Post-Game Talk: ECQF Game 4 - THE BEAR dances in an empty Maple Leaf Square - BRUINS 6 TML 4 ( Series tied 2-2 )

[Seidenbergy]

I disagree:
Rask was 28th in Save % amongst goalies that played more than 10 games in 2018-2019.

Or 16th among goalies with at least 40 starts......or, you know, starters. And the difference between him and the top 5? .010

 

[Bruinaura]

Did they not practice today?

 

[jangerhofer]

He was good when he was on the ice, but, 14+ mins for your number one Center is a clear indication he was not at 100%

How would you approach teasing out whether Bergeron's TOI was a result of line shuffling or vice versa (i.e. the case in which Cassidy was forced to shuffle lines to compensate for a Bergeron malady)? Between Cassidy's aggressive on-the-fly line combination changes and a fair number of PKs sprinkled in to the latter stages of the game, I could see that fourteen and change merely being a coincidence.

 

[lopey]

Both the Bruins and Celtics win and Felger and Maz are negative lol. These guys love to shit on our teams..they thrive in it.

 

[Gordoff]

Carlo must have killed 25 secs easy holding that puck on boards away from Tavares and Marner. That was beautiful .

My random thoughts in no particular, scattered order:
He Carlo started to pick it up and find his groove last night. I'm thrilled that it happened in Toronto since it'll be easier for him at home. He needs to be as mean and ornery as possible to be the shutdown D-man that we know he can be.
McAvoy can and will be a superstar defenseman, once he cleans up his mistakes (high sticks and pushing people into Tuukka).
Tukkaa played very well, he tightened it up after that unfortunate Matthews goal. As long as he doesn't blow a game you keep him in for the foreseeable future. If that means until win #16, fantastic! If he gets over this hump and wins a cup I think that it will jettison him to greatness and he will be what he was born to be, one of the best. If not, he'll still have a stellar career but without a cup I just don't know. It's all about confidence and concentration with him.
If he gives away a game Halak needs to spell him. As Jaffe said last night he needs to get on his angles etc he said a lot more than that buy I was hearing it while on a conference call, wish I had replayed Jaffe's analysis. I would love to see him as an assistant coach capacity with the Bruins!
Kuraly would be huge but I'm not holding my breath until he returns. I would like to see Wagner come out of the lineup since he REALLY is hurting IMO and is ineffectual at/in this capacity. Wagner is a legit #1 hitter and he obviously isn't able to do it shift to shift right now. Maybe a few days off will help him. Kuhlman has the attitude, speed, hunger, desire and SPEED to be a PIA in the Toronto zone. I sub him in for Wags.
Gryz looked pretty bad last night, IMO he's probably fighting something, either an illness or slight injury but at his size he can't keep taking the abuse that he does. Krug is a warrior and I thought that he'd be a little more on the + side than he is but Toronto sending in two at a time on him is wearing him down, no doubt he's hurting.
John Moore is exactly what the doctor ordered and if he can keep playing/over his injury he can be a huge difference maker.
Really too bad that Kevan Miller is out of the lineup. He would've spelled death to Toronto by now and IMO it would be a 3-1 advantage in games for the Bruins but it is what it is!
Chara's GWG was a thing of beauty and hopefully it gave him a shot of adrenaline to continue being "THE MAN." He really seems to be a bit leery of taking his full out slapshots in fear of killing someone with one.
Acciari hasn't been the hitter that he was during the season, not sure what's going on with him. It may just be that he's worried about taking penalties?
Until last night Brad hasn't been very "pest-like" and not up to his normal aggravating/irritating self vs. Toronto but last night he seemed to have woken up , almost as though he said "okay, now I'm done fooling around, time to get involved."
Pasta has been hit, smashed and abused pillar to post and now, once free of Muzzin a bit was able to untrack himself, good for him!
Krejci was his usual world-beating playoff monster self. He knows how to pace himself and contribute in every area of the ice. He is a true playoff warrior (like I'm saying what everybody already knows).

Coyle was a great pick-up. I think we all worried to some extent that having his family and friends so close would make him Jimbo Hayes bad. I worried that he would regress and disappear but he really is starting to look like he can be a huge asset. Some complained that he wasn't physical, had stone hands etc. but he is coming along fantastically and showing us a LOT!
Heinen has shown some great stuff and should be playing on the first line unless he falters. In terms of speed, talent and IQ he's able to contribute up there and free up Pasta to work his magic with DK...
Johansson if he can stay healthy can be a huge asset and a key piece for the Bruins. I seriously worry that a nasty hit to the head by a bum like Kadri can endanger his health permanently, nevermind just taking him out of the playoffs, but damaging him for life.
Don't know if I mentioned DeBrusk but IMO he seems injured. The extent of the injury we just don't know but I'm concerned for him too.
He can be a real game changer, other teams know that and obviously the Leafs targeted him early and often. Again, a bum like Kadri can, and maybe did do damage to him. I worry about him every time he touches the puck because the NHL reacts far too slowly to protect a talent like him unless Bettman orders the refs to keep an eye on this. He does it with the likes of Crosby (I know JDB isn't Crosby level) but the league should be concerned with and be WAY more proactive in protecting its talent from the head hunters of the league.
Our coach has been too slow in reacting to trends on the ice and if we're eliminated the spotlight will be on him. IF he expects to get past the TML and go deep in the playoffs he can't just simply shrug and hope that "the first line breaks out" etc. HE needs to do everything in his power to make it happen. I see stubbornness there and it isn't pretty that he wants to do it (Frank Sinatra's) "my way." He needs to open up his mind and think/react much faster than he has been and not try to resist the obvious moves that make a good coach a great coach.
As I said in another post, Tuukka had looked good and been steady enough to win. He hasn't made any glaring mistakes that cost us any games and may even end up stealing us a game. If he falls apart we have Halak but in the long run I think we really need TR to pull the best out of himself and do it. He has the talent and ability but as Jaffe said "he needs to get back on his angles and keep his confidence and concentration up."
Leaving the best for last: Every year Bergeron gets injured in the playoffs. I hope that he's alright but in last nights game something happened where he was hurt and the camera's caught him curled up on the ice unable to get up. It wasn't mentioned though IIRC. The Bruins will go as far as Bergeron can go.
So far the trend is each team winning one then losing one, not going 2 wins in a row. I hope that the B's can change the trend, take the bull by the b***s and grab control of the series. We also NEED to keep hitting Toronto all over the ice as was done in game two and not look back!

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Either 3 or 7:30 Fenway said. 3 is pretty much a disaster for me being able to watch it.

I would imagine NBC would want a big match up at 3pm hoping to capture extra viewers from families on Easter. If not our game, which one would have the market to drive ratings?

 

[Gordoff]

Both the Bruins and Celtics win and Felger and Maz are negative lol. These guys love to **** on our teams..they thrive in it.

Couldn't care less about the Celtics.
They're (Felger/Mazz) dopes no doubt but I STILL appreciate it when they do talk Bruins hockey. The more that they talk it, the more they learn IMO. I wish everyone here would call in and pound them with hockey/Bruins talk. It would force them to raise their game (knowledge) up.

 

[prizminferno]

How would you approach teasing out whether Bergeron's TOI was a result of line shuffling or vice versa (i.e. the case in which Cassidy was forced to shuffle lines to compensate for a Bergeron malady)? Between Cassidy's aggressive on-the-fly line combination changes and a fair number of PKs sprinkled in to the latter stages of the game, I could see that fourteen and change merely being a coincidence.

12 at 5x5 and Marchand was at 14 5x5. Bergeron sat a penalty and he generally changes earlier than the wingers. Cassidy was also rolling 4 lines with a 3 and 2 goal lead.

 

[lopey]

Couldn't care less about the Celtics.
They're (Felger/Mazz) dopes no doubt but I STILL appreciate it when they do talk Bruins hockey. The more that they talk it, the more they learn IMO. I wish everyone here would call in and pound them with hockey/Bruins talk. It would force them to raise their game (knowledge) up.

I hate when teams win in the playoffs no matter how and they get shit on. It's not easy winning games in the playoffs and style points don't matter, as someone posted earlier just win baby.

 

[crimsonace]

How would you approach teasing out whether Bergeron's TOI was a result of line shuffling or vice versa (i.e. the case in which Cassidy was forced to shuffle lines to compensate for a Bergeron malady)? Between Cassidy's aggressive on-the-fly line combination changes and a fair number of PKs sprinkled in to the latter stages of the game, I could see that fourteen and change merely being a coincidence.

If you're line-shuffling, your best player and No. 1 center would likely see more minutes double-shifting, not fewer.

There had to be something wrong and BC was trying to shelter him a bit. He skated a regular shift after it was 5-4.

 

[since76]

1-The Leafs are NOT a bad team and that seems to be something a few here can`t grasp. That forward group is chalk full of skill and speed, they have a few D who, when given time are capable of stretching teams D thin. Their biggest struggles usually happen defensively. The B`s have had a torrid PP which is lucky because they have done little 5 on 5.

2- There are 2 teams on the ice and while I would love to see the game 2 Bruins every game, Leafs have done a good job adjusting and playing to their strengths

3- I`ll agree, something is ailing Bergy, no way he sits out though

4- Rask alot better? Are you focusing on goal #2 last night and ignoring the 6-7 incredible saves he made to help secure the win? Last night, in spite of 4 goals given up, 2 changed directions and the 2nd Matthews goal was simply a terrific pass right on his stick. .921 % in series so far, yeah, be better Tuukka

5- Coyle- agreed, playing great, best Bruin in the series IMO

Again, you mentioned how bad the Leafs are, sorry, you are dead wrong, they are an exceptionally good team but like all teams remaining in the playoffs, they have warts in their game

Thanks for your reply, i respect perfectly your view
Don't get me wrong i am a big fan of Rask...i just see and feel.him nervous and often out of position
And for leafs to be more precise...they are very bad in defense...and yes great attack
I am.verry worried for Bergy

 

[Otherworld]

Rask is not the problem here. Our problem is our inconsistency.

Our first priority should be the defensive side of things and controlling the neutral zone to mitigate their speed. We will get our chances on the offensive zone. If we play as we did in game 2 we will take the series, if not we may not get through this round.

Writing off the Leafs will be a HUGE mistake.

 

[Seidenbergy]

How would you approach teasing out whether Bergeron's TOI was a result of line shuffling or vice versa (i.e. the case in which Cassidy was forced to shuffle lines to compensate for a Bergeron malady)? Between Cassidy's aggressive on-the-fly line combination changes and a fair number of PKs sprinkled in to the latter stages of the game, I could see that fourteen and change merely being a coincidence.

You're making the opposite argument.

Bergy is among the leaders in PK time on ice, so "a fair number of PKs" should make his TOI go up if anything.
And line shuffling would usually result in MORE time for your top guys, not less time. No?

It's one thing if it was one of those games where we were up by 3+ goals early and he decided to sit the entire top line more than usual (Cassidy has done that multiple times this season.) That isn't what happened here. Bergy is nursing something. Hopefully it's just the flu that's been going around the last week or two and not something more serious.

 

[prizminferno]

Bergeron injury talk is pure speculation and BS until the Bruins say something. Cringe talk.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

Bergeron injury talk is pure speculation and BS until the Bruins say something. Cringe talk.

Cringe play for the most part.

 

[prizminferno]

Cringe play for the most part.

He dominated game 4.

 

[KnightofBoston]

I prefer a 3 o’clock start time Sunday but I feel for you people

It’s just and my girlfriend here and we aren’t religious, so 3 is great for me, just enough time to get all my work and lesson plans done, then watch the game, and not have the game interfere with game of thrones and Barry Or go too late if it goes to overtime

 

[Fenway]

 

[HumBucker]

He was good when he was on the ice, but, 14+ mins for your number one Center is a clear indication he was not at 100%

Didn't he also serve a penalty? So that -2 min TOI he would have had.

 

[TCB]

 

[prizminferno]

Nobody asked Bruce about his TOI and not a single Boston media member is talking about it. The only people bringing it up are the Toronto footy pajama media grasping at straws.

 

[BruinsFanMike82]

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

Hockey Night In Canada says they are not rooting for Toronto but check out last night's open

you are more media savy then the rest of us fenway but I will believe they dont 'root' for Toronto officially... I would argue that they know their core audience and want eyeballs. a Toronto bias is likely to increase their audience. Toronto is the capital of Canada culture and a bias towards the leafs is better business then a bias against the leafs.

all out rooting wouldnt go well. they need to give the other canadien cities similar treatment

as a bruin fan living in Canada... doesnt bother me a lot. I usually skip the openings and listen to boston radio coverage until the puck drops. boston radio coverage is also bias but I enjoy it more

 

[Zillah]

I prefer a 3 o’clock start time Sunday but I feel for you people

It’s just and my girlfriend here and we aren’t religious, so 3 is great for me, just enough time to get all my work and lesson plans done, then watch the game, and not have the game interfere with game of thrones and Barry Or go too late if it goes to overtime

Don’t forget VEEP and Billions

 

[crimsonace]

Both the Bruins and Celtics win and Felger and Maz are negative lol. These guys love to **** on our teams..they thrive in it.

This is why I don't listen to sports talk radio. Too much emphasis on hot takes and negativity. They stir the masses.

The Bruins weren't great for long stretches last night, but they won. Lots of concerns, but they still scored five goals on Andersen even with those concerns. I was watching the B's, so I didn't see the Celtics - and as little as I follow the NBA (which is little), I follow the Pacers - but the Celtics overcame a double-digit second-half deficit against a pretty good team for the second straight game and are up 2-0.