Since I’m not a fan of either team, I did find myself pulling for the Bruins – most likely due to the Derek Morris connection. Daniel Carcillo had a nice bout as he and Scott Thornton have the distinction of having the first fight during the Winter Classic. Congratulations to Tim Thomas being selected to the U.S.A. Olympic team as well, showing that people who are a little older can still be on top of their games.

The game was a spectacle, pure and simple, and a good one at that. The commercials were creative and it’s nice that advertisers are now paying attention to possibly the best sporting event on New Year’s Day.

There also has been talk of where to have next year’s game already, and even with our summer of discontent, I think next year’s version should be played up there somewhere. It would be certainly good for the game and good for the relationship between the Canadian fans and the NHL.

The production of the game fascinates me though, especially with turning a baseball stadium like Fenway Park, like Wrigley Field rich in history and tradition, be transformed into an outdoor hockey arena.

The first three to four shifts from the Bruins team caused the carnage of two goals in 38 seconds – one on their power play and one short handed.

For the first 16 minutes of the first period, the Coyotes could not recover and when they were able to find their legs and skate as a team, play would stop, which benefited the Bruins. The Bruins team had the better start and the better initial jump on almost every shift of last night’s game, and it was a learning experience for the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Coyotes had their chances and Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas kept it close, only giving up a goal off of a deflection from Niko Kapanen’s skate. However, if the Coyotes converted on their power play, the outcome may have been different.

The Coyotes found their way in the second period and somewhat in the third, but when the Bruins scored their final goal of the night with 11 minutes remaining in the game, they clamped down and prevented anything getting past Thomas.

A team wins together and loses together, and with this current group of Coyotes is a perfect example. No one can truly point fingers at any one specific player because everything fell apart. They may have thought it would be easy – after all Thursday night was easy – but the Bruins came out hungry being embarrassed the night before in Dallas and the Coyotes were initially trying to do too much and departed from the simple game they played on Thursday night.

It reminds me of a 2001-2002, 2002-2003 Tampa Bay Lightning squad. When everything clicked for them, they held their own in games and looked like the dominant team they would become. However, when they got shellacked, they did so as a team, and when they lost – they lost in a huge way.

There is some good news from last night. The Coyotes won the majority of face offs, they only took three penalties, and after giving up two goals, goalie Mikael Tellqvist tried to keep them close. Plus, their next game isn’t until Wednesday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets so they have some time to regroup before the next contest.

Hopefully, the Coyotes can return to their game when travel to play the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night.

The Bruins made a move in the off-season to acquire former Minnesota Wild goaltender Manny Fernandez. However, for more information, please read Tom Luongo’s preview at AOL Fanhouse.

Coyotes goalie Mikael Tellqvist will get another start tonight and for good reason – he was terrific in the home opener.

For a view of the other side tonight, take a look at Wicked Bruins Fan. When I started, Jaci was one of the first hockey bloggers to notice One Fan’s Perspective and it was then I started shifting my focus away from the other sports and more towards Phoenix Coyotes hockey.

It turned out she also keeps tabs on Nick Boynton who came to the Coyotes via a trade that sent Paul Mara to Boston.

Other hockey blogs about the Bruins: soveryobsessed and Projo Bruins Blog.

Yesterday, Matt Rosen caught up with Keith Ballard for an analysis of Ballard’s performance Thursday night.