We dedicate this edition of the Hidden Game to Wilfred Harris, better known as “Smokey.”
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The left-winger, born in Port Harris, Ont., scored the first goal in Boston Bruins franchise history — a 2-1 victory against the Montreal Maroons on Dec. 1, 1924. The game was played at the Boston Arena, now known as the Matthews Arena, located on the campus of Northeastern University.
Harris was born on Oct. 11, 1890. That would have made him an NHL rookie at age 34, and it was one of only six NHL games he played, scoring three goals and one assist. Instead, he spent most of his career in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association and Western Canada Hockey League, playing for the Vancouver Millionaires, Portland Rosebuds, Vancouver Maroons, Seattle Metropolitans and Edmonton Eskimos.
Why did the teams sound much cooler back then?
Although Harris was 5-foot-11, he weighed only 165 pounds. But we dare suggest he played the game hard and had a snarly side. In 252 PCHA games, he scored 156 goals and 246 points. But the stat we like the most? The guy accumulated 416 penalty minutes.
Harris lived to age 83 before his 1974 death, so must have done something right.
You expected a different outcome?: On the centennial anniversary of the NHL’s oldest U.S. franchise, the Bruins’ 6-3 victory over the Canadiens — playing their second game in as many afternoons — at TD Garden was almost a foregone conclusion. Montreal has now lost four of its last five, its record dropping to 8-13-3. But we’ve been led to believe the Canadiens still remain in the mix.
Look at the bright side: The Canadiens begin a five-game homestand Tuesday against the New York Islanders and head coach Patrick Roy. It’s their longest homestand of the season and there could be some favourable matchups against Nashville, Anaheim and Pittsburgh. The Islanders also are struggling. Come Dec. 12, the Canadiens could really be in the mix.
Hey, we all should be allowed to dream.
News you need (Part I): Joe Sacco became the 30th head coach in Boston history when he replaced the fired Jim Montgomery on Nov. 19. Less than a week later, Montgomery was hired as St. Louis’s bench boss and received a five-year contract.
While Sacco was hired on an interim basis after being either an assistant or associate with the Bruins since July 2014, the team has gone 4-2-0 under his stewardship. Sacco was coaching his 300th NHL game on Sunday.
Another milestone: Bruins right-winger David Pastrnak played his 700th NHL game. He also scored his ninth goal this season, in the first period.
This was no coincidence: Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis started Kirby Dach‘s line to begin the game. It was Dach’s double high-sticking minor late in the third period Saturday that eventually resulted in the New York Rangers’ winning goal. St. Louis undoubtedly was sending a vote of confidence to Dach, who nonetheless remains mired in a slump, held to one goal and eight points in 24 games.
News you need (Part II): The Bruins hadn’t scored more than two goals in six consecutive home games. They had gone 13 games without scoring a third-period goal at home. They also had scored three goals or more in only nine of 25 games. But playing the Canadiens usually provide the antidote for everything that ails a team.
Another slow start: It took more than four minutes for the Canadiens to register their first shot.
How might this game have turned out: If Mike Matheson had scored in the 10th minute instead of hitting the post. The game was goalless at the time.
When it rains, it pours: The Bruins took a 3-0 first-period lead with three goals in 70 seconds — the latter two in a mind-boggling 15-second span against the beleaguered Cayden Primeau.
Breaking news: CNN declared the Bruins the winner at this point, despite 47 minutes still remaining.
Look at the bright side: The Canadiens played Boston to a 3-3 draw over the final two periods.
News you need (Part III): The first period was played penalty-free. How often has that occurred in this rich, and often bitter, rivalry?
If only:Ken Dryden was part of the pregame, opening-faceoff ceremony. We wish the Canadiens could have started him in goal. By the way, Dryden is now 77. Where has the time gone?
Hits of the night: Arber Xhekaj on Trent Frederic in the second period. And, as the period was coming to a close, David Savard on Morgan Geekie.
Next time, decline the penalty: Not only did the Canadiens go 0-for-2 with the man advantage, they allowed a short-handed goal in the opening seconds of the second period; Charlie McAvoy, a defenceman, scored on a breakaway.
This guy rarely loses to Montreal: Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is now 9-0-1 against the Canadiens.
It’s a crowded leaderboard: Matheson has the clubhouse lead, at minus-4. But both Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky are in the mix, at minus-3. And don’t count out Dach and Josh Anderson, both at minus-2.
One quick stat: Primeau faced 29 shots, for a save percentage of .828.
They said it: “I know we’re a young team and we’re going to have those moments,” St. Louis told the media in Boston post-game. “You expect more from the guys who have been there and understand that and can show the way. We’re going to keep at it.
“You can’t help the other team and dig yourself in a hole. It’s hard to play catchup hockey on a back-to-back. It’s hard when you’re fresh.”
“We have to find a way to not have those lapses where, in one minute, we give them three goals,” Kaiden Guhle said in Boston. “I didn’t hate our effort. Everyone tried. A bad minute, minute and a half, kind of screwed us. I honestly thought we played pretty well. It’s tough to come back from three down in this league. We can’t have a mental lapse like we did.”
“It’s hard to come back after going down quick like that,” Primeau said in Boston. “I felt good throughout the whole game. As soon as they got the first one they were just throwing pucks around the net. It felt like they were always at the net.”