GDT: Carl Soderberg | Philadelphia Flyers @ Our The Boston Bruins | *1:00 PM* | NESN

[BNHL]

Saw Alicat's post and hopped on NHL.com to check out the leaders.

No Bruins in the top 30 in points. They're like the Footclan in TMNT.

It would be unusual for a team to win a cup without having one of the 3 best performers in the league either offensively or in the net.

 

[LSCII]

They got the win yesterday, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it. They got out to a slow start, scored a few quick ones and the did nothing but sit back. I'm not happy about that at all. Seems to me that they lacked a killer instinct and should have put the Flyers away but didn't. Lucky for the B's that the Flyers laid down. Otherwise, it could have been what we saw in the Caps game.

 

[EvilElf63]

I think Tuukka's play/Clode's system have made Tuukka a contender for the Vezina.

 

[smithformeragent]

It would be unusual for a team to win a cup without having one of the 3 best performers in the league either offensively or in the net.

The GAAs among goaltenders is so microscopic this year, that it's tough to quantify the best goalies. Not to mention, goals against and save percentage speak largely to defensive prowess as well as goaltending.

I think that this is one of those things that makes hockey hard to understand and talk about for the non fan. You can look at a baseball box score or stat sheet and see that ok, Joe Blow has an ERA of 2.35 and 110 strikeouts. He's a great pitcher. Or so and so is batting .245, he must really be having a rough season.

Try explaining why Patrice Bergeron is the Bruins best forward to a non fan or someone who doesn't watch the games. Try explaining Clode's system (as we saw in that thread). It's easier to just say "star players/hot goalies win cups.".

 

[BNHL]

The GAAs among goaltenders is so microscopic this year, that it's tough to quantify the best goalies. Not to mention, goals against and save percentage speak largely to defensive prowess as well as goaltending.

I think that this is one of those things that makes hockey hard to understand and talk about for the non fan. You can look at a baseball box score or stat sheet and see that ok, Joe Blow has an ERA of 2.35 and 110 strikeouts. He's a great pitcher. Or so and so is batting .245, he must really be having a rough season.

Try explaining why Patrice Bergeron is the Bruins best forward to a non fan or someone who doesn't watch the games. Try explaining Clode's system (as we saw in that thread). It's easier to just say "star players/hot goalies win cups.".

I get that but usually the SC winner has the player or players near the top of traditional offensive stats and/or goaltending. Offensively the last teams to win without those offensive qualifiers were the Bs with a historic goaltender performance and the Scott Stevens Devils with the leading scorer around 57 points. Those teams are the exception and both had defensive teams with top of the mark goaltending. These Bruins fit the abnormal but it is tougher. Reminds me of my profession where Jet Blue needs to fill their planes to capacity to make a profit,much tougher, while the other major carriers earn profits by filling first class.

 

[C77]

They got the win yesterday, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it. They got out to a slow start, scored a few quick ones and the did nothing but sit back. I'm not happy about that at all. Seems to me that they lacked a killer instinct and should have put the Flyers away but didn't. Lucky for the B's that the Flyers laid down. Otherwise, it could have been what we saw in the Caps game.

I'm not sure what it is that needs to happen for the Bruins to be stop shutting it down offensively once they get a lead.

In a lot of games this year the Bruins end up holding on for dear life with a one goal lead in the third period.

I don't like the idea of going into the playoffs and having games like the ones against Washington with no margin for error because the Bruins can't score enough.

 

[patty59]

They got the win yesterday, but I'm not sure I enjoyed it. They got out to a slow start, scored a few quick ones and the did nothing but sit back. I'm not happy about that at all. Seems to me that they lacked a killer instinct and should have put the Flyers away but didn't. Lucky for the B's that the Flyers laid down. Otherwise, it could have been what we saw in the Caps game.

I'm afraid that with this heavy schedule, we are going to see a lot of sitting back on leads.

I don't really think they sat back quite as bad as the Caps game though. They did get some chances and hit a couple posts.

Just get the W and get out of there, I think that's how its going to be this season.

 

[Kate08]

I'm afraid that with this heavy schedule, we are going to see a lot of sitting back on leads.

I don't really think they sat back quite as bad as the Caps game though. They did get some chances and hit a couple posts.

Just get the W and get out of there, I think that's how its going to be this season.

Agreed. If it works, great...but if that's the strategy, they aren't going to get a lot of accolades and attention around the league. I'm fine with that, but their record is better than they have played, IMO.

If the strategy is to conserve energy and do enough to win and they're winning, then I guess I can't really complain other than saying I hope they are able to flip that switch for the playoffs and play balls out for 60 minutes.

 

[Danton Heineken]

Agreed. If it works, great...but if that's the strategy, they aren't going to get a lot of accolades and attention around the league. I'm fine with that, but their record is better than they have played, IMO.

If the strategy is to conserve energy and do enough to win and they're winning, then I guess I can't really complain other than saying I hope they are able to flip that switch for the playoffs and play balls out for 60 minutes.

That's what this season has felt like. At least, I hope that's what they're doing. That's the only explanation for a Claude Julien team blowing 2 or 3 goal leads in the 3rd period that doesn't make me very nervous.

 

[Alicat]

I had major déjà vu yesterday after they took the TMMOI penalty. Up 3-0. Ill stop there.

 

[Ladyfan]

I had major déjà vu yesterday after they took the TMMOI penalty. Up 3-0. Ill stop there.

We did as well.

I really wanted them to get that one more goal so it wasn't 3-0.

I didn't feel good about the game until the last min.

 

[Spooner st]

Before the game vs the Leafs on TSN thursday, someone quote Guy Boucher
" wen you play the Bruins, you don't play against a team, you play against a culture "

 

[Ladyfan]

Before the game vs the Leafs on TSN thursday, someone quote Guy Boucher
" wen you play the Bruins, you don't play against a team, you play against a culture "

Interesting comment.

IMO the B's aren't playing as well as I think they can.

I hope they hit their stride soon.

I worry when they don't play well for a full 60 minutes.

 

[bobbyorr04]

Ya, I don't want to see the Rangers in the playoffs in Round 1. Tough series

I wouldn't be surprised if the Rangers missed the playoffs this year!

 

[BNHL]

Before the game vs the Leafs on TSN thursday, someone quote Guy Boucher
" wen you play the Bruins, you don't play against a team, you play against a culture "

Love that quote

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Before the game vs the Leafs on TSN thursday, someone quote Guy Boucher
" wen you play the Bruins, you don't play against a team, you play against a culture "

wow, I don't know if there's a better compliment you can give a team

 

[Bi Coastal Bawse*]

Hell yeah the Bruins are under rated. They're #4 in the whole NHL for points yet no one talks about them. On NHL tonight when they win only a few minutes is spared on them when they lose it is either the same or they focus on the team that wins.

I have talked about this for awhile but there is definetely a bias against the Bruins in hockey media. That's ok tho fly under the radar win games, get to the POs make those that dislike them have to talk about them.

Tuukka has the most goalie wins in the NHL and people barely bring him up.

 

[BigBadBruin8]

Before the game vs the Leafs on TSN thursday, someone quote Guy Boucher
" wen you play the Bruins, you don't play against a team, you play against a culture "

Here's the blurb from the Globe...

By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff
The Bruins will play their first game of the season against the Lightning tonight. The Bruins are 5-2-0 against the Lightning in their last seven games.
“When you play Boston, you don’t just play a team. You play a culture,” Tampa coach Guy Boucher said. “It’s the same culture for a while, same core players. They’ve won. They reproduce the same good things. They have a lot of depth at all positions. There’s no flaws in that lineup. They make mistakes like everybody. But if you look at the lineup, there are no weaknesses there. You can’t expect to attack their weakness and defend against their strengths.”
Anders Lindback will start in goal for the Lightning. Tuukka Rask will get the start for the Bruins.

And the link...


http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2013/02/bruins_earn_pra.html

This is an older quote though from Boucher, from before the first B's-Bolts game this year

 

[LSCII]

I'm not sure what it is that needs to happen for the Bruins to be stop shutting it down offensively once they get a lead.

In a lot of games this year the Bruins end up holding on for dear life with a one goal lead in the third period.

I don't like the idea of going into the playoffs and having games like the ones against Washington with no margin for error because the Bruins can't score enough.

For that to happen, I think we'd need a coaching change...

Julien likes to sit on a lead once he thinks they have enough of one to win. Unfortunately, I don't feel as confident in that strategy as he does. Again, it wasn't a problem yesterday, because the Flyers quit once they fell down a goal.

 

[BklyNBruiN]

This back to back is going to be tough. Ottawa and Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh game is the one I really want to win.

 

[ODAAT]

This back to back is going to be tough. Ottawa and Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh game is the one I really want to win.

Limit Crosby/Malkin and any team has a chance with that awful D and Fleury/Vokun between the pipes who push the Flyers duo as the worst in the league IMO

 

[Numbah4]

This back to back is going to be tough. Ottawa and Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh game is the one I really want to win.

Two games in Pittsburgh this week. WTF?? Both back to back after traveling. I know we caught a break with Montreal and Toronto. Just saying. I'm looking at them as a 2 game series. Would like to split.

 

[ap3lovr]

Two games in Pittsburgh this week. WTF?? Both back to back after traveling. I know we caught a break with Montreal and Toronto. Just saying. I'm looking at them as a 2 game series. Would like to split.

Something happened to them in that Philly series. They haven't been the same since. It is like Philly came in and they forgot how to play defense.

 

[Numbah4]

Something happened to them in that Philly series. They haven't been the same since. It is like Philly came in and they forgot how to play defense.

They had a game like that last year. Went 13-0-1 Gave up a snowman against Ottawa. Finished 5-4 but allowed 36 goals in
those 9 games. And, then the collapse against Philly 30 goals in
6 games. Let's hope for deja vu all over again as Yogi might say.

 

[TCL40]

Doesn`t bother me at all, never has, one of the worst stats out there if using as an indicator or trying to get a read on a game. I was watching the game and thinking that had the Flyers players focused more on playing the game rather than ALWAYS finishing their checks, their team D would be so much better. Had a stat at our Junior A game here a few weeks back where our boys, so it said was outhit almost 2:1.....Mooseheads won the game by a touchdown

I enjoy watching a player finish a check, I can`t stand when a player insists on doing so when it takes them out of position, and the Flyers seem to have it engrained within them that they have to do this. I`m sure we as fans would be mildy entertained if every Bruin finished every check, but I`ll wager we wouldn`t be as entertained watching our goalie(s) get peppered as our team would give up constant odd man chances.

I totally agree.

#1 what counts as a hit from arena to arena varies.

#2 Puck possession dominance often means your players are going to take more hits since the point of a hit is to get the puck from the guy carrying it. So being outhit can often just mean your team dominated in puck possession.

Eyeballs on the game tell you more about how physical a team is game in and game out than the hit stat.

I do think the Bruins have seemed to be less physical this season, but they have also been pretty good at backchecking and in the Flyers game at least the Bruins benefited from a ton of turnovers by the Flyers (I actually think in that game at least the Flyers were really bad with turnovers).