around the net that is quickly diffused by the refs.

Then my line takes the ice and we can't generate anything either.

Then the game's first penalty is called as Nino Niederreiter elbows Torey Krug. So we head to the PK.

I'm on the first unit out and we are able to keep them off the scoreboard. There's a solid Bruins chance at one point, after I leave the ice, but thanks to Foegs [Warren Foegel] we are able to kill off the penalty successfully.

My line and I follow up the PK with a shift. I take the puck away from a Bruin and rush into the zone. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Svechy land a huge hit on a Bruin, but by then the puck is out of the zone and back on a Bruin's stick blade.

They push pressure on us, pinning us into the zone and, as I'm scooping the puck to dish it around the net, a Bruin (I later realize is David Pastrnak or Pasta) slams hard into me and crushes me against the boards.

From that we begin to develop a little more pressure on them, gaining control of their end of the ice. It actually leads to McAvoy tripping up Geekie. I also see Edmundson give Patrice Bergeron a cheap shot to the back of the head. Good thing the refs didn't see him, because that's uncool.

So we head to the powerplay!

I'm on the unit that is starting off the man advantage. Marchand shoves Svechy and slashes him (it's not called of course because the refs are letting us play a little unless it's an obvious penalty). I'm not sure why Boston is targeting my stellar Russian linemate, but they need to stop.

Leave him alone!

I want to yell this at them, but I just feel like I'll be laughed at and targeted myself. That's the last thing we need. So I keep my mouth shut.

There's nothing coming of that powerplay. The Bruins pour on pressure. I block a shot and soon we regain control of the game and the pressure. Foegs takes the zone with the puck and gets it to me. I dish it to Turbo, who -- in turn -- passes it to Edmundson. He finishes it off, slapping the puck into the back of the net.

1-0 us!! Yay!

I hear our familiar goal horn and song go off.

Svechy and Turbo then rough up Bergeron on the next shift. And my line and I get another solid chance to score again.

But the Bruins come back at us. They take the zone, but we stand strong and push the puck back out and pressure them right back. The clock is down to roughly five minutes as Nechy's line keeps pounding at them.

That's when they respond.

With just about two minutes left in the period, Pasta shoots and scores from the side of the net.

1-1 tie game.

I'm on to follow the goal and I mishandle the puck but we manage to get it back and create pressure on them once more. We can get the goal back!

Brady fans on a shot and the buzzer sounds to end the period. We head to the locker room stuck at a tie of 1-1.

I'm on the bench once again to start off the second period. The Bruins pour on the pressure on us right at the puck drop.

I finally hop onto the ice and break up a pass, creating a momentum swing for the Canes. With us buzzing for a few seconds, it's allows Kase to take a hooking penalty on Dougie and we head back to the powerplay!

I'm on the first unit once again. But our powerplay fails big time and we waste the opportunity.

That's when chaos happens.

There's a three-on-one rush from the Bruins and DeBrusk, wide open basically, shanks a shot off the post. (THANK YOU, POST!)

Then with the Bruins breathing down our necks, at about five minutes into the period, there's a mad scramble around the net. Mrazek clamps his glove down over the puck and Bjork's stick comes swinging in and moves his damn glove. So he loses the puck. And that's when Coyle scores, sending the puck into the net.

First of all, it should be goalie interference or a missed stoppage. Something. That's NOT a goal. It shouldn't be. Our coach, Rod Brind'Amour yells at the refs to challenge the play. It's a hair-raising couple of minutes until they drop the hammer.

It's a goal. It shouldn't be. But it's the Bruins, after all.

So it's 1-2 Bruins now.

We're all mad. Mad at the Bruins, ourselves, the refs, the game, everything. So, on the ensuing PK, because we lost the challenge, Brock McGinn decides to do something about it. He launches into the zone on a breakaway.

And just like that, with a sweet stickhandle and flip into the net, we're back to a tie hockey game!

2-2.

But we're still on the PK...

That's okay though, the Bruins are stunned. We kill it off and I'm on the ice at the tail end.

The Bruins pressure us still though and DeBrusk misses again. This time a wide open net for him. He heads to the bench and unleashes his frustration, breaking his stick across the railing and then slamming the door shut.

I hear it and then also the super loud, "FUCK!"

I don't blame him at all. I'd be doing the same thing.

We get back some of the momentum about halfway through and then it goes to a back and forth action, before there is a penalty to Svechy for slashing Pasta's stick. And, so, we head back to the PK.

The penalty is killed off. But we head to a 4-on-4 with matching roughing calls as things come down to the end.

There's back and forth action to follow that for a few minutes.

As the clock winds under thirty seconds, we've found some spark and I drive to the net to try and get the lead for us. And then with ten seconds left, a Bruin goes after Svechy (AGAIN) and a small scrum follows.

I'm not too happy about all the targeting of Svechy, so I'm jawing at someone. I'm so lost in the moment, I don't really remember what I said or who was going off with. I just remember running my mouth and shoving someone and then skating to the bench as the period came to a close.

We head to the locker rooms, stuck at 2-2.

The third period starts and I'm on the bench to start it off, like the previous two. There's Bruin pressure leading to a goal by Krejci.

2-3 Bruins.

The Canes produce pressure once again. Then there's a penalty called on Lauzen for holding Nino. We head to the powerplay.

There's nothing on the powerplay, but I get a rush right after it. The Bruins close in on me in the zone and I end up getting shoved into the boards.

Hayden Fleury slaps a bomb on net as the clock gets down to halfway.

And it's back to a tie game!

3-3.

Yay!

Edmundson is shaken up briefly a few minutes after the tying goal. But he shakes it off and doesn't miss a shift. Phew.

A scrum occurs as time gets down to six minutes left in regulation. Wagner is hit hard by Fleury as I watch the replay on the Tron up ahead.

There's a Bruins chance to score at about four minutes left.

And then we just kind of both agree to get to OT to determine the game. Hopefully not five overtimes though...heh-heh-heh.

For overtime, I'm on the ice to start it off. Fleury makes another hit and McAvoy and Dzingel jostle together a little bit.

On the JumboTron and the screens around the arena, a funny message of 'Deja Vu?' is posted. Yeah, funny, NHL. Tell the Bruins to stop being so selfish and just break down mentally so we can score and end this shit.

Svechy has a chance.

I head to the bench after the shift and I'm chatting with the ref, as I sit down. There's a faceoff win that occurs in front of me as I turn around and nod to whatever coach just said to me.

Foegs gets a shot off and we gain momentum and pressure the Bruins.

Then Brady's stick is slashed out of his hands. It's obvious, I think, but there's OF COURSE no call on it.

There is, however, a penalty to Brady a little later on for holding a Bruin. He gets mad but we head to the PK.

Doesn't matter, no one can solve either goalie as we finish off the first overtime.

To second overtime. Crappppppp.

Not even five minutes in and Patrice Frickin' Bergeron has to be the one to end it.

The Bruins win in second overtime and we head off the ice, frustrated at ourselves. It's okay, we'll get 'em next game!

Game two will belong to the Carolina Hurricanes!!