Since the opening of training camp is still about a month away, and the Red Sox are in a race for the playoffs against THE TAMPA BAY RAYS. The Patriots are playing those practice games and the dog days of summer and rain are still around, I decided to just tell you of an event I have done for the past 10 years.

Other than playing, watching and blogging about hockey and the Bruins, my other passion is that I like to cook. I am a pretty good cook and have known of friends who have canceled trips in order to enjoy my food.

Since 1998, I have celebrated the birthday of one Julia Child with a French inspired meal on the Saturday closest to her actual birthday, August 15. Last Friday she would have been 96, having passed in 2004.

So on August 16, I had 10 guests at my dinner table to enjoy our friendship, great laughs, stories, some great wines, and what I think was a great meal. I plan the meal with wine pairings so that everything is just about perfect. Except for one, all guests have been at the table for this event before so they knew what to expect.

The evening began at 4pm with wine and cheese and ended with a splendid cheesecake, chocolate pecan tart, Armagnac and Porto.

Thanks to all who shared in it and made it a great day. It is a lot of work and several weeks of planning and Friday & Saturday are pretty exhausting but it usually is a great “little” dinner party and celebration of my cooking idol, and it truly was.

-Diehard

Here we are in the midst of some of the greatest weather in the Boston area and yes I am still playing and of course thinking about hockey. Our Boston Bruins announced their schedule for the upcoming year and for those like myself planning to go to Montreal the Bruins play the Canadiens up north, Wednesday October 15, Saturday, November 22, and a 2pm afternoon affair on Super Bowl Sunday February 1, 2009.

The Bruins again open their season with a 4-game road trip beginning in Colorado against the Avalanche. The home opener will be against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins Monday, October 20 going up against the Denver Broncos who will be in Foxborough to face the Patriots on Monday Night Football.

Thu. Oct. 09 At Colorado 10:00 pm
Sat. Oct. 11 At Minnesota 8:30 pm
Wed. Oct. 15 At Montreal 7:30 pm
Sat. Oct. 18 At Ottawa 7:00 pm
Mon. Oct. 20 Pittsburgh 7:00 pm
Tue. Oct. 21 At Buffalo 7:00 pm
Thu. Oct. 23 Toronto 7:00 pm
Sat. Oct. 25 Atlanta 7:00 pm
Mon. Oct. 27 At Edmonton 9:00 pm
Tue. Oct. 28 At Vancouver 10:00 pm
Thu. Oct. 30 At Calgary 9:00 pm
Sat. Nov. 01 Dallas 7:00 pm
Thu. Nov. 06 Toronto 7:00 pm
Sat. Nov. 08 Buffalo 7:00 pm
Wed. Nov. 12 At Chicago 8:30 pm
Thu. Nov. 13 Montreal 7:00 pm
Sat. Nov. 15 At N.Y. Rangers 7:00 pm
Mon. Nov. 17 At Toronto 7:30 pm
Wed. Nov. 19 Buffalo 7:00 pm
Fri. Nov. 21 Florida 7:00 pm
Sat. Nov. 22 At Montreal 7:00 pm
Wed. Nov. 26 At Buffalo 7:00 pm
Fri Nov. 28 N.Y. Islanders 12:00 pm
Sat. Nov. 29 Detroit 7:00 pm
Thu. Dec. 04 At Tampa Bay 7:30 pm
Sat. Dec. 06 At Florida 7:00 pm
Mon. Dec. 08 Tampa Bay 7:00 pm
Wed. Dec. 10 At Washington 7:00 pm
Fri. Dec. 12 At Atlanta 7:30 pm
Sat. Dec. 13 Atlanta 7:00 pm
Thu. Dec. 18 Toronto 7:00 pm
Sat. Dec. 20 Carolina 1:00 pm
Sun. Dec. 21 At St. Louis 6:00 pm
Tue. Dec. 23 At New Jersey 7:00 pm
Sat. Dec. 27 At Carolina 7:00 pm
Sun. Dec. 28 At Atlanta 5:00 pm
Tue. Dec. 30 At Pittsburgh 7:30 pm
Thu. Jan. 01 Pittsburgh 7:00 pm
Sat. Jan. 03 Buffalo 1:00 pm
Tue. Jan. 06 Minnesota 7:00 pm
Thu. Jan. 08 Ottawa 7:00 pm
Sat. Jan. 10 Carolina 1:00 pm
Tue. Jan. 13 Montreal 7:00 pm
Thu. Jan. 15 At N.Y. Islanders 7:00 pm
Sat. Jan. 17 At Washington 7:00 pm
Mon. Jan. 19 St. Louis 1:00 pm
Wed. Jan. 21 At Toronto 7:30 pm
Tue. Jan. 27 Washington 7:00 pm
Thu. Jan. 29 New Jersey 7:00 pm
Sat. Jan. 31 N.Y. Rangers 1:00 pm
Sun. Feb. 01 At Montreal 2:00 pm
Wed. Feb. 04 At Philadelphia 7:00 pm
Thu. Feb. 05 At Ottawa 7:30 pm
Sat. Feb. 07 Philadelphia 1:00 pm
Tue. Feb. 10 San Jose 7:00 pm
Fri. Feb. 13 At New Jersey 7:00 pm
Sat. Feb. 14 At Nashville 8:00 pm
Tue. Feb. 17 At Carolina 7:00 pm
Sat. Feb. 21 At Florida 7:00 pm
Sun. Feb. 22 At Tampa Bay 5:00 pm
Tue. Feb. 24 At Florida 7:00 pm
The. Feb. 26 Anaheim 7:00 pm
Sat. Feb. 28 Washington 1:00 pm
Tue. Mar. 03 Philadelphia 7:00 pm
Thu. Mar. 05 Phoenix 7:00 pm
Sat. Mar. 07 Chicago 1:00 pm
Sun. Mar. 08 At N.Y. Rangers 3:00 pm
Tue. Mar. 10 At Columbus 7:00 pm
Thu. Mar. 12 Ottawa 7:00 pm
Sat. Mar. 14 N.Y. Islanders 1:00 pm
Sun. Mar. 15 At Pittsburgh 3:00 pm
Thu. Mar. 19 Los Angeles 7:00 pm
Sun. Mar. 22 New Jersey 3:00 pm
Sat. Mar. 28 At Toronto 7:00 pm
Sun. Mar. 29 At Philadelphia 7:00 pm
Tue. Mar. 31 Tampa Bay 7:00 pm
Thu. Apr. 02 Ottawa 7:00 pm
Sat. Apr. 04 N.Y. Rangers 1:00 pm
Tue. Apr. 07 At Ottawa 7:30 pm
Thu. Apr. 09 Montreal 7:00 pm
Sat. Apr. 11 At Buffalo 4:00 pm
Sun. Apr. 12 At N.Y. Islanders 5:00 pm

When I was a young lad, I always wanted to be either Fred Cusick or Bob Wilson. Two men whom I still consider the greatest hockey play by play men in my history of hockey. The great Dan Kelly was also one of the best and his call of the Canada Cup Series in 1987 remains in my mind today. Just an outstanding call of a great series. Back in 1984 when I first got cable and WWOR out of Secaucus, NJ was broadcasting New Jersey Devils games, I would watch them because it was hockey. It didn’t matter that they were from NJ or the Devils were not that good, it was hockey and I had no life during the NHL season. As I’m watching the games, I’m hearing the play-by-play announcer using phrases and terminology that I had never heard before. He was describing more than passes and checks and saves. He was describing how those passes were made and checks were given out with words, likes shovels, snarling, and fought off. All phrases that I had not heard of to describe hockey games. I found myself smiling while I watched games and wanted to hear more of what this guy had to say. A year or so later, they took the games off of my cable system and as quickly as I found him, he was gone from Boston air. There was no internet to look up the Devils announcer. It wasn’t until I got into this media business and that announcer, (who at that time had a lot of “hair” on his head), was doing a broadcast from the Boston Garden and I put the face with the voice.

Mike “Doc” Emrick was honoured over the weekend with the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award, enshrining him in the broadcasters’ wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. After more than two decades and more than 2000 hockey games broadcast, he joins the aforementioned Kelly, Cusick and Wilson among the greats who know how to call a game without the histrionics and hyperbole. He will be at his craft tonight as it looks the Stanley Cup will be hoisted tonight in Detroit. Congratulations Mr. Mike Emrick.

-Diehard

4.21.08   12:00

One of Diehard’s good friends is Todd Nichol. He is a native Montrealer. Todd is so sure that the Montreal Canadiens will win game seven tonight that he has a friendly wager with Diehard. Should the Boston Bruins beat the Habs tonight, Mr. Nichol will wear the Spoked B jersey for one month at our Friday Night hockey in the fall. Should The Canadiens win the game, your local correspondent will have to wear A Canadien tuque over my goalie helmet for two games! Go Bruins!
-Diehard
 

4.20.08   17:00

Forever a city boy, Diehard had to make his way down to Swansea, MA for the first time as the family was having a big function celebrating Mai’s 90th year around the sun. And boy did she look marvelous and feisty. On the floor dancing with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren & great-great-grandchildren. It was the only reason I was not in attendance at game six where the Bruins continued playing pretty solid, physical and opportunistic hockey. Sorry coach Julien, the playoffs is not a good time to teach players a lesson. Doghouse, schmoghouse. Phil Kessel belonged in games 2,3 & 4. If anything he got this team on their current scoring trend it was that first goal in game five. Since that power play tally by the re-inserted Phil Kessel in Game five, the B’s have scored nine goals with Kessel scoring three of them. And Boston has cracked the lock of Carey Price in the Montreal net. Kessel opened the floodgates for a team that not only couldn’t buy a goal, they couldn’t even get quality shots on the Canadien goaltender. Just look at the Bruin tallies. Svobotka, Lucic, Metropolit, Sturm with two including the game winner in game six. My hockey buddy Joe Cronin would be proud of Marco how he held and held the puck getting Carey Price down and out before putting the puck in the net sending the garden rocking to its foundation. A noise level we Bruin fans haven’t heard in too long a time. Who would have thunk it? Despite playing well in all games except game one, the Bruins look like the gang that couldn’t shoot straight. Now for their efforts they get an all expense trip back to Montreal, PQ and try to win a game seven IN the Bell Centre. Winning Game 7, no problem eh? The Bruins have lost all 20 series in which it trailed 3-1 and this is the only time they have made it to a seventh game. The B’s have played two game 7’s in Montreal — 3-1 in the 1952 semifinals and 5-4 in overtime in the infamous too many men  semifinals in 1979, after leading with less than three minutes to play in regulation. Montreal has won 23 of the 30 playoff series versus Boston teams, including four of six that went to a seventh game. But who knows what can happen Monday night. And the similarities of this playoff series and the one in 2004 are frightening. Boston was the number 1 seed and Montreal was the eighth. Montreal won game 2 in OT as they did in 2004. Boston had a 3 games to 1 lead and Montreal won game five in Boston 5-1 in 2004. The Bruins won game five in Montreal earlier this week. Boston had Rookie of the Year goalie Andrew Raycroft in 2004. Carey Price is a rookie for Montreal. Montreal forced a seventh game with a win on home ice in game six 2004 just like Boston did last night. Whew. Monday night will be nerve wracking for all concerned. Saturday night, as the game was going on, I was with my huge family enjoying our Matriarch’s natal day. But after several text messages and voice mail from friends that knew I was not at the “garden”, messages that I did not answer, and no radio on the way home, I sat down and watch the entire game like it was live and had the same emotions that the 17 thousand plus that were there had. Phil Kessel’s first goal!   I actually said WOW before Jack Edwards did. And did you see him play defense when Chara was caught up ice after a rushing the puck. Remarkable. I wonder if he’ll be a healthy scratch Monday. Somehow, I doubt it. Go Bruins. And don’t forget, you can hear all the action with Dave Goucher and Bob Beers on WBZ Newsradio 1030 and WBZ1030.com.

-Diehard

4.16.08   09:00

Well, you really couldn’t ask for much more of the Bruins last night. They did pretty much the same things they did in games two and three, except score. Several opportunities they had on Carey Price but either could not hit the net, or young Price made the stop. A lot of shots right at him, few were tough. Everything you want in the Bruins was there. Hard work, tough in the corners, good hitting. Tim Thomas once again, sensational in goal and yet, no Bruin goals. And that’s the bottom line in any sport. Cliché it may be, but if you don’t score, you don’t win. Now they go back to Montreal and try to win game five which is a monumental chore. Diehard still hasn’t figured out why Coach Julien is healthy scratching Phil Kessel. Yes, he is a defensive liability but when you have as pathetic an offense as the Bruins have, you might have to sacrifice a bit of defense. The garden was waiting with anticipation to explode had the B’s put one in the net. But that was not the case. Too many missed nets and soft shots and blocked shots and missed open nets. Hard working Bruins shooting blanks. Reminds me of past Boston teams and most times they were facing the Habs. The Bruins continue to fail on their power play and although doing a good job on the penalty kill, the only goal scored was on the power play with 46 seconds left in the second period. Boston started the third with a power play of their own, but nothing ever materialized. So, once again, unless there is a resurrection of Messer’s Oates and Neely, our Boston Bruins will fail in a playoff series. You knew they would have to win one in Montreal if they were to defeat the Canadiens, now they have to win two and oh, by the way, win one back at the “garden”. Just about impossible to do. Especially when you can’t get the puck to cross the goal line.

-Diehard!
 

4.15.08  18:20
They are both rookies in the National Hockey League playoffs. Carey Price is a rookie in every sense of the word. Tim Thomas is a journeyman veteran in the NHL but a first-timer in the second season. With the exceptions of the first 2:02 of the first period in the first game in which a jittery lot of Bruins gave up two quick goals, the “rookies” have played like anything but. Through the first three games, Thomas has allowed 8 goals and Price just 5. No reason to suspect that will change. And both clubs hope that it will remain the same as well. In games 2 and three, Thomas is the main reason the Bruins have gotten themselves back in the series. Despite the loss in game 2 Thomas made some terrific saves to allow the Bruins to come back from a 2-0 deficit to tie it and send it into overtime. In game three he again made several key stops especially in the third period and overtime before the Schaefer, Wideman, Savard firm clicked to win the game and send at least half the fans (not the Habs fans) at the garden, including your friendly Diehard, into a frenzy. Carey Price has been more than solid and showing a veteran steadiness to his goaltending. So far, he has shown no reason for Canadien management to regret their decision to trade Cristobal Huet at the deadline. Game four tonight as the Boston looks to even the series and Montreal wants to take a stranglehold on it.
The sea of Red is in the building already and the atmosphere will again be electric. Turn on your radio to WBZ NewsRadio 1030 or log onto wbz1030.com and hear Dave Goucher and Bob Beers for the call of the game from the “Garden”.
-Diehard
 

4.14.08   09:30

The Building was as electric as I’ve seen it since it opened in 1995. Despite the fact that half of it was filled by the Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show know as Canadien Fans. It was cheering against cheering as the fans were hoping to stir on both teams, of course in their own way. Montreal fans booing every time the B’s captain touched the puck and the proud Boston fans cheering loudly above their razzing. I saw a few fights in the stands between Boston fans. At least they all had Bruin jerseys on. The local gendarmes did forcefully take down one Candien fan from the upper deck and it looked like he was gonna go head over tea kettle over the railing. In other words, it was a typical rivalry game in Boston. The Red Sox and Yankees would be proud. The Bruins actually grabbed a lead for the first time all season against Montreal when Milan Lucic was all alone in the slot and beat Carey Price. Is it easier to play with a lead? You bet. The Bruins kept the pressure on for a while until the Canadiens Tom Kostopoulos early in the second. The Three Stars of the Game selected by WBZ’s Dave Goucher and Bob Beers appropriately named Marc Savard Number One Star and Milan Lucic number two and Tim Thomas Number three. Hard to disagree with any of those selections except, Tim Thomas was exceptional this game.  Especially in the third period and overtime, when his teammates seemed to be tentative and jittery and playing not to lose instead of aggressively trying to win. But oh how this game can change in an instant. Peter Schaefer was slashed and or hooked by former Bruin Bryan Smolinski and a delayed penalty was being called. With Thomas to the bench, Schaefer, now in the Montreal zone, played the puck back to Dennis Wideman who spotted Savard – the extra man – and slid a nice quick backhander to Savard who one-timed it into the net past an out of position Carey Price. And although the “media” are not supposed to be cheering, Diehard was one of the loudest. Hey, I’ve lived too damn many of these Bruin-Canadien series. I have a right to root as much as anyone. Boston is back in the series but boy it still won’t be easy. The Bruins survived the Montreal power play five times and only allowed game two winner Alexei Kovalev one shot on net. They also did not score on their own power play chances. But they got the crucial goal in OT. Now lets get more Boston Fans in those seats on Tuesday to stifle those annoying Canadien Fans! Olé Olé Olé!

-Diehard
 
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A first for Boston.  Milan Lucic scored at 6:30 of the first period and gave the Bruins a lead for the first time all season against the Montreal Canadiens. Hopefully a sign of good things to come! 

4.13.08   18:20
 
Well it’s been a while since we’ve had one of these important games here in Boston. But none could be more important than tonight’s game three as once again the Bruins of new have found themselves in the same predicament as the Bruins of old. Down two games to none to the Montreal Canadiens and game three of huge importance. And although we are in Boston, right now at 6:11pm, there is a sea of Red in the stands as it seems the Canadien fans have bought more tickets than Bruin fans. This wont be a new phenomonom as the last time the Canadiens were here in the regular season, the same thing happen. The Habs fans outnumbered and out shouted the Bruin fans and as we all know, Montreal won again sending those fans into an Olé Olé Olé singing frenzy. Noisy and boisterous is what the Boston fans need to be and the Bruins need to stop the Canadiens and all will be right in Boston. At least for one night.