BHN Daily: NHL Lake Tahoe Games Not As Good As Scenery

The scenery came as advertised but everything else about the NHL Lake Tahoe Games has been a roller coaster and the ride hasn’t been that good for the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Hart Trophy race resides in the NHL North Division so far. 

Hard to believe ‘Sid The Kid’ has played 1,000 games but there were his teammates doing a synchronized version of his pre-game ritual at the PPG Paints Arena to commemorate the milestone for Sidney Crosby.

That and more in the BHN Daily:

The news coming out of the NHL Lake Tahoe Games hasn’t been great except maybe if you’re a Colorado Avalanche fan, more on that below. As for the Boston Bruins, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Friday reports that the Bruins had recalled forward Jack Studnicka and defenseman Urho Vaakanainen. The two rookies will be in the lineup tonight when the Bruins face the Flyers in the NHL Lake Tahoe Games (7:30 PM ET, NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports). Cassidy also confirmed that the reason for the recalls was center David Krejci (lower-body) and defenseman Kevan Miller (load management), will not play. (Boston Hockey Now)

After being moved ahead from 3 PM to 2 PM ET this past Thursday night, the starting time for the Bruins-Flyers NHL Lake Tahoe game was moved back to 7:30 PM ET tonight. The second time change in 48 hours came thanks to the first NHL Lake Tahoe game between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights going on hold after the first period due to melting ice. The game would end up being delayed 10 hours and 37 minutes and early in the delay the NHL didn’t waste time and pushed the second game back. (Boston Hockey Now)

With all the delays, the game being outdoors, and the hoopla, it’s easy to forget that the Bruins laid an absolute stinker to the New Jersey Devil before they left for the NHL Lake Tahoe weekend. A bounceback win here will be key with the Flyers entering the game just three points back in the East Division standings. My partner-in-crime Joe Haggerty looked at the lessons that can be learned from the 3-2 loss on Thursday. (Boston Hockey Now) 

Speaking of that putrid game for the Bruins, while the B’s were brutal, Devils goalie MacKenzie Blackwood was there when needed and has emerged as one of the best young goaltenders in the NHL. (NY Post)

The Bruins – and specifically Tuukka Rask and Jaro Halak – can thank their lucky stars the divisions got realigned this season. Thanks to the realignment and COVID travel restrictions, the Toronto Maple Leafs got placed in the all-Canadian North Division. That means Rask and Halak don’t have to be embarrassed like every goalie Auston Matthews faces this season. (Yahoo)

Matthews isn’t the only player torching the North Division. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is doing Connor McDavid things once again and he and Matthews appear to be the frontrunners for the Hart Trophy. (Sportsnet)

One unfortunate circumstance of the realigned divisions was the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry being put on hold but as FOBHN (friend of Boston Hockey Now), Terrance Doyle pointed out, there’s the slim chance that rivalry gets renewed on the grand stage in late June and early July. (Five Thirty Eight)

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby played in his 1,000th game and even without fans there it was an emotional night:

National Hockey Now:

Colleague and buddy Dan Kingerski put a bow on a trip down memory lane for Crosby, his teammates, the Penguins, and even though they had to watch at home on TV, the Penguins fans. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

At least someone is having a good time at the NHL lake Tahoe games. (Philly Hockey Now)

The Colorado Avalanche won the longest game in NHL history thanks to the sun. (Colorado Hockey Now)