"Ference wants more! He wants to rip that guy limb from limb and who wouldn't wanna see that?!" - Jack Edwards

It's been a while since I've posted on this thing, and I thank that in large part to the fact that nothing has really pissed me off/inspired me to post. Well, fortunately for all 3 of our readers, something inspired me Saturday night: Steve Ott, The Dallas Stars, and the Boston Bruins. Steve Ott you ask? Who the hell is Steve Ott? I consider myself a pretty knowledgeable hockey fan, and up until Saturday I'd like to tell myself I've heard of the guy. But to be honest, I'm not quite sure. Steve Ott is a wannabe Sean Avery, a guy who can get under the opponent's skin and a guy who you love to have on your team. Sean Avery has established himself as THE NHL pest. Steve Ott, on Saturday night, established himself as the bickering girl on the playground.

On more than one occasion Saturday night, Steve Ott took a run at a Bruins player, trying to get under their collective skin. No call. Play goes on. Early in the second period, Ott came across ice, squared up Stephane Yelle, and ducked under him and went directly for his knees on a very questionable check. Shawn Thornton immedietly challenged Ott, who didn't drop his gloves or his stick (in fact, his stick was the only thing in between his fragile life and Shawn Thornton's fists of fury). As the game progressed, the Bruins started to challenge Ott, but no go. Another hit comes to mind when Ott came guns a-blazin' into the offensive zone. There is a difference between hustle and determination and coming in to kill a man where he stands. Ott came in, left his skates, and pummeled Bruins defenseman Mark Stuart. Shane Hnidy wanted to drop the gloves with Ott, but he'd have none of it. He complained to the ref for an instigator and tried to skate away. There's nothing worse than a man who goes out there specifically to cause trouble, to act like a lone ranger, and not back it up. He was challenged to fight, and backed away. At least Sean Avery backs it up.

The turning point came in the third period, when Ott came up the middle of the ice. Ott received a poor pass, had his head down for a split second, and was absolutely steam rolled by Andrew Ference. Andrew Ference, not known for his "lumber laying" ability, came from his blue line across the ice to where Steve Ott gleefully glided along the ice. He picked up momentum and he closed in on Ott, and laid one of the most beautiful open ice hits I've ever seen. With Ott's head down for a millisecond, Ference laid his shoulder right square into Ott, sending him flying into the air. It seemed like Ott was in the air for 10 seconds, and for all I know he could have been. By the time Ott had hit the ice, the remaining masculinity that he felt he possessed was stripped away from him. Not by Chara, not by Thornton, and most certainly not by Lucic. It was Andrew Ference, Mr. "Go Green or Go Home." Moments later, Ott got up, took a run at Petteri Nokelainen, who had his back turned, and got a charging penalty. Almost simultaneously, Sean Avery went after Ference, asked him to fight, and Ference obliged. Someone else doing Steve Ott's work, what else is new. Ference took on Avery, got a good right hook and a few quick left jabs in, and ultimately won the bout. After having to be torn off of Avery, Ference got up, acknowledged the crowd with a PJ Stock-esque wave, and did his 5 minutes of time (Mighty Ducks Reference: 5 minutes for fighting? WELL WORTH IT). We'll look back on this game, perhaps more specifically that hit, later on in the season and wonder if that could have been the turning point.

Andrew Ference: Humanitarian and Steve Ott Ruiner

It will take months to make the assessment, but I believe Saturday night's game was and will be the turning point for this Bruins team. Gone are the days of being stomped out like an annoying mosquito on home ice and gone are the days where it seemed the Bruins couldn't stick up for themselves in a backyard pick up hockey game gone sour. Welcome the days of the new Big Bad Bruins. Thornton, Lucic, and Chara headline the group. But guys like Ference, Ward, Hnidy and even Savard (who I gained so much respect for after he stood up for Lucic, more on that in a bit) who have carried their share.

One more quick thought on Marc Savard. For the record, I love this guy as a playmaker. To this day I still believe he is the most under-rated player in the NHL. Line him up with a proven sniper, this guy will get you 70-80 assists. But one thing I always questioned was his toughness. He never seemed to take the body, never seemed to absorb hard checks. If he went to the box, it'd be because of stick infractions, not for a roughing penalty or anything like that. Well, my opinion of him in that area all changed Saturday. Lucic was up against the boards getting fed the puck by his defenseman, when Sean Avery came up from behind him and caved him in. It was apparent that Avery saw his numbers, but that didn't stop him. Right after Avery caved in Lucic, Savard (out of all people) jumped on Avery and started landing right hook after right hook on his mug. A mini brawl ensued, which included Shane Hnidy beating the living bag out of a Star that wanted nothing to do with him. Marc Savard got the boot, and got my respect.