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Mike Miccoli

Mike Miccoli covers the Boston Bruins for The Hockey Writers and has been a credentialed member of the media for all Bruins' home games for the past five years. As a former player, coach and official, Miccoli has been around the game of hockey since the age of three. Along with his work on THW, Miccoli has also been published in the New England Hockey Journal, Improper Bostonian magazine and on BostInno.

Do the Boston Bruins Have a Chance Against the Pittsburgh Penguins?

I’m wrong more often than I’m not. I was wrong about how the Boston Bruins would fare in Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. I was wrong about the way the series against the New York Rangers would play out. I was even wrong about how the Bruins’ defense, with Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference, and Wade Redden out, would be the weakest part of the team’s game.

Now, the Bruins look like a team destined for success, playing some of their best hockey all season by rallying in Game 7 to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs and making quick work of the New York Rangers in five games. For the second time in three years, the Bruins will make a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, becoming one of the final four teams remaining in a shortened, grueling 2013 NHL season. It’s hard to bet against these Bruins.

The only problem is the team that will be lined-up on the other end of the ice.

Bruins Keep Momentum Going with Game 1 Win

On Thursday night, fans were treated to 60+ minutes of hockey between two teams days removed from a grueling seven-game series in the first round of the 2013 NHL postseason. For the first 40 minutes of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, it was pretty obvious that both the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers were feeling the effects of their Game 7s played on Monday night. It was sloppy hockey from two tired teams in a game that seemed to be headed for irrelevancy, surely not to be remembered in playoff folklore for it’s thrilling moments and edge-of-your seat exciting.

Things changed in the third period, but hey, that’s nothing new–especially for the Bruins.

Boston Bruins: What It Was Like to Cover Game 7

A lifeless Bruins team rose from mediocrity to play their hearts out for one another and for themselves. They battled back from a three-goal deficit with 10 minutes to play in the game to force an overtime. The confidence and energy of the players on the ice were as high as any time in the playoffs thus far. The Bruins were winning Game 7. And nobody saw it coming. Not even me.

How the Bruins Can Eliminate the Maple Leafs in Game 6

The Boston Bruins can’t play like they did in Game 5 because if they do, there’s going to be a Game 7 and if there’s a Game 7–well, that’s not good.

The team has this problem with complacency. They start out strong, get ahead of their opponents, and then they stop. Everything stops, actually. They stop skating, stop hitting, and stop any type of effort that helps them to maintain a lead. It has been apparent in games this season and now the Bruins are doing it in the playoffs.

So here we go again.

Bruins Continue to Honor Boston

This past week, we’ve felt sadness, fear, pride and togetherness. Bostonians bonded together, remembering those lost or hurt and doing our best to honor their memories. We tried to return to normalcy after Marathon Monday, but we’re sent sailing back into chaos late Thursday night and into Friday. But on Saturday, we could breathe again. We dubbed first responders, members of the armed forces, local and state police and those that we lost, heroes.

Analyzing Jaromir Jagr’s First Game as a Boston Bruin

It’s been awhile since the Boston Bruins acquired an all-star of this caliber.

You know, the type of player that people take notice of from the minute they step on for a change. The type of player who gets an ovation whenever he touches the puck. The type of player who has to be the last player to hit the ice, even after the back-up goaltender (yes, this happened).

That’s the type of player Jaromir Jagr is and that’s kind of what it was like in his first game as a Bruin on Thursday night.

Waking Up in Boston to Jarome Iginla in Pittsburgh

Jarome Iginla is a Boston Bruin–at least that’s what you thought if you went to bed before midnight, much like I did.

In a strange turn of events, he’s not. In case you haven’t already heard, the Penguins swooped in and acquired Iginla in a shocking last minute deal. Iginla chose to waive his no-trade clause for Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and a 13-game winning streak over a team that can’t hold a lead in the 3rd period. Iginla chose to be a supporting cast member rather than the go-to guy in a pivotal game. Iginla wants to win a Stanley Cup, after all.

What the Bruins Need to Be Successful

The Boston Bruins are having a strange season. Strange in the sense that they’re considered a “struggling” team even with a top-five record in the NHL and strange in the sense that their once-sound defensive game is suddenly filled with cracks.

In conversations, columns and general musings, it has been difficult to classify this team. The Bruins have yet to really dominate a game but in the same breath, they haven’t exactly been bowled over either. They’ve made some pretty incredible comebacks but yet can’t hold a third period lead at times. Some players have looked elite at times while managing to disappear completely during stretches as well. We’ve been waiting for the team to take it to the next gear and finally break through for 30 games now. They haven’t.

It’s bad but it’s also not bad. Strange, right?

With the trade deadline less than two weeks away, it’s imperative that Peter Chiarelli add to the Bruins roster because the current team isn’t going to do much in the playoffs. But what does the team need to be successful? Glad you asked.
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