Two different takes: Bruins vs Capitals game six

After much deliberation I decided to compare two articles from Kevin Paul Dupont and Joe McDonald on the Boston Bruin’s game six victory in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Washington Capitals. 

                                      (Seguin sends the Bruins to game seven with this overtime goal)

Kevin Dupont is a writer for the Boston Globe and the papers hockey expert, covering the Boston Bruin’s beat along with the comings and goings of professional ice hockey.  Joe McDonald is former eighteen year veteran of the Providence Journal who now writes for ESPN Boston.

Both writers take different approaches in recapping and highlighting the game. Tyler Seguin’s game winning over-time goal is the main part of both articles, however Dupont chose to highlight the growth of young 20-year-old Seguin while McDonald focused on Seguin and alternative captain Patrice Bergeron’s willingness to play through injury.

McDonald’s article recaps the game while quoting head coach Claude Julien, Patrice Bergeron and Defenseman Andrew Ference. Dupont recaps the setup of the game winning goal while quoting Seguin, defenseman Dennis Seidenberg, Julien, Andrew Ference and forward Milan Lucic.

While both articles by McDonald and Dupont are practically the same length 1,138 and 1,135 respectively. They each give very different perspectives.

McDonald starts by mentioning that less than 21 hours after loosing game five, Patrice Bergeron was the first player to arrive at the Verizon Center for game six. He adds that Bergeron’s dedication and willingness to play is unmatched. McDonald then recaps the game from midway through the third period when it was tied at 2-2, while quotes from coach Claude Julien on the growth of Tyler Seguin and Adrew Ference on his maturity despite his young age. He then uses a Patrice Bergeron quote on the game winning  goal to transition the article to the topic of Bergeron playing the game hurt. He throws in a few more Julien quotes before ending the piece by saying “The Bruins hope that Bergeron and Seguin can keep their momentum going into Game 7 on Wednesday.”

                                                                   (Kevin Paul Dupont) 

Dupont opens his article by writing that the Bruins drafted Tyler Seguin as a one-day game-breaker however in game six he was a season-saver.  He recaps the game-winning play before mentioning that Seguin would be a freshman if he was in college and that this goal may have transitioned him from wunderkid to wily veteran.  He quotes Seguin on how he scored before bringing up how common lucky goals are in hockey. After a further breakdown of the game ending play Dupont asserts that there was no luck Seguin’s goal, just skill.  He quotes Seidenberg and Julien before reviewing some of the scoring chances Seguin has had so far in the playoffs. He throws in a few quotes from Julien on Seguin’s growth and maturity before quoting Seguin and Lucic on how the play developed.  Dupont then compares Seguin’s deek of goalie Braden Holtby to Bruin legend John Bucyk. He closes the piece by adding that regardless of whether or not the Bruin’s win the series, "game six might be the game in which Seguin really grew up."

Although both articles are well written and pointed, I feel that Dupont’s article a better read. Both pieces quote the coach and Andrew Ference Dupont goes the extra mile by quoting Seidenberg, Lucic and of course Tyler Seguin himself.

McDonald’s piece has the feel of something done under deadline that was forced out, while Dupont’s piece has more of a homely feel adding perspective and a bit of history for flavor. While McDonald did focus on Patrice Bergeron’s injury more he missed the main point, the eclectic rise of 20-year-old Tyler Seguin.