Whether it’s Jack Edwards on NESN, Mike from Walpole or Jack from Dedham on 98.5 The Sports Hub, or the countless people I know from going to school in New England the last six years of my life, it always comes up when the Bruins play.
“You don’t poke the bear.”
Or, more accurately, “Yah don’t wanna poke the beahh, dood.”
The Washington Capitals poked the bear on Monday night inside Verizon Center. And they probably lost the game because of it.
In games one and two, the Caps refused to bite on the extracurricular activities that the Bruins feed off of. Boston plays on the edge. They always have and always will. One of the reasons that makes them so tough to play against and such a good team is that they are able goad players on the other team in to that kind of stuff.
You saw it on several instances. When Tim Thomas blatantly attempted to kick Troy Brouwer at the top of his crease in game two, Brouwer just stood there. He didn’t turn around and shove Thomas. He didn’t try and start a fight. He took the high road and he skated away.
When Thomas blockered Nicklas Backstrom in the head after a net mouth scramble in game two, and then Backstrom was taken down by David Krejci, there wasn’t a fight. Harsh words, maybe, but very little physicality. Very little response by the Capitals.
The Caps, as we know, won game two, and they could have won game one, because they didn’t bite in to the extra stuff, and they frustrated players like Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic whose job it is to play on the edge. Boston was annoyed by it, and they said so to the media. Everyone knew what was going on. The Caps kept their composure, they stayed to their game plan, and they were able to grind out some goals and a playoff game.
Thomas noticed it, too.
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