Trying to keep this recap positive because the fans and the pre-game ceremony were A+ tonight. Beautiful stuff, so if you think we're sugar coating the game recap tonight, you're probably right but we don't care.

Tough loss (again) to the Buffalo Sabres and another late third period lead blown. It's been the unfortunate rallying cry of the Boston Bruins all season. But it felt like ol' times, eh?

It would've been great to see the Bruins win because of the Marathon Bombings and all. It would've been a story book moment for the city, but we all know that's not how life really works. Life isn't so simple or neat. But the team played hard. They were emotional and there was a lot of effort coming from the Boston bench. It's not easy to play well while having that much emotion coursing through you and the players were absolutely downtrauden about losing tonight. They wanted to win for the fans. They wanted to give the city something to smile about. And for a few hours the Boston Bruins helped give fans a sense of normalcy again. Thanks, Bruins. We appreciate it.

There was a lot more going on than just a W or L. And don't think that a win or loss tonight defines this city post-bombing. In the long run no one will remember the score but they'll remember everything else that happened tonight. The Bruins are a part of Boston but they aren't the city. We are. And we saw that in the pre-game ceremony montage. We saw that during the US National Anthem. We saw that during the chants during the game. We saw that when first responders and fellow runners sprinted to the aid of their fellow man after the blasts. We saw that when runners kept going to donate blood.

That is Boston. People helping people. People caring. People giving a shit about strangers they may never see again. It's beautiful. Hopefully that feeling can extend past the Boston borders, too.

Yes, the team might've lost but the city won tonight. 

After the jump we talk Bruins hockey...

Boston Bruins nailed the opening to tonight's game but the shining pearl of a moment was the US National Anthem. Rene Rancourt started it and then let the fans do the rest. 

Few things beat a crowd singing in unison like that. So loud. So good.

So perfect.

Well done, Boston.

"I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life." - Ronald Reagan

Tonight will be the first time that Boston will watch one of its major sports teams take part of their game in this city. It will be the first time that people will be able to put this attack in the back of their mind for one night to come together and heal. 

Hockey isn't just a sport tonight, hockey is therapy. Hockey is happiness. Hockey will bring this city together tonight. Tonight we will focus our energy on cheering the 8 spoked B, a symbol that has been part of the Boston landscape since the team's existence in 1924. Whatever anger, frustration and stress that has plagued this city for the past two and a half days will more than likely culminate in an atmosphere of appreciation and love. 

Boston is strong and tonight it'll prove to whoever did this just how strong it is. The city has endured so much in it's existence that this will be just another notch on it's belt in fighting the good fight. 

Tonight's game is meaningless in terms of outcome. If the Bruins win, it'll be an added bonus, but the routine and normalcy that this hockey game provides tonight will be head and shoulders one of the most important things. Tonight will be about bonding, about love and about celebration. 

Sports has a wonderful way of healing people when they're down. For 9/11, it was the New York Jets and New York Giants. For the Boston Marathon bombings, it will be the Boston Bruins and it will be tonight. 

They may lose.
They may win.

But the most important thing they'll do tonight is heal. 

The NHL season was to end on Saturday, April 27th but due to the wise post-ponement of the Sens-Bruins game the season is getting pushed back a day.

Ottawa at Boston has been re-scheduled for Sunday, April 28th.

— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) April 16, 2013

We're waiting to find out if the Bruins will be sending out new tickets for that game or if fans can just use the ones from yesterday. Assuming the former, but we'll see.

This means the Bruins will be playing 7 games in 12 days. What a way to end the regular season. If the team is worried about fatigue now...

I'm not going to talk about yesterday's events in Boston. I can't. I've shed enough tears and worried about enough people that I literally don't have the energy this morning. After everything that went down, it was amazing to see the response from people on social media who you have "rivalries" with. 

Last night the NHL cities that hosted hockey games (as Boston's game was canceled) had a moment of silence for those affected by the evil that took place in Boston. In case you missed them, here they are. Also, I cried during Chicago's National Anthem. It was powerful. 

Chicago:

Montreal:

Nashville:

Calgary:

Phoenix:

Awful shit in Boston right now. Team DOY is all safe and accounted for. Thoughts with everyone who are less lucky. And huge respect to everyone who ran toward the smoke and fire to help the injured.

Source: Bruins game is PPD.

— Joe McDonald (@ESPNJoeyMac) April 15, 2013

Game is off. Our best to everyone affected, please be safe.

— Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) April 15, 2013

No surprise here but the Bruins-Senators game tonight has been post-poned.

Seriously. The Hockey Yeti is officially a Boston Bruin. It's on the Bruins website and everything now:

“We are fortunate to get a player like Carl at this stage of the season. I would like to thank the President of the Linkoping hockey club, Mike Helber and their GM, Johan Hemlin, in playing a significant part in allowing Carl to play for the Boston Bruins. Carl is a big strong two way center who can also play wing. We look forward to him joining our team this week.”

In 54 games with Linkoping HC (Swedish Elite League) this year, Soderberg has registered 31 goals and 29 assists for 60 points with a +18 rating. The 27-year-old forward is ranked 1st the SEL in goals (31), second in points (60), seventh in assists (29) and 12th in plus/minus rating (+18). Linköping HC and Soderberg were eliminated from the Swedish Elite League Playoffs on Friday, April 5 with the final series score of 4-1.

In 2011-12, Soderberg was second on Linköping HC in points (35) and assists (21), and was tied for second in goals (14).

In two seasons with Linkoping HC, Soderberg has skated in 96 games, notching 45 goals, 50 assists for 95 points with a +24 rating. Prior to joining Linköping HC, the 27-year-old forward skated in 219 games with the Malmo Redhawks (Sweden 1st Division) from 2005-2010 tallying 80-159=239 totals with a combined +69 rating.

The 6’3’’ 218-pound native of Malmo, Sweden was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the second round (49th overall) the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. The Bruins acquired Soderberg from the Blues on July 23, 2007 in exchange for goaltender Hannu Toivonen.

Sounds like the Swedish League was saying Soderberg was still under contract until May 15th and the NHL argued against that notion since Linkoping released Soderberg from his contract. The IIHL sided with the NHL, and thus Soderberg was freed.

Here's what to expect:

Soderberg scouting report: Big body, can skate pretty well- uses size& hard/accurate shot to generate quality scoring chances. Solid 2-way F

— Kirk Luedeke (@kluedeke29) April 13, 2013

Soderberg is not a physical/intimidating presence, and he may take time to adjust. But for a pure shooter like him smaller ice is better ice

— Kirk Luedeke (@kluedeke29) April 13, 2013

You could kind have guessed that this game was going to turn out the way it was. This was the second game of a back-to-back. Boston was coming back from New Jersey. They have never played well in the second game of back-to-back games. They were now missing two key components to the forward lineup. Dougie Hamilton was scratched. 

I'm not really jammed up over it, to be honest with you. The Islanders are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games and surging up the standings. When you have a rested team in the city the night before and hanging out at Fenway Park while their opponent is playing a hockey game on the road, things aren't going to go the way you'd expect it. Or maybe they did. 

I'm starting to wonder if Claude is suffering from some sort of mental disease. Is his brain rotting away or is there some sort of virus in there just eating his brain tissue like sushi? Who the fuck would put Jaromir Jagr and Milan Lucic together and center them with Greg Campbell? In what world would this ever make sense? None of these guys have speed on their side, NONE OF THEM. 

I'll get more in depth as we look through the positives and negatives of the game, but there was nothing really redeeming from last night that's not named Tuukka Rask. 

A little good news/bad news for the Bruins. Brad Marchand got a concussion from the Anton Volchenkov elbow. That's the bad news. The good news it's listed as a "mild consussion." Here's the Bruins update:

"Brad has been diagnosed with a mild concussion. We will provide an update on his status when appropriate."

Volchenkov got Shanabanned for fouir games for it.

Some better news for Boston is that Patrice Bergeron was at the optional skate this morning. Still no time table for him but he's getting closer.

Devil's Anton Volchenkov got suspended four games for his Macho Man elbow on Brad Marchand. Here's the Shanaban video:

Volchenkov got three games in 2011. But it's not recent enough for the "repeat" offender title.

No word from the Bruins on how bad Marchand is. He's getting evaluated by doctors today. That's all Julien had this morning.