At the beginning of the season, if I told you that Tim Thomas would be the number goalie in Boston and Shawn Thornton would have more goals than fights, would you have believed me? I can tell you that I would not have believe anyone that told me that in September. And yet here we are, halfway through November and Thomas is the number goalie and Thornton is a goal scoring machine. Okay that last bit may be a stretch but it’s still incredible.
Thomas has been an absolute brick wall in goal for the Bruins. He currently has a nine and one record in eleven games and has posted a .960 save percentage and a 1.31 goals against average over those eleven games. Thomas certainly has healed up from his off-season hip surgery and looks to be returning to his Vezina-winning form. The downside of Thomas playing great is that Tuukka Rask takes a backseat. Rask can’t appreciate that very much but his time will come eventually…maybe next year. Then again do you all see Thomas lasting like this for the whole season? I hope so but if he doesn’t least we know Rask can step in at any moment when needed.
And then there’s Shawn Thornton. What has turned this 4th line grinder into a goal-scoring fiend? Thornton has three goals and only two fights so far this season. I wonder when the last time he had more goals than fights in a season. Unfortunately, I am not in the mood to find out! You all have internet, go take a look for me. On top of the fact that he has three goals is the fact that his three goals have been beautiful goals which goes to show that he is not like those other fourth line goons that look for a fight and that’s it. Thornton is a hockey player in every sense of the term.
While Thornton only has two fights so far, Adam McQuaid has stepped up and has three fights in nine games. In the absence of Johnny Boychuk, McQuaid has been awesome on the blue line. People were probably concerned when Johnny went down with a broken arm but when I see McQuaid as our seventh defensemen, I have no worries. I’m pretty sure I talk about him a lot but it is because he is great. He’s not afraid to throw down with anyone and knows his place on this team.
On a slightly different note, let’s hope the feeling in the locker room isn’t going to get weird with the whole Colin Campbell-Marc Savard situation and Gregory Campbell being Colin’s son and Savard’s teammate. They are all grown men so things should not be a problem…well if that was the case, there wouldn’t be a situation at all. Isn’t there a conflict of interest when a league official is the father of a player? How can he possibly be impartial in situations involving his son? Oh well…boys will be boys.
Let’s go Bruins!!
Kristin Carbone
Pierce Arrow Blogger
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