NHL Around the NHL XXVI - Bubble Hockey Continues III......RIP Dale Hawerchuk

[missingchicklet]

This game sure got interesting in the second. Seems like teams would learn to not play on their heels with an early 3 goal lead.

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Bruins WHAT IF # 2018

Goaltender Anton Khudobin, who had a resurgent season with the Boston Bruins, signed with the Dallas Stars on a two-year contract Sunday.

The deal carries an average annual value of $2.5 million per season.

In his second stint with the Bruins, Khudobin proved to be a more than capable backup to Tuukka Rask. The 32-year-old was 16-6-7 with a 2.56 goals-against average and .913 save percentage.

Khudobin had expressed interest in staying in Boston, where he also played from 2011 to '13.
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After losing backup goaltender Anton Khudobin to the Stars, the Boston Bruins struck a deal with former Islanders netminder Jaroslav Halak.

The deal is for two years and will pay Halak $2.75 million per year, the Bruins said on Twitter.

After signing a four-year, $18 million contract with the Islanders in 2014, Halak set a franchise record with 38 wins in the 2014-15 season. But injuries and ineffectiveness dogged him the next few years, and he spent considerable time in the AHL.

Halak, 33, made 49 starts for the Islanders last season, but he was 20-26-6 with a 3.19 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.

Khudobin's been red-hot ever since he left Boston. Halak's given us two very good years, probably up there with his best career-wise, but Dobby's gone next level. His stats this year were comparable to Rask's, which even though he played less games tells you how good he was. Why did he wait until he left the Bruins to produce this kind of form? Well the signs were probably already there in 2017-18 that he was getting better, and the Bs either didn't notice that or didn't care, plus the Dallas defense is probably one of the few in the league that's perhaps even tighter and stingier than ours, so he gets very good coverage which certainly helps his numbers.

Would he have done better in Halak's place? In the regular seasons maybe just a fraction, but in the bubble I'm not convinced. He's in a very different situation to Jaro - his stepping up to the lead role was less controversial, his team is playing much better hockey and its defense is in better shape, and the Stars have a belief and drive that the Bruins currently seem to lack. So he's in a better place to be successful that Halak is. I think all we can really say is well done Anton for taking advantage of this opportunity and good luck in the rest of the playoffs.

 

[sarge88]

Dallas is making me nervous right now.

 

[BMC]

Brian Elliot in for Carter Hart?!?!

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Brian Elliot in for Carter Hart?!?!

Big call, but it is a back-to-back. Hart was poor yesterday and let in a couple of goals that he probably shouldn't, so not a bad idea to try Elliot at this point. Both teams going to their backups, going to be interesting how that plays out.

 

[BMC]

Very cool to see Oskar Lindblom out there skating with his teammates during warm ups

 

[Dueling Banjos]

MacKinnon is an animal, sheer power.

 

[Olden McGroin]

Hintz, 4-2 Dallas

 

[Olden McGroin]

Another for Dallas, Gurianov

 

[Aussie Bruin]

Makar with one of the greatest howlers of all time. Unlucky, but brutal.

 

[sarge88]

Another for Dallas, Gurianov

Makar with a Steve Smith imitation.

 

[missingchicklet]

LOL. Dallas' ability to put up 5 goals or more in games this playoffs is ridiculous.

 

[Grimey]

Brutal bounce

 

[Olden McGroin]

Avs get one

 

[Therick67]

The difference between Halak and Dobby is, one guys team can score...the other, not so much..

 

[BAD BOY]

That was a deflected bullet

 

[BMC]

Isles/Flyers is on!

 

[Dueling Banjos]

I ll be honest i like this Dallas team.

It was interesting to observe their path to this present team; they were really top heavy, then they scored big time with Heiskanen and finally got secondary scoring in Gurianov and Hintz. And obviously Radulov and his psycho passion, super skilled playmaker on the wing.

 

[BMC]

Flyers come out...flying

I'll see myself out

 

[Fenway]

Flyers come out...flying

I'll see myself out

 

[sarge88]

So the Makar gaffe ended up really costing them.

 

[BAD BOY]

What stick handling by Matt B. I have nothing after that lol

 

[Dueling Banjos]

Khudobin's been red-hot ever since he left Boston. Halak's given us two very good years, probably up there with his best career-wise, but Dobby's gone next level. His stats this year were comparable to Rask's, which even though he played less games tells you how good he was. Why did he wait until he left the Bruins to produce this kind of form? Well the signs were probably already there in 2017-18 that he was getting better, and the Bs either didn't notice that or didn't care, plus the Dallas defense is probably one of the few in the league that's perhaps even tighter and stingier than ours, so he gets very good coverage which certainly helps his numbers.

Would he have done better in Halak's place? In the regular seasons maybe just a fraction, but in the bubble I'm not convinced. He's in a very different situation to Jaro - his stepping up to the lead role was less controversial, his team is playing much better hockey and its defense is in better shape, and the Stars have a belief and drive that the Bruins currently seem to lack. So he's in a better place to be successful that Halak is. I think all we can really say is well done Anton for taking advantage of this opportunity and good luck in the rest of the playoffs.

Well said.

 

[DKH]

That shift by Barzal was ridiculous

Don’t even want to think of how many goals Pastrnak would get with Barzal as his center

Barzal reminds me somewhat of Pat LaFontaine the way he flies around

 

[BMC]

Interesting- neither team can score on the backup goaltenders.