Post-Game Talk: Bruins Lose Shootout @ Ottawa 3-2

[smithformeragent]

Senators 3-2 Bruins (Dec 27, 2022) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the Ottawa Senators vs. Boston Bruins NHL game from December 27, 2022 on ESPN. Includes all goals, assists and penalty minutes stats.

www.espn.com

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[Aussie Bruin]

@CharasLazyWrister argued in the GDT that the Bruins recently are more often breaking down defensively and demonstrating poor puck management and thereby giving away more quality scoring chances to their opponents than they were earlier in the year. I wanted to look a little more into this and as the NHL are awful at quantifying turnovers and giveaways I think the best way to otherwise measure the extent to which a team is getting exposed defensively and giving up good chances to their opponents are the xGA and HDCA stats. Not perfect but let’s run with it and see what it suggests.

The Bruins 5v5 xGA per game through their first 25 games was 1.66, and their number of high danger chances allowed per game was 7.64. However in the most recent 9 games the xGA number has crept up to 1.98, and the high danger chances to 9.56. As a result the actual GA number per game has risen from 1.24 to 1.78 within those same timeframes. So without doubt those numbers are going in the wrong direction. They’re not blowing out and they’re still good compared to the rest of the league, but the argument is on the money that defensive standards and consistency are slipping and the stats at least in part support the eye test. And we saw that a team with good wheels like the Sens that's willing to throw numbers forward can exploit those issues.

Work to do there for Monty and co. as that trend can’t continue. Some adversity is good though, hopefully the boys can learn and work through it and start tightening/toughening up their defense again.

 

[Terrier]

Bruins Notes: Cam Talbot, Jeremy Swayman Put Together 'Grade A' Duel

There was only so much the Bruins could do Tuesday night, as they fell to the Senators despite firing everything they had at Cam Talbot.

nesn.com

 

[BruinsFan37]

Ottawa is kryptonite this year

 

[Mione134]

Sway deserved better in this one. Talbot was...out of his mind. Give him props. We got work to do, as you do over the course of the season. Monty will figure it out. Frustrating but we'll be fine.

Still hate shoot outs. I'd rather a full OT period, followed by another OT period 3vs3. Then maybe a SO.

But that's just me. Shake it off. We're good.

 

[danpantz]

It takes a whole lot too beat us.

 

[UncleRico]

Shootout loss stinks, but great game. Swayman and Talbot both put on clinics in OT

 

[McGarnagle]

I don't get as mad as I used to about losses like this. Because I have utmost confidence in this team and they'll win a hell of a lot more than they lose if they keep playing this way. Some stuff needs to be tightened up defensively, but overall I don't dislike the effort. Bergeron was offside by a centimeter on their disallowed goal, Ottawa had 8 men on the ice for their allowed goal. Shit happens.

Easy to be measured about things when they have breathing room on the rest of the league and the talent they have to keep going. That was one of Swayman's best performances of the year and despite the L that's something to build on, because when he's struggled it's been the one soft spot other teams have been able to exploit all year (you can hide Craig Smith in sheltered minutes, but you can't hide a leaky backup goalie).

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

Sway deserved better in this one. Talbot was...out of his mind. Give him props. We got work to do, as you do over the course of the season. Monty will figure it out. Frustrating but we'll be fine.

Still hate shoot outs. I'd rather a full OT period, followed by another OT period 3vs3. Then maybe a SO.

But that's just me. Shake it off. We're good.

They wouldn't have the energy for that and especially back to back games.

I mean I guess eventually someone would score because of fatigue/mental error but it's still not too realistic.

Hopefully they have some left in the tank for NJ tomorrow.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

@Mione134

There were no dracarys

 

[Mione134]

They wouldn't have the energy for that and especially back to back games.

I mean I guess eventually someone would score because of fatigue/mental error but it's still not too realistic.

Hopefully they have some left in the tank for NJ tomorrow.

True! I would just adapt the OT rules they have for the playoffs at this point. The shoot out isn't even fun.

@Mione134

There were no dracarys

I couldn't post it....for reasons.

 

[quietbruinfan]

Great game from Swayman. That is most encouraging.
I think they squeezed their sticks too hard at times. The scouting report may have been to deke Talbot, and for once, I think the report was wrong. Hall also missed what looked like a near layup for TF early.

Oh well, on to New Jersey.

 

[Gordoff]

I don't mind the 3v3 but after that if it ends in a tie, so be it. Shootouts are a gimmick.

 

[22Brad Park]

Take the pt on road trailing late.
Dominated 3rd period again
Swayman was really good
Pastrnak needs to be smarter with line changes especially in OT.
Refs need to call the game not control it

 

[RoccoF14]

Talbot was great tonight. He stole a point for Ottawa. That said, we had way too many prime scoring chances where we didn’t put a puck on net, and instead, shot wide or over the crossbar. Including the shootout.. That was the difference.

It’s a cruel game sometimes.

 

[Carl Hungus]

should trade for a shootout guy at the TDL

 

[BiteThisBurrows]

Talbot was outstanding but the Bruins are giving the puck away far more than they did in the early part of the season and making some dumb passes trying to be too pretty instead of just driving the net and shooting more. They may have gotten a little cocky due to the success and maybe need a little back to basics type practice.

 

[caz16]

I loathe the shootout but it's all been said before. I hope the boys have enough energy to play well tonight.
Talbot was very good and so was Swayman. The negated goal and stupid penalty by Frederic changed the outcome.

On to the Devils and hopefully two points.

 

[PastaBaked]

Part of me think that the Bruins are persevering with high-risk, high-reward strategies around scoring and D during the regular season. It's a good way to avoid showing post-season opponents everything you have, the opposite of this being Carolina who go hard and try to play the same every game (and can achieve more consistent results).

I like the commitment to offence, and getting the D-Men involved, it should be noted that (and thanks to Aussie for confirming this) when they do give up chances, they give up S-tier opportunities to teams that haven't earned it.

The PP does need a tweak, the constant passes across the net to generate a shot that isn't that great anyway are not worth it from a risk/reward scenario, and teams are also sitting on it.

The Sens PP goal was a thing of beauty, incisive and with rapid changes of direction that created a good opening, but even this situation arose because Frederic had some type of brain fade, throwing the puck like a grenade when there was no need.

And yet, despite ll of this when the Bruins SWITCHED ON properly in that 3rd period, they were IRRESISTABLE, they played with pace, incision and simplicity and rained shots down on Talbot (who was simply awesome).

I'm still not seeing Marchy having the same confidence and skills on the puck as i'm used to, there have been times in the last few years where 2 guys couldn;t get the puck off him consistently.

It's a grind, we're on to New Jersey....

 

[Forester65]

Sway deserved better in this one. Talbot was...out of his mind. Give him props. We got work to do, as you do over the course of the season. Monty will figure it out. Frustrating but we'll be fine.

Still hate shoot outs. I'd rather a full OT period, followed by another OT period 3vs3. Then maybe a SO.

But that's just me. Shake it off. We're good.

I'd rather that the Ottawa coaches let Bergy's goal stand. Then we aren't dealing with OT. Oh well. On to NJ.

 

[pgm16]

Talbot was outstanding, Swayman was great. Ottawa played well for the first 40. Take a point & get at least one tonight.

 

[13Hockey]

We where 13-2 in our previous 15 against Ottawa heading into the season

So the sens where due a couple wins vs us

Not concerned I thought the boys played pretty well given the horrible ice and traveling the day of the game at 10am

Positives:
Sway was great..3 solid games in a row

McAvoy had a good game looked like the Chuckie of old

Zacha scored his 1st goal since November 13th

On to NJ

 

[bme44]

A shootout loss to a goalie who had the game of his life , nothing to complain about . It was highly entertaining and the effort in the third was terrific

 

[Lord Ahriman]

I don't get as mad as I used to about losses like this. Because I have utmost confidence in this team and they'll win a hell of a lot more than they lose if they keep playing this way. Some stuff needs to be tightened up defensively, but overall I don't dislike the effort. Bergeron was offside by a centimeter on their disallowed goal, Ottawa had 8 men on the ice for their allowed goal. Shit happens.

Easy to be measured about things when they have breathing room on the rest of the league and the talent they have to keep going. That was one of Swayman's best performances of the year and despite the L that's something to build on, because when he's struggled it's been the one soft spot other teams have been able to exploit all year (you can hide Craig Smith in sheltered minutes, but you can't hide a leaky backup goalie).

Couldn't agree more. I don't mind losing and it was a good a game (not to mention, a goalie battle, Talbot was awesome), but referees can't be main actors like they did.

 

[Ladyfan]

On to NJ