GDT: 1/20: Bruins vs. LA Kings 3pm ET NESN 100.7 WZLX

[DarrenBanks56]

It's clear that the goalie coach has been working with Chad. He has improved several things quite a bit in his latest starts:

1) His lateral movement on potential wrap arounds has been much quicker. He's not messing around any more when then puck carrier has the puck behind the net. Much better awareness.

2) He has been more aggressive. He was driving me nuts with his settling so deep into the crease and not being aggressive with his positioning or with his stick. It has been night and day with Chad in this regard. I think this might be a matter of being more confident in his judgement.

3) Obviously he is doing a better job of cutting down the angles, which takes away more net for the opposition. He seems to be anticipating passes better and getting where he needs to be.

It's not as if he was bad before his recent games, but he has improved in the three areas I listed above, which makes me more confident when he is in net. It's encouraging to see that he can improve. I hope he sustains the gains he has made and keeps on keeping on.

thing i like about johnson is that he doesnt give his teammates the tuukka staredown after a goal.

 

[ODAAT]

Brad had what i thought his best game of year vs hawks... he took it up to another level again.

Good to see Brad back!!!

Yep, I was exceptionally hard on the guy early on, and in all honesty, he deserved every ounce of the internet tough guy routine I was throwing at him

I wasn`t however, one who suggested he should be moved although I did say if that lack of focus/commitment didn`t change, Chia is the kind of guy who`d move someone who wasn`t playing the way the B`s demand their players to play. In Marchand`s case, we weren`t just seeing a lack of production, but his usually reliable defensive play was also invisible.

Good to see the old BM back

 

[ODAAT]

thing i like about johnson is that he doesnt give his teammates the tuukka staredown after a goal.

Wish Tuukka would lose that too, love the guy but....

Might get a little grief for this but one thing you rarely saw Timmy do was that kind of stuff, especially in the midst of a stretch where some softies were getting by him

 

[TCL40]

Wish Tuukka would lose that too, love the guy but....

Might get a little grief for this but one thing you rarely saw Timmy do was that kind of stuff, especially in the midst of a stretch where some softies were getting by him

I know a few times Thomas would give a player who screwed up a " my bad" pat on the back and move on (I remember once when Seids deflected one into our goal Thomas reassured him).

Tuukka's young though and I think it's also partly Tuukka's on ice personality.

Tuukka is the ice warrior who stays in game face-Thomas was intense but he was often laughing and chatting with teammates, refs and in some cases the opposition.

 

[TCL40]

They should have awarded Brad a goal on that play, he was off to the races on an empty net without that dirty knee.

Pretty sure had he done that he would have been booted from the game. That's just as bad as whet he got suspended for on the Salo hit-Marchand is just made of rocks instead of glass.

Refs did at least call the penalty but and in and game out they let penalties go.

The Kings were targeting him and most hits etc were clean in yesterday's game.

 

[mislysBB]

Wish Tuukka would lose that too, love the guy but....

Might get a little grief for this but one thing you rarely saw Timmy do was that kind of stuff, especially in the midst of a stretch where some softies were getting by him

I feel like Tuukka's....I don't want to say uptight, but I guess more serious on the ice, versus how Timmy was. It could be because of his age, or it could just be because that's his personality, and that's just how he is.

And IMO, he always has that pissed off look on his face on the ice, and sometimes even off.

 

[hoss75]

I feel like Tuukka's....I don't want to say uptight, but I guess more serious on the ice, versus how Timmy was. It could be because of his age, or it could just be because that's his personality, and that's just how he is.

Yeah, it's probably just part of how he plays the game.. Between his being around for quite a while now and it being known that he's well-liked in the lockerroom: I don't think it's cause for concern. I'd bet everyone knows that he's just in game mode and the attitude is "Well, that's Tuukka for you. "
I'm glad Johnson is at least picking up some work on the back-to-backs and can start giving Tuukka some rest.

 

[Roll 4 Lines]

It's clear that the goalie coach has been working with Chad. He has improved several things quite a bit in his latest starts:

1) His lateral movement on potential wrap arounds has been much quicker. He's not messing around any more when then puck carrier has the puck behind the net. Much better awareness.

2) He has been more aggressive. He was driving me nuts with his settling so deep into the crease and not being aggressive with his positioning or with his stick. It has been night and day with Chad in this regard. I think this might be a matter of being more confident in his judgement.

3) Obviously he is doing a better job of cutting down the angles, which takes away more net for the opposition. He seems to be anticipating passes better and getting where he needs to be.

It's not as if he was bad before his recent games, but he has improved in the three areas I listed above, which makes me more confident when he is in net. It's encouraging to see that he can improve. I hope he sustains the gains he has made and keeps on keeping on.

Boy, he leaves some rebounds, though.

I agree with you on the 3 points above, and would like to see him play more games.....and work on rebound control!

 

[Artemis]

Yeah, it's probably just part of how he plays the game.. Between his being around for quite a while now and it being known that he's well-liked in the lockerroom: I don't think it's cause for concern. I'd bet everyone knows that he's just in game mode and the attitude is "Well, that's Tuukka for you. "
I'm glad Johnson is at least picking up some work on the back-to-backs and can start giving Tuukka some rest.

Reminds me of John Lackey in a way. Fans and media get all p.o.ed at Lackey's frustration on the mound, and meanwhile his teammates adore the guy.

A good team is a family, and family members know and understand each other's foibles. Tuukka is obviously loved by his teammates, and IMHO it's partly because he's a competitive SOB.

 

[EverettMike]

Reminds me of John Lackey in a way. Fans and media get all p.o.ed at Lackey's frustration on the mound, and meanwhile his teammates adore the guy.

A good team is a family, and family members know and understand each other's foibles. Tuukka is obviously loved by his teammates, and IMHO it's partly because he's a competitive SOB.

I was thinking about Lackey too.

 

[DoubleAAAA]

Boy, he leaves some rebounds, though.

I agree with you on the 3 points above, and would like to see him play more games.....and work on rebound control!

This ... dear lord, this.

 

[Hali33]

I feel like Tuukka's....I don't want to say uptight, but I guess more serious on the ice, versus how Timmy was. It could be because of his age, or it could just be because that's his personality, and that's just how he is.

And IMO, he always has that pissed off look on his face on the ice, and sometimes even off.

I agree. He always kind of looks like that, I think it's pretty much his face. He's a pretty intense guy on the ice though, super competitive. I don't think he'd be as well liked as he is on the team if he was a d-bag to his teammates every time they make a mistake.

 

[Shoebottom]

Another great game from the Bs B2B games vs 2 very tough teams and call me biased, but the Bs were the better team in both. Lots of heavy hitting in this one, much more than the Chicago game. LA plays Bruin style, and gotta like Brown. Gets plastered 2 times, but gets up and plays on. No chirping or crying.

Miller followed a bad game with a great one. Love to see that.

Great games from Krug and Marchand, both were being targeted and both stepped up to the challenge. Was a funny moment when Krug came to Bergeron's aid when he was tangled with Stoll. Marchand is being vintage Marchand. Backing up his mouth

The Krejci line is struggling putting up points right now, but they still are very effective. Iginla has to find his mojo, that nice Lucic pass was all for nothing when Iggi decided to take a wrist shot from far out instead of driving to the net. But that line is still doing its job, even if its only taking away attention from the Bergeron line. Good on Lucic for having Krug's back This team is tight because of guys like Lucic, Chara, and Thornton.

Bartkowski was very visible. Another strong game. Maybe if he keeps getting more ice time and confidence from the coach, the Bs wont need to go out and get a Siedenberg replacement.

Hard to believe the Bs had 5 Dmen on the roster last night that came through Providence, and 4 of them were still there last season Nevermind that Macquaid & Hamilton were also home grown.

These last few games vs Anaheim, LA, SJ, and Chicago have shown that the Bs are still one of the favorites to win the Cup. Was a very good mid-season test.

 

[Buckets and Gloves]

Yep, I was exceptionally hard on the guy early on, and in all honesty, he deserved every ounce of the internet tough guy routine I was throwing at him

I wasn`t however, one who suggested he should be moved although I did say if that lack of focus/commitment didn`t change, Chia is the kind of guy who`d move someone who wasn`t playing the way the B`s demand their players to play. In Marchand`s case, we weren`t just seeing a lack of production, but his usually reliable defensive play was also invisible.

Good to see the old BM back

Yes, agree on all points.

I never though or figured he would be moved... always felt management would let him play year out and probably 20-30 games next year too before they shopped/moved him.

Brad has been an intergal part of this team, and I think management sees him continueing that kind of role going forward.

Nothing better than when the Little Ball of Hate is in full 100% buzzsaw mode... love it see him whip around the ice, causing ****, making plays, breaking up plays.

Great player, hopefully he is clear of the fog and will just be pushing forward as per usual.

 

[CamFan81]

marchand undressing the kings gif underway...

 

[mattbnh]

I agree. He always kind of looks like that, I think it's pretty much his face. He's a pretty intense guy on the ice though, super competitive. I don't think he'd be as well liked as he is on the team if he was a d-bag to his teammates every time they make a mistake.

My concern is that I think Tuukka is looking past these games to the Olympics and the pressure of likely being the Finland starter. That is big time pressure and I think he is feeling it, regardless of his exterior manner.

Basing that on nothing but the eye test - he looks 'tight' to me. Gripping the stick, as they say.

The good news is that whether I am totally wrong or a glimmer right, i think a huge weight will be lifted on Tuukka when the 2014 games are over, and he could come back and be dominant in the final part of the season and playoffs. Especially if Finland gets any medal at all.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

CF,

Classic stuff (almost as good as the Kelly Anchor)