Lack Of Fight In Bruins Reveals Bigger Issue

A Matt Cooke cheapshot that knocked Bruins forward Marc Savard out went unanswered by the B's much to the displeasure of their fans.

For most Bruins fans, Sunday’s events in Pittsburgh were shocking, but for others it simply spoke volumes to what this season has been for the black-and-gold: one giant lack of heart from one of last season’s most intimidating units.

Striking fear in their opposition was the mission statement of the 2008-09 Boston Bruins. If you touched a member of the Bruins’ top-line last season, chances are you were going to be greeted with a series of big hits throughout the night, or would have an undesired encounter with Milan Lucic, Shawn Thornton, or Shane Hnidy. However, after the lack of a response from the Boston Bruins after offensive-pivot Marc Savard was knocked out by a Matt Cooke cheapshot, the message is clear that the Bruins have been neutered head coach Claude Julien and his concept of ridding his club of ‘dumb penalties’.

There’s no question the Bruins weren’t in the proper position to become bullies to the Pens, but when does enough finally become enough in terms of how much you’re going to take as a team? In a game where the Bruins had a nearly-absent offense pressure-wise and in controlling the pace-of-play, and in a contest that saw Tim Thomas get run over more times than interstate highway roadkill, one can’t help but wonder just where the B’s hearts have gone?

We’ve heard dozens of reasons as to why the B’s didn’t go over and rip Cooke’s head off, varying from “they didn’t see it”, to “they were probably scared for their friend”, but the lack of any sort of reaction to their limp teammate lying on the ice is beyond mortifying as to the mental state of this hockey club that has sputtered since October and shown brief (and I stress brief) moments of triumph.

Beyond the question of if Matt Cooke’s head-jarring hit on Marc Savard dirty, the lack of action on behalf of the B’s has appeared to open up a whole new set of worms. Do the Bruins “have each other’s backs” or is there a severe lack of a connection in the Boston locker room? Or was the now departed veteran leadership provided by P.J Axelsson, Aaron Ward, and Stephane Yelle underrated by B’s GM Peter Chiarelli?

Touching on the biggest topic, I have to believe that the hit by Cooke was dangerous, unnecessary, and yes, dirty. Watching this clip as a hockey fan, one can’t reasonably try to convince me that the actions by Cooke were necessary in any aspect of the play. Firstly, the shot was already fired off, and Savard wasn’t facing Cooke or even had his body facing him. Naturally, I’m not saying that you need to be facing someone in order to give them a body check, however, there’s absolutely no place in this game for leveling guys on their blindside.

To put it short, Cooke’s actions were cowardly. There was no honor in that, and frankly in this debate of elbow vs. shoulder, it doesn’t matter when you look for intent. Is it possible to tell just what part of Cooke’s left arm hit Savard? Not quite. Was Cooke going for the knockout on Savard? Absolutely. Should the NHL make an example out this repeat offender and set the tone for an intolerance for these hits? Without question. For the Penguins fans quick to write the play off as ‘part of the game’, let’s put it this way: If Shawn Thornton committed this questionable hit on let’s say Sidney Crosby and likely ended his season, would you still stand by the thought that it’s just a good hockey play? Something tells me you wouldn’t.

Regardless, the lack of action from the officials and the league doesn’t sicken me nearly as much as the inaction from the Bruins. The bullies of the East last season, the Bruins made the opposition feel nothing but discomfort for sixty minutes last season, ultimately leading to the Eastern Conference’s best regular-season record and making the black-and-gold a feared club once again. Coming into the 2009-10 season with the motto of ‘Big and Bad are Back’, a reference to the hard-working and bruising Bruins clubs of the 1970′s and 80′s, the B’s have proved to be more ‘Meek & Mild’ than anything you can consider ‘Big and Bad’.

When and more importantly why did the Bruins become so reserved? With Milan Lucic still reeling from a series of injures that have haunted his 2009-10 season, what purpose do guys like Steve Begin and Shawn Thornton serve as members of your nightly line-up if they’re unwilling or too tamed to get guys who take liberties with B’s players? If they’re not willing to drop the gloves, I’m sure B’s fans would much rather see hungry guys like Brad Marchand or Vladimir Sobotka in the line-up.

Fact is, when the team’s best player went down and the only reacting was Michael Ryder, who weakly shoved Cooke a few times, the realization began to set in that this Bruins team vitals signs are fading, and at an alarmingly rapid rate.

—————————————————————————–

“Follow Me If You Want To Live”: Follow me on Twitter!

“I’ll Facebook You!”: Add the new HockeyIndependent Bruins Facebook profile