The Philadelphia....err....Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are goons.  Their entire team is built, from the ground up, to play physical hockey.  Now I'm not against physical hockey.  But the way Boston plays, the way their players act - without class, without control - is one of the reasons they should be the most hated team in hockey.  And why there is no other team I would rather see lose.

For an example of this, look no further than the events that transpired this past Saturday in the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins.  Halfway through the first period - after a scrum in front of the Penguins net - Shawn Thornton, one of the many Bruins goons, skated the length of ice and proceeded to slew foot Penguins D Brooks Orpik.  Once on the ground - he proceeded to pummel the unsuspecting Orpik until he was knocked unconscious.  Following the scrimmage, Orpik needed to be carried out on a stretcher and Thornton was assessed a match penalty. Oh, and Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien decided to yell obscenities over at the Penguins bench.  Because, you know, it was his player knocked unconscious on the ice.

The Boston Bruins are a physical hockey team.  They are one of the best teams in the NHL.  But they are also the most dirty.  Much of that dirty play goes unnoticed though due to the success of their team.  But don't doubt it - it's there.  If the Bruins are not reprimanded for what happened last Saturday, then who's to say something like this won't happen again.  The Bruins are a good team - but their arrogance and loose play is something that does not belong in the NHL.

The Bruins should be ashamed of what they did last Saturday.

But instead they will put what they did to Brooks Orpik as another feather in their "physical play" cap.

They are goons.  And should be handled as such.