Pre-Game Talk: Buffalo at B's 7 PM 12-21-2014

[Ice Nine]

Rask has been bad this year, plain and simple. That wrap-around goal was pee-wee hockey level bad.

Yes, Rask carried us to a Stanley Cup final, but then, I'm not entirely convinced another goaltender could not have also done so, behind that great defense and defensive system.

Face the facts -- we have a defensive system team, and so our goalies' stats are inflated in the same way that the system de-flates the offensive stats.

Rask would simply not be as good as he is in Boston, elsewhere.

And the question we need to ask -- could someone play comparable hockey? And if so, can we trade Rask for a considerable return?

If we could get Hall in a trade with Rask as the centre piece I'd do it no problem. Period. This season is a write off, so I'd roll with Svedberg and Subban, getting both real experience. Maybe sign Brodeur too when the Blues waive him when Elliott returns, for insurance.

 

[JOKER 192]

Compared to the way our defense has been playing you are saying their defene is playing WAY worse? come one now... That team is playing way better than ours right now.

Dude they have,

Allen 34 looking like 44

Gonchar 40 looking like lol

Weaver 36 , looking 36

And Markov 36 looking like a 36 year old with two major knee surjuries,.

This is a very slow defence, they are capable of the outlet pass however, but Price still has to be the diffrence maker or we would be battling them for a position in the wild card.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

When Buffalo went up 3-2 I was pretty much resigned to the fact this team will not make the playoffs, I still think we are in a precarious position but THANK GOD we got two points tonight!!

 

[SmBoston]

Dude they have,

Allen 34 looking like 44

Gonchar 40 looking like lol

Weaver 36 , looking 36

And Markov 36 looking like a 36 year old with two major knee surjuries,.

This is a very slow defence, they are capable of the outlet pass however, but Price still has to be the diffrence maker or we would be battling them for a position in the wild card.

We have Chara (still rusty), Mcquaid still out, Bartkowski (come on now), and miller....

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Rask has been bad this year, plain and simple. That wrap-around goal was pee-wee hockey level bad.

Yes, Rask carried us to a Stanley Cup final, but then, I'm not entirely convinced another goaltender could not have also done so, behind that great defense and defensive system.

Face the facts -- we have a defensive system team, and so our goalies' stats are inflated in the same way that the system de-flates the offensive stats.

Rask would simply not be as good as he is in Boston, elsewhere.

And the question we need to ask -- could someone play comparable hockey? And if so, can we trade Rask for a considerable return?

If we could get Hall in a trade with Rask as the centre piece I'd do it no problem. Period. This season is a write off, so I'd roll with Svedberg and Subban, getting both real experience. Maybe sign Brodeur too when the Blues waive him when Elliott returns, for insurance.

If Rask is bad again in this year's playoffs (provided we make them) then you might consider moving him ,for now he is the man and let us hope he gets better.

 

[JOKER 192]

When Buffalo went up 3-2 I was pretty much resigned to the fact this team will not make the playoffs, I still think we are in a precarious position but THANK GOD we got two points tonight!!

Very true, exact same thing I said to myself,but like you, I am very worried going forward, we are carrying a lot of dead weight.

 

[JOKER 192]

If Rask is bad again in this year's playoffs (provided we make them) then you might consider moving him ,for now he is the man and let us hope he gets better.

I like to trade a guy when he still has some value, I'm funny that way.

 

[pastamania]

I recorded the game and just started watching it.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha that non goal. What. Was. That.

It could only happen to this team, holy ****.

 

[JOKER 192]

We have Chara (still rusty), Mcquaid still out, Bartkowski (come on now), and miller....

Don't get your point,sorry.I showed offer the Habs win with bad defence and awesome goaltending ,what are you offering?

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

If Rask is bad again in this year's playoffs (provided we make them) then you might consider moving him ,for now he is the man and let us hope he gets better.

Rask's last 2 playoffs:
Year GP W L SO GA SA Sv% GAA Mins
2012-2013 22 14 8 3 46 761 .940 1.88 1,466
2013-2014 12 7 5 2 25 348 .928 1.99 753

His career playoff numbers are not far off. Please tell me how he has been so bad for us in the playoffs.

 

[JOKER 192]

I recorded the game and just started watching it.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha that non goal. What. Was. That.

It could only happen to this team, holy ****.

That was brutal,a coach has to be able to challenge that.

 

[22Brad Park]

Quit talking bout Rask.He is an elite goalie.Bruins problem is guys like Lucic not scoring.No need to panic .Lets just hope after xmas and a rest they bring it.Not singleing him out.l its just he is best example.Krecji back now to 3 games and doing squat.Just fans here thinking Rask needs a shutout everynite is laughable.Jesus he went one stretch of 6 games giving 2 goals or less n still lost 4 of them.Do the math.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

I like to trade a guy when he still has some value, I'm funny that way.

It certainly would get us a good forward but PC won't do it so why are we even discussing it.No offence by the way,I like your commentary.

 

[JOKER 192]

Rask's last 2 playoffs:
Year GP W L SO GA SA Sv% GAA Mins
2012-2013 22 14 8 3 46 761 .940 1.88 1,466
2013-2014 12 7 5 2 25 348 .928 1.99 753

His career playoff numbers are not far off. Please tell me how he has been so bad for us in the playoffs.

seeing your stats guy,can you bring up his numbers against the Habs?

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Rask's last 2 playoffs:
Year GP W L SO GA SA Sv% GAA Mins
2012-2013 22 14 8 3 46 761 .940 1.88 1,466
2013-2014 12 7 5 2 25 348 .928 1.99 753

His career playoff numbers are not far off. Please tell me how he has been so bad for us in the playoffs.

You think he played well against Montreal?

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

seeing your stats guy,can you bring up his numbers against the Habs?

since you're a smartass you can do it yourself

 

[pastamania]

That was brutal,a coach has to be able to challenge that.

I literally started laughing out loud. That had to have been the worst waived off goal for the bruins this year, and that's saying a lot. Ridiculous that it can't be challenged.

 

[JOKER 192]

It certainly would get us a good forward but PC won't do it so why are we even discussing it.No offence by the way,I like your commentary.

None taken,I say the things that few people here say,I stand by them and will admit when I am proven wrong.

 

[JOKER 192]

since you're a smartass you can do it yourself

good comeback, I wouldn't have touched that one either.

 

[SmBoston]

Don't get your point,sorry.I showed offer the Habs win with bad defence and awesome goaltending ,what are you offering?

So you are saying that the habs defense is just as bad if not worse than ours right now?
You said that price is on his head winning every game and Rask is not. You think if price was playing with our roster right now hed be better than Rask?

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

since you're a smartass you can do it yourself

He wasn't being a smart ass.No one is putting the Montreal loss entirely on Rask but to say he played well isn't being objective in my opinion.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

You think he played well against Montreal?

Rask had a 1-0 shutout in game 4, and a 4-2 win in game 5. 2 allowed goals in those 2 games and gave the Bruins not one, but 2 chances to clinch in games 6 and 7. The Bruins then put up one total goal in the final 2 games.

But hey let's re-write history and blame Rask for the loss to the Habs.

 

[Hali33]

Let me first say that third goal Rask let in was awful. AWFUL.

But consider this. If this season Rask "stole us a game or two" would that really change a whole lot for you when thinking about what's going on with this team right now.

Would that make you feel better about things when you watch a team with a healthy roster unable to take advantage of a decimated Winnipeg team. Or when your team has an incredible amount of difficulty getting an OT win against a god awful Sabres team ravaged by the flu playing on the 2nd night of a back to back with a shortened bench.

Or when the team can't score more than 2 goals in regulation no matter who they face, no matter who's in net.

Because Rask "stealing a game or two" does not change anything for me. Because if he's not going to steal 4 playoff rounds than it's a moot point. It's throwing a little lipstick on the pig. It doesn't make me feel any better about the terrible hockey I've been watching this team play most of the season. If you need your goaltender to steal the games for you to get the win then your team probably sucks.

 

[BRUINS since 1995]

Rask's last 2 playoffs:
Year GP W L SO GA SA Sv% GAA Mins
2012-2013 22 14 8 3 46 761 .940 1.88 1,466
2013-2014 12 7 5 2 25 348 .928 1.99 753

His career playoff numbers are not far off. Please tell me how he has been so bad for us in the playoffs.

-------------
Rask is an Elite keeper. He did (struggles against the Habs) have great post season.

But this year he is NOT at the elite level he used to be. He is clearly behind a Price type of goaltender in 2014. Season is still long. And I do believe Rask will be there which actually he's not.

 

[Marchy63]

I find it amazing how some people rag on Rask for not being worth his contract yet say that Price is worth his. Both goalies have had great seasons that did not result in Stanley Cups and both have had rough seasons (Price has had more than one where as this is probably the first one for Rask). Saying a goalie is not worth his contract for not beating 1 team is about as stupid as it gets. He is not the only player on the team!

If he is not worth his contract and the Bruins should look at trading him, then why is a player like Bergeron untouchable as he has more loses against Montreal than any other player on this team in the playoffs. Nobody says that Bergeron is not worth his contract and should be traded because HE can't beat Montreal. If the deciding factor was that then guys like Orr, Esposito, Cheevers, Thomas, Bergeron, Chara, Lucic, Krejci, Rask and the rest of this team would all be traded away as all of them have just as poor a record against Montreal as Rask.

This team is struggling this year with the loss of guys like Boychuk, Iginla, Thornton and even guys like Ference, Horton and to an extent Seguin. These were players that were very close friends with each other that have not been replaced this season. This team lacks an identity from management down to their farm system. The management/coaching staff seem to be living off the success in 2011, the players on the team are underperforming in a big way and the players in the farm system don't seem to fit the system that the coach has. This entire organization needs to find a direction to go be it more speed and skill or more gritty and hard-nosed.

Right now they seem confused as they are drafting speedy and skillful offensive players but expecting those same players to play a more conservative defensive game. They need to figure out what direction they want to go in before they can even think about improving the team as the only way to fix a problem is identify the problems. Until then this team will continue to struggle and us fans will be left on here complaining about them.