Metro’s Jeff Howe reports that Boston College will be the first college hockey team to participate in the NHL’s Winter Classic, set for Fenway Park on New Year’s Day, when the Bruins will also face either the Flyers (most likely) or the Capitals.

BC’s opponent has not been determined, but Boston University has been mentioned as the most likely candidate.

Other links of note today:

* Celtics shopped Allen and Rondo to the Pistons? (Yahoo!)

 * How the Patriots morphed from a Cape house into an NFL titan (USA Today)

* Bob Ryan jumps on the Dice-K hog pile (Boston Globe)

Bergeron sparks B’s

To another win; which brings

the series back home

Now we’re right back where we left off last year. Storming back from a 3-1 series deficit against a bunch of clowns with red in their jerseys. Let’s look for this year to turn out differently in game 7 as we’re a far superior team to last year and maybe, just maybe, this video will be all too appropriate…

Physical effort

Leads to much improved chances

and they’re not dead yet

 It’s been eight days since the Bruins vanquished the Montreal Canadiens from the NHL playoffs, and some wonder if the long layoff will have a detrimental effect on the Boston team. Others, however, think the rest has done them good, so the Hurricanes should expect a charged-up Bruins squad when the second-round series kicks off tonight in Boston.

"There’s pros and cons in both. They may not have had a chance to rest, but they’re in a groove," Bruins coach Claude Julien said Thursday after the Bruins practiced for Game 1 of their second round series against Carolina. "This is the card that we’ve been dealt, and this is the opportunity we earned: To get our players back to 100 percent. Let’s take advantage of it." – Associated Press

Other links of note:

* Are the Magic rooting for the Celtics to win? (Orlando Sentinel)

* Bruins opt out of Stoneham practice facility (Wicked Local)

* Raji gears up for Packers’ weekend rookie camp (Wisconsin Gazette)

How ’bout you boo this…

B’s send Habs packing in 4

Enjoy golf season

(Hab’s Fans)

I also like this as a notice to the Habs this offseason…

The Bruins made it two in a row last night over the Canadiens with a well-executed 5-1 win, with the series shifting to Canada for games three and four. Milan Lucic, though,

won’t be on the ice for Monday night’s tilt, as NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell has suspended him for one-game due to an errant high-stick that accidently hit Canadien’s defenseman Maxim Lapierre in the head.

Lucic was defending himself late in the third period from Lapierre and Matheiu Schneider went he inadvertently caught Lapierre with a high stick in the upper regions of the upper body area. with 4:32 left in regulation and received a match penalty, a five-minute major for high-sticking, and a cross-checking minor.

Lucic was originally assessed a game misconduct, but it was changed to a match penalty after the game. According to the NHL rule book, a player who receives a match penalty "shall be automatically suspended from further competition until the Commissioner has ruled on the issue.”

In a statement released earlier tonight, Campbell said "While it is unclear whether Lucic’s glove or stick makes contact with Lapierre, what is clear is that he delivered a reckless and forceful blow to the head of his opponent."

"Game 1: Bruins vs Canadiens, from the perspective of a fan in the balcony.

 Having never been to a Bruins vs Canadiens playoff game, I had been told I’d run into a lot of crazy Habs fans at the bar before, and during the game. Well, they were a no show at the Greatest Bar before the game -  all Bruins fans. And they were few and far between at the game, which was great to see. I think last year was different because the Bruins were the 8 seed, and hadn’t really become relevant in the city of champions just yet.