Kalman: Gloomy Griffith's Gorgeous Goal Proves He Belongs With Bruins
BOSTON (CBS) - Break a smile, kid.
That's all I could think as Bruins forward Seth Griffith stood in the middle of a pack of media talking about the 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils and his wondrous goal that put the Bruins ahead in the second period Monday night at TD Garden.
Griffith just made a play kids on three continents and in more than 25 countries dream about accomplishing at the sport's highest level. And as he spoke he looked like he had just been told he was going to have to repaint the dressing room.
Cheer up, Griff!
Then he finally did. Asked if the grueling task of watching video of the game the next day would be a little more fun this time around, Griffith didn't light up as much as he flickered like one of those curly cue light bulbs when they first get switched on.
"Yeah, maybe I'll replay it once or twice, we'll see though," Griffith said.
Even if Griffith doesn't replay the goal more than "once or twice" it's sure to get plenty of air play on NHL Network and whatever stations show NHL highlights anymore. There's no doubt that Griffith's goal will be dominating the airwaves in Boston. And the Garden game presentation crew now has a highlight that will be more prominent on the Jumbotron for as long Griffith is with the Bruins than "Seinfeld" is on MyTV38.
Although Griffith only said "maybe" the goal was one of the best of his career, to anyone that watched it, it was the type of goal that made you jump out of your seat. First Griffith blocked defenseman Bryce Salvador's shot from the right point and skated out of the zone with the puck, beating Salvador as the two players crossed the red line. Then Griffith had Salvador's partner Marek Zidlicky riding him on the way to the New Jersey net. Once Griffith reached the blue paint, he turned his back to goaltender Cory Schneider and flipped the puck through his own legs and then Schneider's for a 3-2 Bruins lead with 1:59 left in the second period.
The Garden erupted about the goal and then about several replays of the goal. But Griffith said he didn't get too excited because there was still almost 22 minutes left for the Bruins to close out the Devils.
Griffith has been all business since he joined the Bruins for their Oct. 13 game against Colorado. He went back to play one game for Providence in the American Hockey League and then returned to Boston for good, in time to score against San Jose on Oct. 21. Griffith now has 4-2-6 totals in 12 games for the Bruins, and it's not likely he'll see the AHL again in 2014-15.
He may not be a permanent replacement for the power forwards that preceded him on the right side of Milan Lucic and David Krejci, but Griffith has surely earned a spot in the NHL lineup going forward. When the Bruins reported to camp with some jobs open and young players vying for those roles, Griffith's was one of the last names – if he was named at all – uttered by general manager Peter Chiarelli and Claude Julien. But Julien said he knew as early as last season that Griffith was coming on.
"Well, I think last year I watched some of their [P-Bruins] playoff games. Personally, I got to see him," Julien said. "I could see he had really good hockey sense and was in the right places and was shooting the puck well, had a knack for goal scoring. So he caught my eye there and then we asked questions of the people who had him all year, and your general manager and everyone else who's seen him. They had nothing but good things to say about him. I think he made a huge leap last year from the beginning of the year until the end of the year. The beginning they had him probably on the fourth line, not playing that much, and by the end of the year he was a key player for them."
Julien put Griffith in the always-coveted spot next to Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand when camp opened with Reilly Smith waiting for a new contract. But then Griffith was an early cut and it seemed he was due for more seasoning. Injuries and the failures of higher-touted prospects, however, accelerated Griffith's ascent to the NHL.
Griffith went down the list of the best goals he's seen scored in the NHL.
"You know, you watch Sidney Crosby's highlights. You know, [Alex] Ovechkin back in his rookie year when he scored that one [against Phoenix]. Even Marchy the other night in overtime. Goals like that are always fun to watch," Griffith said.
If he watches his goal a couple more times, Griffith will see just how fun it was. It was also important in a game the Bruins needed against a struggling opponent. The Bruins had allowed the Devils to tie the game earlier in the period and were getting outplayed.
It was also big goal for the Bruins, who need some of their recent draft picks to produce this year and beyond if they're going to remain a championship contender in the salary-cap world. Griffith was a fifth-round pick in 2012, but he's showing the skills of a first-rounder and, more importantly, a keeper in the NHL.
He should at least crack a smirk about that.
MORE BRUINS COVERAGE FROM CBS BOSTON
