After 20 games...

[Jean_Jacket41]

10 stats after the first quarter of the season:

1. 13-6-1: 2nd best record in the East, 1pt back of a team that we are 3-0-0 against...

2. Best GAA in the league with 1.80.

3. 10th best offense in the league with 2.80 Goal/game.

4. 4th best in the league and best in the East 5 on 5 GF/GA with 1.46.

5. 2nd best PK in the league with 87.5%. We killed what? 32 in a row now? Total domination.

6. PP is middle of the pack at 15th but is producing at a good % with 19.2%.

7. Loui is getting in the groove. 2g-5a in his 6 games point streak. The team is 11-3-1 when he's in the lineup.

8. For those keeping scores: Loui+Smith= 7g-16a-23pts in 35 gms and Seguin+Peverley= 16g-16a=32pts in 39gms. 9pts behind with 4 gms less played...

9. Rask is a pure God: 11w, 1.64, .944, 2SO... Only Harding has better stats than him this year.

10. Marchand: 7pts in 20gms. Sure he's not playing any PP so it's tougher to get points but there is something wrong with him this year. When he finds back his groove, this team will be even tougher to beat.

All in all, a very good first 20 games and it could even have been better with uncharacteristics losses against NJ+Ottawa when leading by 2 goals and that SO loss against Dallas caused by a dive that resulted in a penalty shot late in the game.

With the emergence of Krug and Hamilton, Loui and the 2nd line that is finding their groove, the dominance of Rask and the 1st line, the Godly PK, Chara, Julien and the added scoring provided by the 3rd line, it sure looks good for the next 62 and the playoffs.

This team is clearly the team to beat in the East. The road to the SCF pass by Boston.

Enjoy the ride fellow B's fans!

Click to read more...

 

[DominicT]

Also

*1 of only 4 Eastern Conference teams with a winning record vs the West

*.800 points percentage within division (domination) but only .500 vs Metropolitan

*.708 at home, .625 on the road

*only once have they had back to back regulation losses

 

[Flannelman]

love the positivity. Even when the PP doesn't score, it has been way better than what we're accustomed to. We're getting there.

 

[ODAAT]

Room for improvement, still haven`t seen a Marchand play anywhere near his capabilities.

Sods starting to appear more confident in that ankle

Loui lookin good

Lowest goals allowed

Near the top of Conference

Yeah, I`m pretty satisfied with the first quarter

 

[Trap Jesus]

love the positivity. Even when the PP doesn't score, it has been way better than what we're accustomed to. We're getting there.

Yeah, the PP has been my biggest plus this year. All the other stuff you can somewhat expect with this team, but the PP "looks" a lot better, which is enough for me right now. I'd like them to start producing better results on it, but the movement is there, they can actually gain entry into the zone now, and they're getting way more zone time than usual. I think Krug deserves most of the credit. If Iginla could hit the damn net once in a while, it'll be even better.

 

[BNHL]

Iginla looks tremendous,about 10 years younger but I am surprised at his production which is contrary to his performance. For a team which certainly has been inconsistent the stats are impressive.

 

[Buckets and Gloves]

Only issue with the team is inconsistency, but I realize it's the drag of the regular season.

When we are in playoffs these guys are more prone to a full 60, hard to do for 82 games in a season.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Off the top of my head, the Bruins have only been outplayed one this season -- against San Jose.

They had some trouble with Pittsburgh and Colorado as well and that dreadful 3rd period against Ottawa but the Bruins are a very, very good team.

If guys would lay off the extra passes and pick a few corners they would be blowing teams out.

 

[ODAAT]

Off the top of my head, the Bruins have only been outplayed one this season -- against San Jose.

They had some trouble with Pittsburgh and Colorado as well and that dreadful 3rd period against Ottawa but the Bruins are a very, very good team.

If guys would lay off the extra passes and pick a few corners they would be blowing teams out.

They have played the exact same way I think I`ve seen every good team play in games I`ve watched this year...inconsistent. There`s been periods where they looked great, then come out the next and toss a dud, then there`s games where it looks like they didn`t know what game time was, then they come out later and play well.

We hear/talk about giving a full 60 minute effort, sounds good, isn`t easy to do

I understand the Canes were missing some key players, but I loved the B`s sharpness last night in all 3 zones.

Loui on one play in the 3rd (on Dwyer I believe) anticipated where the puck was going, then caught Dwyer by taking a great angle on the puck and caused the turnover...stuff like that isn`t found on the stat sheets.

 

[TD74]

This team spoils us!! They are pleasant to watch. 82 games is a marathon and they are going about it the right way.

I get the impression that this team is waiting for the playoffs to kick it into 5th gear....they almost looked bored out there in the regular season....

 

[Fire Sweeney]

The Bruins have won two games in which the goaltender had a save % of less than .931. The standings don't reveal the whole picture. I wouldn't be that confident in the team as it is right now when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup.

 

[Artemis]

The Bruins have won two games in which the goaltender had a save % of less than .931. The standings don't reveal the whole picture. I wouldn't be that confident in the team as it is right now when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup.

Of course you wouldn't.

Stanley Cups aren't won in November. There's such a thing as enjoying the ride.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

The Bruins have won two games in which the goaltender had a save % of less than .931. The standings don't reveal the whole picture. I wouldn't be that confident in the team as it is right now when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup.

So now it's a bad having excellent goaltending? Especially strange comment since great goaltending always equals great chance at winning it all.

Contrary to you, I am very confident that the Bruins won't lose 4 out of 7 against any team in the East. A big reason being the play of the best goalie in the league.

 

[qc]

Long way to go, but I'm a happy camper at the 25% point.

 

[Kaoz*]

14 goals from the blueline, Only the Sens (15) and Coyotes (18) have more. Loving our defense this year, and the fact that they can actually move it around quickly and efficiently on the powerplay.

That stat is equal parts awesome and scary.

 

[BklyNBruiN]

After 20 games I'm happy. As the season moves along they will adjust, add n subtract if necessary. You know management is keeping the pulse of this team, and are watching this team through a magnifying glass. Can't wait to play ST Louis on Thursday. Can't wait to play Chicago also. I'm sure management looks forward to these games also. See how we measure up.

 

[13Hockey]

On pace to finish with 110 points

I'll take that

12 Regulation Wins

Is tied for 1st in East and 3rd in NHL

 

[BklyNBruiN]

I just pray for a little bit of luck, and that we stay healthy. Not only does talent and effort win games but you gotta hope for some lucky bounces during the season too..

 

[TD74]

The Bruins have won two games in which the goaltender had a save % of less than .931. The standings don't reveal the whole picture. I wouldn't be that confident in the team as it is right now when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup.

You bring up a very good point and I have noticed the elevated save % during our wins.......however, I have also noticed that the D is doing a good job keeping a lot of the shots at the perimeter.....sure, we have breakdowns and Rask has saved the day......however, you aint beating Rask on point shots and shots from the side boards.....by teams shooting just to get it on net...

 

[patty59]

The Bruins have won two games in which the goaltender had a save % of less than .931. The standings don't reveal the whole picture. I wouldn't be that confident in the team as it is right now when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup.

meh, you need your goalie to play well in order to win games in the NHL.

 

[nycbruins*]

Not to make excuses, but it would be nice to get more than 1 or 2 pp's a game sometime. Hard to get a rhythm going when you actually go on the pp less than everybody else.
But it's worth it for all those favors the league does for the bruins, right?

 

[Gobias Industries]

The Bruins have won two games in which the goaltender had a save % of less than .931. The standings don't reveal the whole picture. I wouldn't be that confident in the team as it is right now when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup.

Sure, we've won 2 of 13 wins below .931.

But...

Lightning have 3 of 14 wins below .926...
Penguins have 3 of 13 wins below .923...

I looked at a few more, it's not an abnormal stat...

 

[11MilesPerJohan]

Here are a few positives that stand out to me after twenty games:

1. Perhaps the biggest difference between this year's team and last year's team is the third line, and the improvement bodes well for this team going forward. Last year, not only wasn't the third line not productive, but it was often unable to sustain any offensive zone time or create quality scoring chances. Too often last year, the third line would kill momentum for this team. This year, the third line has not only been productive, but they have shown the ability to keep offensive momentum going for the team, or change offensive momentum if need be. A prime example of that would be the shift they had towards the end of the 2nd period against Carolina. The Bruins were back on their heels, and the third line had a dominating shift that reestablished momentum for the Bruins. When the Bruins won the Cup in '11, their depth just overwhelmed teams. With this third line, I think the Bruins will be able to do that again this year. How do you match up with this team depth-wise in the playoffs?

2. The second biggest positive change for me is the emergence and continued growth of the young defenseman: Hamilton, Krug, and most recently Bart. The amount of offense the Bruins have been able to generate with these young defenseman starting the breakout or transition, jumping up into the rush, skating the puck out of trouble, and in the offensive zone or PP has been a revelation--and each of them continues to improve defensively as well. Not only do these players help generate offense for the team, but they make the Bruins less susceptible to teams with who forecheck aggressively with speed, such as Chicago in last year's SCF.

3. As far as individual players are concerned, I think both Lucic and Rask have been playing at another level. Krejci got the A in the offseason, and he has been wearing it well, but I think Lucic has also taken more of a leadership role on the ice this season. He has CONSISTENTLY set the tone in games. He is creating havoc on the forecheck and he has been exceptionally strong on the puck, as well as patient with the puck. His nine goals are just the icing on top of the cake. Even if he only had two or three goals at this point, I would still consider him the team MVP based on the way his is controlling games with his physicality and effort.

I have always been a Rask fan, and I was glad when they gave him the contract last season. I think he will be worth every penny of that deal, and I think he will give the team many more good years than bad during the duration. I thought he rose to a different level during last year's post-season, and it looks like he is carrying it over to this regular season. It's a long season, and he has to do it consistently, but I definitely consider him one of the early season favorites for the Vezina.

 

[NYBruinsfan]

How about some love for the third line, In my opinion the best line last night.

 

[tom nuetten]

1) Lucic after a bad rs last year he´s been a monster so far

2) Krug, Hamilton and Bart => nice to have so much talent on the blueline

3) 3rd line looking good every game (after a bad season last year)

4) rask plays lights out (like most of us expected)

5) chara, boychuk, bergeron, marchand and seidenberg are underperforming so far

6) similar problems of not playing 60 minutes (like last season)