Post-Game Talk: ECQF GAME 6 - TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT - THANK YOU JACK EDWARDS - Series tied 3-3

[BTO]

I am 35 years old, currently moving into my first owned home, and having my first child this August. Not trying to be dramatic, just honest. I think, for the first time in my life, I’m taking a year off from the Bruins next year. It’s becoming extremely difficult to prioritize something that brings me so much tension and takes up an increasingly impactful amount of time.

I’m not faulting the team for that in any way. Regardless of what they do in terms of winning, the playoffs feel like running a goddamn marathon. Every other day.

I’m just curious, has anyone done this successfully? I know plenty of people have threatened to do it, but has anyone actually just done a single year off? I love this team and can’t imagine permanently eliminating a lifelong passion. Just curious if anyone has done time away, stuck to it, and then come back.

I’m in Toronto so it’s easier (lol) but I basically took a whole decade off between trading Bourque (but I watched Colorado religiously) and like 2007 when I started hearing all about the young and up and coming Bruins. Should’ve taken another decade off after 2011 lol.

Regardless, congrats on the house and the baby. Priorities bud!

 

[TCB]

NHL Tonight hit the nail on the head. The leafs the last two games have mirrored the Panthers on the way they beat the bruins a year ago. The Leafs have gone from a rush team to a dump and chase team and the Bruins haven’t been able to adjust. No odd man rushes last night.

Torontos coach has countered and it’s working, Montgomery counters by giving his team an optional practice.WTF !

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Yea this new spin I keep seeing pop up is some serious cope and a little embarrassing.

Read the same things after they lost to the Flyers.

Expectations prior to the season are one thing. But they spent a full season showing what they are capable of. Those preseason expectations mean nothing when you were challenging for the presidents trophy most of the season.

To be fair the Bruins spent half of the regular season in a status of underwhelming at best play where we often did call out the quality of the roster. In the playoffs against the elite is where Sweeney's roster shortcuts shine.

 

[BTO]

Marchands style of play may have benefited his career, but I honestly believe it is biting him in the ass now, he gets mauled and no call but goes off the ice for bad breath...........I am pissed that Loheri getting hit on the numbers like he did and no call, I also cannot be sure that his stick was not being held before the hit and that put him in a bad position.

He was actually holding Holmberg’s stick. Still, inexcusable non-call.

 

[Hookslide]

the Patriots fired Chuck Fairbanks 4 days before a playoff game

Harry Sinden the great, just ask him, fired Fred Creighton with 7 games left and at the time they were I think in second place..........

 

[Ned Bouhalassa]

Lack of face-off success is killing this team.

 

[Hookslide]

He was actually holding Holmberg’s stick. Still, inexcusable non-call.

Thanks , was not sure on the stick holding

 

[UncleRico]

He was actually holding Holmberg’s stick. Still, inexcusable non-call.

Should have been matching minor penalties. However, it’s not an excuse. They laid a goose egg. Can’t win scoring 0 goals.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I am 35 years old, currently moving into my first owned home, and having my first child this August. Not trying to be dramatic, just honest. I think, for the first time in my life, I’m taking a year off from the Bruins next year. It’s becoming extremely difficult to prioritize something that brings me so much tension and takes up an increasingly impactful amount of time.

I’m not faulting the team for that in any way. Regardless of what they do in terms of winning, the playoffs feel like running a goddamn marathon. Every other day.

I’m just curious, has anyone done this successfully? I know plenty of people have threatened to do it, but has anyone actually just done a single year off? I love this team and can’t imagine permanently eliminating a lifelong passion. Just curious if anyone has done time away, stuck to it, and then come back.

Personally I have shifted away from watching multiple games per night since 2019. Frustrating product to begin with as the NHL dramatically avoids rivalry hockey let alone my thoughts on 2019. Games 5/6 are flashbacks to 2019 albeit this time around the Bruins are more than lacking the desire to win which is worse, and insulting.

Last season's playoff disappointment did not sway me much as there was still effort, if not the result.

This season, lacking roster aside, there have been many, many games where the Bruins simply fail to bother. The reminder these players are recognizing more by the year they are millionaire celebrities playing a game is stronger than ever. Even our beloved Bruins with a stronger culture than most via Chara.

Certainly not planning your life around the Bruins regular season games would be a fair response. Tuning in when able but prioritizing family and adulthood seems a wise decision.

The poor fans who will spend $300+ per ticket for Saturday. Certainly a chance the Bruins play with pride and win... imagine a repeat of the last two games? Insulting and again a reminder these players are playing a sport for $ and realize it.

 

[BTO]

7-13 on the PP. opposing coach whines. 2 PPs in the next two games. Hmm, whenever did we see that before? Regardless, shoot the f***ing puck! At the f***ing net! Go Bruins!!!!

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Should have been matching minor penalties. However, it’s not an excuse. They laid a goose egg. Can’t win scoring 0 goals.

Matching minors is such a reach. Holding the stick and more egregious plays are ignored constantly in the playoffs including last game. Hooks, holds, interference. Excusing the missed call on a safety violation is exactly what Rooney is assuming will happen.

The only way to call Lohrei a minor is to give the Leaf a major. Which would be valid. Certainly not matching. Where was the matching 4v4 for the Bertuzzi embellishment? It cannot go both ways.

 

[Therick67]

7-13 on the PP. opposing coach whines. 2 PPs in the next two games. Hmm, whenever did we see that before? Regardless, shoot the f***ing puck! At the f***ing net! Go Bruins!!!!

Monty has had plenty of chances to work the ref's, but he just stands with a dopy look on his face.

 

[Hookslide]

Monty saying they aren’t getting enough from Pasta in the post game

Correct

Yeah and we are getting to much from Monty.

 

[sarge88]

---

If Monty is back, I would say that Lauko will ask for a trade and justified.

I’m no Monty apologist, but is there a coach out there with a magic wand that can make him score at a better rate than one goal every 30 games?

The kid got 60 games and had less goals than Lohrei had in 41 and three less than Brazeau had in 19.

 

[Fenian24]

Who would buy them?

Leafs fans

 

[Hookslide]

Bingo, Zacha and Coyle serve no purpose on the team.

f***n brillant

 

[UncleRico]

Stepping back….is this really unexpected?

They are a good team, among a bunch of good teams because that’s what the playoffs are….a tournament of the 16 best teams in the league.

There are pluses and minuses to this and every team in the league.

Pluses, goaltending and defense.

Minuses, too many forwards playing above their talent level (at least 5) for stretches that are far too long. An impulsive coach. Not enough offensive talent on the back end.

Yes, Coyle and Zacha might be a fringe 1C and 2C tandem, but they aren’t legit, line driving players.

Heinen, Geekie, Frederic, third liners pretending to be second liners at times.

The problem with relying on guys who aren’t first or second liners to play those roles is that as the intensity of the playoffs increases and they have to play good to great teams in a series, their weaknesses become more apparent. They can get their points vs. the dregs of the league and in a ho-hum perfunctory game in February, but what happens when they are needed to produce at a high level for 6 straight weeks?

Sure, they could all be on a hot streak at the same time, but the opposite is also true.

Coyle has 2 assists and is getting brutalized at the dot most nights
Zacha also 2 assists and invisible for long stretches
Geekie 3 points…probably ok if he were a third liner..not enough given his PP time and 2nd line minutes
Frederic…given expectations/role probably the best performance of this group.
Heinen…1 assist, a minus 1 and his only assist was a basic pass that Marchand turned into an elite shot..otherwise he’s pointless (double entendre intended).

And that’s not even discussing the “role” players. Maroon, Beecher, Boqvist, JVR, Brazeau, who have been okay overall for what's expected ---- but when the top liners aren't doing what they need to do --- these guys contributions get watered down.

In the end, as frustrating as it is -- this is what this team is. They could play like they did in games 1, 3, 4 and roll to a 4-1 win on Saturday or they could do what they've done the last two games and grind their way to a frustrating 2-1 loss.

Either way, even if they provide a very unlikely/unexpected upset in the next two rounds, changes need to happen in the summer.

I would say the only unexpected part is losing to the leafs IF it does happen.

What this series is proving though is the desperate need for a #1 center and honestly probably a #2 center to knock Coyle back down a peg to the 3rd line.

Zacha absolutely cannot be trusted. He has been soft as you can possibly be in a playoff setting now for 18 games. I’d move on from him in the offseason. Playoffs aren’t for him.

 

[sarge88]

I would say the only unexpected part is losing to the leafs IF it does happen.

What this series is proving though is the desperate need for a #1 center and honestly probably a #2 center to knock Coyle back down a peg to the 3rd line.

Zacha absolutely cannot be trusted. He has been soft as you can possibly be in a playoff setting now for 18 games. I’d move on from him in the offseason. Playoffs aren’t for him.

Agreed, although I think if Zacha could go back to LW he’d be fine.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

f***n brillant

If youre losing faceoffs and neutral zone battles to Max Domi consistently you shouldn’t be a center.

 

[troubbble]

Everything that looked like a problem intermittently during the regular season is coming to bear now. Disastrous faceoff numbers, lack of speed, overthinking rather than shooting the puck. We could go on and on. When seeing this team at its best, it almost made you believe they could go the distance, but more and more over the course of the year, it's seemed like the frazzled and hapless version of the team is their true core identity.

I'll be tuned in on Saturday and hoping for a resurgence when it counts, but I'd bet my down payment savings on the Panthers winning the next series regardless--so I'm not sure it matters either way.

If they struggle again to make shots on goal in the first period of Game 7, they can go back to the locker room 0-0, but we'll all know already that it's over.

 

[Hookslide]

The ref pointing is was bothered me most.Shady as fk

Well Betteman gets what he wanted 7th game on a Saturday night, shades of the CNBA.

 

[Hookslide]

Hoping Lauko and Heinen are in and Maroon and JVR are sitting for game 7

I know Heinen has been so playoff ready ,was he out the first 5 games also.

 

[Hookslide]

I think Swayman will have to pitch a shutout on Saturday for Bruins to win.

At the rate the Bruins are scoring that could mean triple OT.

 

[bme44]

I know Heinen has been so playoff ready ,was he out the first 5 games also.

The bruins are very limited on the forwards they have. Is Heinen (if healthy) one of the 12 best options ? IMO YES

 

[Bruinfanatic]

At the rate the Bruins are scoring that could mean triple OT.

Maybe they should start Ullmark he might score for them.lol