MVN: Most Valuable Network

The first half of the 2008-09 NHL season has come to an end, and with that being said, the Boston Bruins could not be much happier with where they sit so far. With 42 games in the books at this point, the Black and Gold are just one point behind the San Jose Sharks for the best record in the league, at 31-7-4. As most followers of the Bruins will tell you, the team has had a plethora of success on home ice, winning 16 of 20 contests played at the TD Banknorth Garden. However, that success has also continued on the road, as Boston has put together a 15-4-3 record when playing away from home.

As dangerous as it might be to look ahead with 40 games still remaining on the schedule, it's starting to get to the point where Bruins' fans are feeling very good about their team's chances of reaching the playoffs for a second consecutive year. In comparison to last season, it's difficult to disagree with the fans. Last year, Boston finished eighth in the Eastern Conference, making it into the playoffs with 41 wins and 93 points during the regular season. The Bruins are only ten wins away from 41, while 27 points separate them from 93.

That all looks great on paper, but the bottom line is that this team must continue to win games on the ice. One of the keys to Boston's early success is that they have taken care of business against just about everyone they are supposed to beat. Some might wonder why that is so significant. Again, we look back to last season, where the Bruins split their two season series with Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Granted, the B's will still need to continue to beat the other contenders in the Eastern Conference, but two points are still two points, regardless of the opposition.

Looking at the different areas of this team, one of the Bruins' biggest strengths is goaltending. It has been said multiple times in the first three months or so, and it will continue to be said for the rest of the year. The Boston Bruins have one of the best tandems in the NHL, as Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez have been spectacular to this point in the season. Thomas is 17-4-3, with a 2.08 goals against average, and a .933 save percentage. Fernandez is 14-3-1, with a 2.07 goals against average, and a .928 save percentage. What more could you really ask for? If one goalie struggles, the other can come in and take over without much changing. At the pace they are going now, both netminders should be able to pick up at least 20 win, if not 25. Last season, the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens were the only two teams that had two goaltenders with 20-plus wins. Chris Osgood and Dominik Hasek each had 27 for Detroit, while Carey Price turned in 24, to go along with Cristobal Huet's 21 in Montreal (that does not include his 11 wins in Washington). Again, looking ahead can be a risky decision, but if one were to look toward April, there is no saying who would start a game one in the playoffs.

As fun as the success has been, there has also been some adversity for the 2008-09 Bruins, and one of the best places to look for that is the blueline. Zdeno Chara and Mark Stuart are the only two defensemen that have played in all 42 games to this point. Dennis Wideman has only missed one game, but that still only makes up half of the defense on any given night. The most significant player missing has been Andrew Ference, who hasn't played since taking an Andrei Markov shot off the foot on November 13th. However, players like Matt Hunwick and Shane Hnidy have stepped up nicely in place of their injured teammates. Hunwick has three goals and 12 assists in 30 games, while Hnidy has already outscored himself from last year, with nine points in 36 games. Of course, the two best defensemen on the team have been Zdeno Chara and Dennis Wideman. Chara will represent Boston at the All-Star Game with his seven goals and 16 assists, but Wideman could have very easily made it as well. Wideman leads the Bruins' blueliners with eight goals, 20 assists, and a remarkable plus-25 rating. All of this offense certainly looks great. Oh, by the way, they are tied with the Minnesota Wild for fewest goals allowed in the NHL, with 94. Clearly, this defense knows what it is doing behind the blueline.

The injury woes have continued up front as well, but once again, the Black and Gold have had players ready to step up when called upon. The two biggest players missing from action have been Marco Sturm and Patrice Bergeron. Sturm put up 13 points in 19 games and will likely miss the remainder of the season, while Bergeron has 18 points in 31 games, but has no timetable for a return. Looking at the individuals currently in the lineup, the only logical place to start is at the top with Marc Savard and Phil Kessel. Kessel has launched out of the gates with 24 goals (not an all-star), and Savard continues to do his thing dishing out 38 assists to go along with his 14 tallies. The most pleasant surprise offensively has been the line of David Krejci, Blake Wheeler, and Michael Ryder. All three players had the potential to be dangerous, but not many knew that they would click like they have. Krejci is beginning to challenge Savard as one of the top passers in the league, as he has picked up 30 helpers to go along with 16 goals, and is second on the team with 46 points. Wheeler is having a magnificent rookie campaign with 13 goals and 14 assists. Ryder had a slow start, but has managed to put himself right on pace for a 30-goal season since, as he has 17 in 42 games. Chuck Kobasew has run into a bit of injury trouble, but he will also hit double-digits in goals, as he has tallied seven times in 30 games. Not to be outdone, Shawn Thornton is only one goal and three points away from tying career highs.

All of this adds up to what has been a phenomenal start to the season for the hockey team that shares an arena with a basketball team that won a championship a season ago. If all goes well for the boys on Causeway Street, a pair of championship banners could get hoisted up to the rafters next fall.

The second half of the season for the Boston Bruins continues on Tuesday night, and what better way to make an early statement? The Montreal Canadiens make their second visit to the TD Banknorth Garden for a 7:00 face-off. If the Bruins are able to win this game, they will guarantee at least a tie in the season series against the team that swept them a year ago.

The Providence Bruins were in action on Sunday, as they fell 5-2 to the Lowell Devils at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Wacey Rabbit and Jeff Penner picked up the goals for the P-Bruins, as they will seek revenge in Lowell on Wednesday.