East Division Update - February 12th

The Bruins and Rangers SQUARED off again at Madison SQUARE Garden (get it?) for the second time in three nights. This one was a little different though, with the big highlight of the game being a fight. My short, but in-depth analysis below.

(Credit: TSN Canada)

BRUINS @ RANGERS

The Rangers were coming into this one disappointed after losing the previous match up to Boston :36 seconds into overtime. They forced a point out of the last one, and were looking for a little revenge and two points in this one. Boston and New York didn't have an action packed game in this one, as the goaltenders were the story tonight.

The Rangers played a solid defensive game in the first, and managed to keep Boston off the scoreboard after one. Despite the blue-shirts effort in the first, the Bruins were able to break through at the 9:27 mark of the second period. Forward Nick Ritchie skated in from the wall, and poked a puck under the glove and in for a 1-0 Bruins lead. This is a goal that goaltender Igor Shesterkin would want to have back, as he was pretty well positioned and let it squeak through him.

The teams would trade chances throughout the rest of the game, but the goaltenders held strong. The two would get into it a little bit, with a fight between Bruins rookie forward Trent Frederic and Rangers forward Brendan Lemieux in the second period. This was a big game for the Rangers to try and get back in the win column, but they couldn't do it. They didn't play a bad game by any measure, as they had chances, but Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak was up to the task.

The win for Boston marked their 10th straight game earning a point, as they continue to find ways to win, and stay atop the East Division. As for the Rangers, they have now lost three in a row, and continue to struggle scoring goals at critical times.