GDT: Bruins vs. Ottawa II - Points Were At A Premium

[bluetib]

Toronto has some fighters that will play hard and dirty unless you fight them, do we risk not playing Thornton?

would be a shame not to play Daugavins, he has been one of our better energy players lately, but in the playoffs we need to see all of our guys play with that kind of energy, or we are done

First of all, why play him if he doesn't deliver?

Should have been him fixing Neil tonight not Lucic, why is fight
ratio dropped since Scott btw?

To many brain injuries this year, Bergeron, Marchand, Thornton,
Horton with PCS.

 

[skullguise]

Watching tonight, and several other games recently, I'm not going to let Rask completely off the hook. For sure we've been out-skated in all zones at times, and that includes clearing the puck out from in front of the net.

But one thing I think I'm seeing is limited rebound control. Rask puts himself in great position to stop a shot, but more often this season than others I can remember, the puck is coming out too close to the net and in good spots for the offense to pounce on it.

Maybe Timmy did this, too, and this is more of our defense not collapsing and taking care of the puck & other players. But either way, this worries me some of the most.

Looking forward to Toronto, and hoping that the team gels some more....

 

[SpitfireIX]

Reading some posts here i guess im in the Minority but i was not really impressed with the game tonight.

Where's the killer instinct?

Did we see any real good Scoring chances where you can say "oh Lehner stood on his head".

Because that's how it should have been.

Oh well, color me dissapointed.

There where chances they just flubbed them. We haven't been able to hit the net lately on alot of shots. Some of it has to do with a reluctance to shoot and bad decisions. Seguin for example has started slapping the puck and missing wide on shots he should be trying to snipe.

 

[disfigured]

I have a question. To all the ones predicting doom and gloom, what will happen if the Bruins get to the Stanley Cup finals?

People in here are talking about the Penguins being the team to beat as a given, since they won the Cup in 2008, how many times have they gotten past the 2nd round even when healthy?

Rask is a top flight goaltender and playing the Leafs in the first round could be exactly what the doctor ordered for building confidence and team chemistry. I think a lot are also overlooking the Jagr factor here, if you guys thought he was good a few weeks ago, wait until the playoffs start. It will be Jagr time, bank on it.

I'd be thrilled who wouldn't?

But as the team stands right now, here today, not 2011, not for the 6 years straight that Clode has guided them into the P.O's, but the here and now, it's doomy and gloomy. How else am I supposed to assess their chances when asked (as in the PO prediction thread, or by you)? What doesn't look gloomy? That they've improved slightly from horrendous? I suppose that's a positive, and I agree beating up on the Leafs could be just the thing we need, but that hasn't happened yet, has it?

As someone mentioned, we're not playing brutal, it's more that we're not putting the puck in the net when we generate chances. That's all well and good, but the last time I checked the only way to put points on the scoreboard is with scoring. So the only problem is they're a hockey team that can't score? Not exactly a minor glitch in the process. Granted the chances are there but if they're not ultimately finished off, they're meaningless. We've seen this from Claude's teams before, missed chances and zero instinctual reaction in front of the net. His system can drain players of their instincts, they pause, think, dish, pass, anything but just put it on net. Tonight Marchand had a chance high in the slot, instead of shooting he tried to stick handle through 2 Ottawa defenders. Granted he almost made it, but eventually the play ran dry.

You can be critical of a team, its coach, its GM, and even individual players (although I don't like to do that), and still be a devoted fan.

 

[bruinmann77]

This team just does not play a full game and the lack of scoring is really confusing.
but think out of the 8 teams in the east the Bruins are playing the worst.Rask will be the reason to see how far the Bruins get in thee playoffs

 

[Whiskey Sam]

Dan Cagen ‏@DanCagen 2 min

After 14-2-2 start, #Bruins went 14-12-4.

Is there a site that shows their record against playoff teams this season without having to calculate it by hand?

 

[Bi Coastal Bawse*]

Only players I noticed tonight hustling were Lucic, Dogman and the 4th line.

 

[kytem2]

Dogman played great.
Lucic played well.
Krejci is nowhere to be found.

Marchand tried, but no result.
Seguin does appear to have no hockey IQ.
Bergeron was nowhere to be found.

Soderberg has talent, needs time to adjust.
Kelly is Kelly.
Peverley had good spurts and bad.

 

[Root]

Only players I noticed tonight hustling were Lucic, Dogman and the 4th line.

those are certainly the guys that i was most impressed with. really liked the intensity i saw from Lucic. if the first game is on wednesday the two full days of rest is going to be huge for this team

 

[finchster]

Only players I noticed tonight hustling were Lucic, Dogman and the 4th line.

The only positive I can take away from the last few games is Lucic is playing the way he should be.

 

[Lobster57]

Is there a site that shows their record against playoff teams this season without having to calculate it by hand?

My quick check comes up with this:

Team Wins Losses OTL
Pens 0 3 0
Habs 1 2 1
Caps 1 0 2
Leafs 3 1 0
Rangers 1 0 1
Senators 3 1 0
Islanders 1 1 0
Total 10 8 4

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

this team is no fun to watch right now. I really hate when I feel like I just wasted 3 hours after every game.

 

[Whiskey Sam]

My quick check comes up with this:

Team Wins Losses OTL
Pens 0 3 0
Habs 1 2 1
Caps 1 0 2
Leafs 3 1 0
Rangers 1 0 1
Senators 3 1 0
Islanders 1 1 0
Total 10 8 4

Nowhere near as impressive as their start looked then. And when you take out the 6-2-0 against the Leafs/Sens, they're 4-6-4 against the rest of the field. Doesn't bode well for getting beyond the 2nd round.

 

[Minny Shinny]

Bit of a gut punch.

Pevs' before the end of the second, everyone around us finally woke up and you just wanted it to be "the" tipping point. Then Seidenberg's goal, you felt like "FINALLY the damn switch goes on!" Looch hitting hard and looking to take people off the puck, Daugavins bringing some serious energy to wherever he played....

Then slowly as the third progressed, I just felt the air start to leak out of the place, the energy level of the team started to drift...this awful air of inevitability. It sucked but I wasn't surprised to see Ottawa get that go-ahead goal.

I dunno. I've been pretty optimistic all year, but I walked out of that one feeling different. Don't know why yet, I might know in the morning....but tonight, man...feels bad. Feels really bad. Worse, I'm too awake to sleep. Dammit late Sunday night games.

So Leafs. K then.

 

[BklyNBruiN]

I have a question. To all the ones predicting doom and gloom, what will happen if the Bruins get to the Stanley Cup finals?

People in here are talking about the Penguins being the team to beat as a given, since they won the Cup in 2008, how many times have they gotten past the 2nd round even when healthy?

Rask is a top flight goaltender and playing the Leafs in the first round could be exactly what the doctor ordered for building confidence and team chemistry. I think a lot are also overlooking the Jagr factor here, if you guys thought he was good a few weeks ago, wait until the playoffs start. It will be Jagr time, bank on it.

Oh please bro.. We would be over joyed!! Man if we win it all I would go nuts

I hope you're right.. This team can definitely do some damage and win it all. Why not.. But on the other hand, I like to keep it real, and real is the game that our Bruins have been playing the last month or so. Common, just look at the last 2 games. I have nothing else too say.. Just Lets Go Bruins!!

 

[Mione134]

this team is no fun to watch right now. I really hate when I feel like I just wasted 3 hours after every game.

All we can do is hope that they play to their potential in the playoffs. Frustrating to say the least.

 

[HumBucker]

Results say otherwise,

I get the pessimism. There are areas of concern from this regular season, but if we're talking "inferior team", this team finished one point out of 2nd in the conference, and finished 5th overall in points. That's hardly inferior. But, yes, they started strong and finished weakly, and that is worrisome.

But the playoffs are a different season, and, right now, the only season that matters. Every team is starting from zero, and if the Bruins bring it in the post-season, no one's gonna care how this season went.

Bring on the Leafs and let the journey begin!

 

[westernhome]

Neely wasn't looking very pleased after the EN goal

 

[KnightofBoston]

Neely wasn't looking very pleased after the ENG

You don't say?

He loves the team as much as we do and likely more, were you pleased at the ENG? Because I know I wanted to hurl my long trail at my wall

in regards to the yeti, he should improve with a few more games under his belt, but he really needs to work on his strength and condition this off season. A man his size shouldn't be so easy to cave in

 

[hemispheres]

Lucic fans,you got your guy back. Thoroughly entertaining to watch, results in the end not so good for the team. Lost his momentum in third for both Washington and Toronto.
r

 

[MaCam]

Dogman played great.
Lucic played well.
Krejci is nowhere to be found.

Marchand tried, but no result.
Seguin does appear to have no hockey IQ.
Bergeron was nowhere to be found.

Soderberg has talent, needs time to adjust.
Kelly is Kelly.
Peverley had good spurts and bad.

This. Regardless of his 16 goals, he hasn't impressed me at all this year. He is invisible at times and when you do notice him he is speeding up the wing only to get the puck poke checked away from him.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

Seguin finally did a few dump-ins instead of trying to deke a whole team. Weird enough it's his finish right now that's totally lacking.

 

[Pie O My]

This. Regardless of his 16 goals, he hasn't impressed me at all this year. He is invisible at times and when you do notice him he is speeding up the wing only to get the puck poke checked away from him.

was at my one and only game last night and all i can say is that he is a complete joke to all the sth's in my section. it's downright comical. Mahk my words, if this kid doesn't find a way to get out of this funk by next year he will be the whipping boy for 2014. "thank you kessel" will turn to "sorry kessel".

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Why would we troll? If anything, please beat the Leafs. I prefer playing you guys and risking to lose than seeing the Leafs go far. They're fans already think they're the best team in the East

A sincere good luck!

4 conditions to be met for the Bruins and Canadiens to meet in the 2nd round:

1. Pens beat the Isles

2. Canadiens to beat the Sens

3. Bruins to beat the Leafs

4. Rangers to beat the Caps

So about a 22% chance (90% x 70% x 70% x 50%).

 

[Michel Beauchamp]

Is there a site that shows their record against playoff teams this season without having to calculate it by hand?

12-7-5, but 6-7-3 since March 2nd.