Post-Game Talk: GAME 69 - BRUINS 6 Sons of Gritty 5

[Bridges31]

Beecher 62% and 72% on face offs in his two games since the call up. Granted he’s not taking many draws due to his ice time but he’s been good. I can’t see how they make an argument to play a guy like Lauko over him.

 

[bruinshoper]

That was such a beautiful snipe. Nobody is stopping a shot like that. Nobody.

Geekie has an absolute cannon

 

[BruinDust]

Best PTO in NHL history is an eye opener and I think you’re right

I tried to think of a comparable PTO success story and couldn't come up with one.

 

[Sheppy]

The rotating of goalies has become a gimmick now. If a goalie has a good game, he starts the next one.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

The last time I saw a Bruins team this bad at not being able to get the puck out and giving up late goals to blow leads was December 2010.

I said the team had no heart and would get destroyed in the playoffs.

I still recall the taste of that crow....

 

[bobber]

I still have nightmares about taking frozen orange balls to the inside of my thigh. (Not a euphemism) stupidest thing. Road hockey goalie when it was 10-20 below on compact snow with those balls near guaranteed someone was crying and limping home under the street lamps.

Orange balls to blue balls. Sounds like an old Christmas song.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Beecher 62% and 72% on face offs in his two games since the call up. Granted he’s not taking many draws due to his ice time but he’s been good. I can’t see how they make an argument to play a guy like Lauko over him.

Lauko-Beecher-Brazeau. Simple solution to maximize speed/size/toughness. Boqvist as the 13 allows injury relief to the top 9. He cannot win face offs let alone play a 4th line style.

 

[bruins4thecup65]

The killer B 4rth line with extra as JL gives us a big boost

 

[DarrenBanks56]

I didn't catch the game other than the Youtube highlight package.

But name a better PTO signing than Danton Heinen. Not just in Bruins history. But NHL history. Because the vast majority of PTOs never even get offered contracts, let alone make the team AND have a real positive impact. He's on almost half a PPG pace, kill penalties, plays both wings, compliments whichever line he has been on.

Just an absolute steal in a salary cap system you would have to think there is some way to bring him back at a reasonable number/term. He was in hockey purgatory 6 months ago hopefully both parties can see that this arrangement just works.

SIDENOTE: Jake Debrusk looks like a completely different player post-deadline.

if heinen only had more finish he would be a point per game player. but you are correct. he is for sure best bargain out there this year.

 

[KnightofBoston]

Someone needs to sage whatever has possessed Swayman as of late. I love him but it is time to ride Linus for the next few games while Sway works through things.

It’s alllllll part of the plan to force the front office to keep them both so they can be besties 4eva

 

[DarrenBanks56]

looking ahead to playoffs. i cant see gryz on top pairing. i just cant.
we have to test out a linholm mac top pairing down this stretch. and have wotherspoon play with carlo and see how they stand up. 3rd pairing has to be one of lorei or gryz with peake. Gryz is a 3rd pairing guy at best. but he also doesnt provide the offense reach and size lorei has. i like lorei for the power play and size.
offensively. i think jvr should be odd man out.
beecher i think should be 3rd line C with freddy and geekie.
louko boqvist brazeau 4th line
heinen zacha pasta 2nd line

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

looking ahead to playoffs. i cant see gryz on top pairing. i just cant.
we have to test out a linholm mac top pairing down this stretch. and have wotherspoon play with carlo and see how they stand up. 3rd pairing has to be one of lorei or gryz with peake. Gryz is a 3rd pairing guy at best. but he also doesnt provide the offense reach and size lorei has. i like lorei for the power play and size.
offensively. i think jvr should be odd man out.
beecher i think should be 3rd line C with freddy and geekie.
louko boqvist brazeau 4th line
heinen zacha pasta 2nd line

I’m all for breaking up Lindholm and Carlo . Separately they can be effective but when they play together they don’t make intelligent decisions in my opinion.

 

[Sevren]

You know what? Having watched them all again today, which goal should Swayman have stopped?

Not the 2 on 1 rocket
Not the tip right in the crease
Not the really weird one where the guy reverses in behind in the blind spot (while his teammate keeps going the original wrap around direction)
Not the goal of the year candidate through the legs breakaway
And not the last one which was weirdly similar to the 3rd in how fast directions changed

I dunno, that's just hockey. Those were ALL bizarre or fantastic goals. The change of direction pair of goals is probably on the D. All the rest you definitely live with.

I agree with you, he was unlucky way more than he was off in my opinion.

 

[BMC]

I hope you are right, maybe knowing the Bruins wanted to trade him will be the fuel that fires him up for the rest of the season and playoffs.

Plus it looks like he's healthy.

A healthy, focused Linus for the playoffs? Definitely sign me up for that!!!

 

[BMC]

Charlie with his 2 goals & Woodstock with his snipe were my highlights. I had no idea Andrew Peeke could pass like that hopefully that bodes well for the future. Like him & Wotherspoon together, they have the makings of a good third pairing. Great to see John Beecher back too.

 

[Sevren]

Didn’t say he was the worst and I agree it was 3 on 1 until the very end, but he still has to stop that pass. The D play there is not to do nothing.

The right play for a dman on a 2 on 1 is to play the pass and let the goalie handle the puck carrier I agree. But when there is a lot time for the attackers to make a play because there is not enough pressure coming from the back checkers, they have the luxury to slow down instead of driving to the net and this makes it very difficult for the dman to stop the pass if they decide to pass the puck as they reach the faceoff circles. On that play I think Grzelcyk does try to play the pass but he can't reach it because Peohling stops at the faceoff circle instead of going to the net. By the time Grzelcyk stops to try to stay between the attackers it is already too late. It was a perfectly executed 2 on 1 and nearly impossible for the lone dman to defend. I am not a big fan of Grzelcyk but that goal wasn't on him in my opinion.

 

[b in vancouver]

Ha ha - we have the same three

We walked out after a game once with Iginla just ran into him leaving and he was very nice. My daughter was a college freshman in Newton and Iggy was living in area so we chatted about living here and the team. Sorry Calgary but I think he would have enjoyed playing and living here a lot longer then one year

He was so nice and - after he went one way to get his car and we were heading to Charlestown I said to my kid ‘I’ve watched this guy forever and wham there he is - no one around and better than I ever could imagine’

I wish they won that 2014 Cup -F’n Montreal

Iginla is pure class. I know people in Cowtown who had similar experiences and talked about how nice of a guy he is. I ran into him years ago when he was still a kid (early 20s) and even then he was just smiling and talking to whoever. Just a good person. Then would go out on the ice and dominate.
After Calgary screwing up so badly in the mid 90s, they needed him. (Woulda been an all time team if they didn’t...) and he gave them The Red Mile. Was crazy. I flew out there for that. Wow.
But wish.

Nice we have the same three. As much as I loved Leetch, the other guys from back in the day were Iafrate, Propp, and wishing they held onto Secord.

 

[DKH]

Iginla is pure class. I know people in Cowtown who had similar experiences and talked about how nice of a guy he is. I ran into him years ago when he was still a kid (early 20s) and even then he was just smiling and talking to whoever. Just a good person. Then would go out on the ice and dominate.
After Calgary screwing up so badly in the mid 90s, they needed him. (Woulda been an all time team if they didn’t...) and he gave them The Red Mile. Was crazy. I flew out there for that. Wow.
But wish.

Nice we have the same three. As much as I loved Leetch, the other guys from back in the day were Iafrate, Propp, and wishing they held onto Secord.

Bruins LW could have been Secord & Leveille

 

[KWbruin]

I had no idea Andrew Peeke could pass like that hopefully that bodes well for the future. Like him & Wotherspoon together, they have the makings of a good third pairing.

Both +2 last night
All other D were in the minus column.

 

[Tbaybruin]

My friend we get that silvery mug you get to order a nice dinner on the KFC menu. On me.

Wow another reason to want them to win. I can taste the grease already!

 

[bruins19]

The right play for a dman on a 2 on 1 is to play the pass and let the goalie handle the puck carrier I agree. But when there is a lot time for the attackers to make a play because there is not enough pressure coming from the back checkers, they have the luxury to slow down instead of driving to the net and this makes it very difficult for the dman to stop the pass if they decide to pass the puck as they reach the faceoff circles. On that play I think Grzelcyk does try to play the pass but he can't reach it because Peohling stops at the faceoff circle instead of going to the net. By the time Grzelcyk stops to try to stay between the attackers it is already too late. It was a perfectly executed 2 on 1 and nearly impossible for the lone dman to defend. I am not a big fan of Grzelcyk but that goal wasn't on him in my opinion.

I hear you, but the play can’t ever be to do nothing. Contrast it with the play at the other end, where the defender lays out to block the pass and prevents the scoring of a goal. Clearly, Gryz is not the only one at fault in the scoring of that goal, but to borrow a legal term, he is the last clear chance to avoid collision (other than the goalie).

 

[Carl Hungus]

Worth pointing out that Toronto was up 4-2 with 2 minutes left last night and lost, Dallas blew a 3-0 lead, and vancouver blew a 3-0 lead all in the past week. Problem isn't necessarily unique to the B's.

 

[b in vancouver]

I love Swayman and I find it maddening that when you call him out for uncharacteristic mistakes you’re automatically pro Ullmark and have an agenda against Swayman. No, I want my goalies to play the way they typically play. It’s clear Sway is in a funk just like Linus was earlier this season. Nothing that can’t be fixed but you simply cannot ignore it any more.

I don’t disagree (mostly). But there is the possibility that the ‘book’ has come out on him and shooters (coaches) are figuring out his weaknesses.
Carey Price is the example I use. Great goalie but by year two guys figured out his glove hand was a bit slow and would go top shelf. He cleaned that up but because he changed positioning a bit. A year later they started throwing pucks at his skates and he struggled with that. And adjusted.

Consistency from a goalie is tough. Other teams figure things out. Why so many young goalies flame out.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

Bruins control their seeding fate.

But they have a difficult SIX game road trip as TD Garden will be host to the NCAA East Regional of March Madness in 2 weeks.

No sense complaining about that as hosting a NCAA Regional is big bucks for an arena operator.

Delaware North owns TD Garden and they have the final say. The Bruins are owned by the Jacobs family.

The only thing that seems certain is the Bruins can not play Florida in Round 1. They could play Toronto, Detroit, Fishsticks, Washington, New Jersey or even Buffalo.

View attachment 837353

Losing to Buffalo in Round 1 would be new.

 

[bbfan419]

Plus it looks like he's healthy.

A healthy, focused Linus for the playoffs? Definitely sign me up for that!!!

Agree, if he is healthy and on his game, he can be hard to beat.