Post-Game Talk: ECSF GAME 1 - It Don't Come Easy - BRUINS 3 Tampa Bay 2 F

[PaulD]

This is the PO's, neither his GAA nor his SV% is in the top ten. Can we stop pretending here. He was great tonight and other than that slip up in the 1st game he was good there to but other than that he's been below average so stop putting the lipstick on the pig.

They dont ask how.....they ask how many.

If he was just average last night Bruins lose.

Halak is doing everything fans hoped he would.

 

[PaulD]

Bjork is pressing and simply lacking confidence....a goal would do wonders for him.

But still looks better than Hienen at play off hockey.

Coyle set him up perfectly in the first period, but he whiffed on the one timer.

 

[PaulD]

Only saw the last ten minutes live had to watch the 1st 50 later. Good thing about watch a recorded game is you're more likely to back and see what really happened than when watching a live game.

Though Pasta was really good tonight. Two goal posts, a goal and an assist , a couple of good backchecks, he makes it look so easy.

Halak was great tonight both goals not his fault. Glad to see him play better, wasn't overly confident with his play before tonight.

Kase could never score a goal for the Bruins and I still would want him on the team. He does so much right makes no sense he hasn't scored yet.

I was against taking Lauzon out of the line-up for Clifton but I was wrong , he has been amazing.

Lovin' Krejci PO mode.

Carlo still not impressing. Gonna need him to find his game soon.

Great post.

But Carlo had his best play off game last night.

 

[b in vancouver]

I would normally agree with your shiny new toy theory.

But all it takes is an eyeball test for me. The play ended on Bjork’s stick last night more often than he connected a pass. Every now and then he used his speed successfully, but overall, meh.

Studnicka actually created more plays and created dangerous scoring opportunities with his passing in his small sample size. I’m not biased, but can’t say Bjork created one play in any game that he’s played.

Tampa had last change.
I don't think you want Studnicka lining up against Kucherov/Point. Even without Stammer, Tampa's got a tonne of firepower and their transition game is as good as anyone's. Their defence is awfully good also - and they have this guy named Hedman back there. I don't see Studnicka having more success, as playing against Tampa is how other teams view playing against The Bruins - you've got to be damn careful or it's going the other way and in the back of your net. They cut space and time down as good as anyone in the league.

I'm not a huge Bjork fan but I trust him, today, more than I do Studnicka against a team like Tampa. They can victimize teams. And if a player tries to do too much they rip it apart. - you even saw it last night with Marchand of all players a few times.

I think it's easier for Bjork to play a calm game than it would be for Studnicka whom might want to 'prove' himself and get in trouble.

 

[b in vancouver]

IMO moving DK to the first PP unit is the best decision Cassidy has made all season.

I don't disagree.

 

[JCRO]

Great post.

But Carlo had his best play off game last night.

I agree.

Thought he looked more like the Carlo before the break rather than the Carlo we've seen post break thus far.

Good sign for the Bs

 

[BruinDust]

IMO moving DK to the first PP unit is the best decision Cassidy has made all season.

It's made that unit just so much more unpredictable for opposing teams. Basically the only guy stationary is Bergeron while the other 4 can basically rotate with impunity.

 

[False Start]

The boys all have their heads up, our skill players are dodging their goons. Not going to be 2018 all over again with TBL cheapshotting our players left and right.

Kuraly and McAvoy put Pacquette on his ass twice. Our 4th line is finishing checks, Ritchie is finishing checks. We took it to them in Game 1 physically.

Love to see it.

 

[goldnblack]

The Halak takes in here are bad, and you should feel bad if you made them. Lol this "top 10" concept.

Of the top 10 goalies, who is playing still?

Varlamov 1.67, .934
Hart 1.71, .943
Grubauer 1.87, .922
Vasilevskiy 2.08, .925
Lehner 2.10, .918
Halak 2.23, .921

Our boy is right there. He's played so few games that those 2 goals deflected off Charlie last night are the difference between being 4th there in GAA, and not. His save percentage is essentially as good as anyone not named Varlamov or Hart.

He'll get that 2.23 closer to 2, and that's gonna be sufficient. Only one of Hart of Varlamov can move forward, and hopefully we eliminate Vasi. Not so many "great" goalies left then, amirite?

 

[DarrenBanks56]

The Halak takes in here are bad, and you should feel bad if you made them. Lol this "top 10" concept.

Of the top 10 goalies, who is playing still?

Varlamov 1.67, .934
Hart 1.71, .943
Grubauer 1.87, .922
Vasilevskiy 2.08, .925
Lehner 2.10, .918
Halak 2.23, .921

Our boy is right there. He's played so few games that those 2 goals deflected off Charlie last night are the difference between being 4th there in GAA, and not. His save percentage is essentially as good as anyone not named Varlamov or Hart.

He'll get that 2.23 closer to 2, and that's gonna be sufficient. Only one of Hart of Varlamov can move forward, and hopefully we eliminate Vasi. Not so many "great" goalies left then, amirite?

as said before halak is the better goalie to face tampa. rask plays horrible against tampa. im just worried for next round if fatigue starts to hit him. we have no proven nhl goalie for backup.

 

[goldnblack]

as said before halak is the better goalie to face tampa. rask plays horrible against tampa. im just worried for next round if fatigue starts to hit him. we have no proven nhl goalie for backup.

He hasn't had to shoulder much of a season.

He has no travel.

I dunno, I don't think fatigue is a big issue here. Best way to avoid that is a short series

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Is anyone still scared of the big, bad Tampa Bay Lighting?

I’ll let you know when the series is over.
No time to be complacent.
They have some fringe goons who are going to start targeting our finesse players (in order, Pasta, DK, PB, Marchy and Chahley) in order to remove them from the series.
Killorn, Maroon and Pacqutte likely suspects.

 

[lopey]

big blow for Tampa

If they lose McDonagh

Missed this what happened to him?

 

[Bruins4Life136]

The boys all have their heads up, our skill players are dodging their goons. Not going to be 2018 all over again with TBL cheapshotting our players left and right.

Kuraly and McAvoy put Pacquette on his ass twice. Our 4th line is finishing checks, Ritchie is finishing checks. We took it to them in Game 1 physically.

Love to see it.

Hopefully not. I want revenge for that series in 2018. Couldn’t take losing another series to them.

 

[nORRis8]

Glad to see many giving props to Halak. He was solid
He plays more back in the net than Tuukka and at times when Tuukka goes from post to post he overplays and is caught our of position. Not so with Halak.

That deflection last night by Coyle inspired me to pour a big honkin' whiskey. Incredible!

 

[KrejciWinger]

I was critical of 47 and 25 in the pregame thread, so I gotta give them kudos for stepping it up last night.

Krug especially was playing smarter. Great transition plays, bet he wanted the helper on that Kase breakaway haha. Carlo was able to do his thing, and had a smart offensive play himself. Good stuff.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

as said before halak is the better goalie to face tampa. rask plays horrible against tampa. im just worried for next round if fatigue starts to hit him. we have no proven nhl goalie for backup.

Halak's a better puck handler than Rask. That's a major plus against a team like Tampa. Helps the small defensemen from getting crushed too often.

 

[wintersej]

I will say that all of us should give Nordstrom a pass on the missed empty net, with all of the penalty killing and blocked shots he has more than earned his money. He isn’t here to score, even on empty nets

It will be sad when someone offers him too much this offseason.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

IMO moving DK to the first PP unit is the best decision Cassidy has made all season.

B's were 2nd in the league on the power play in the regular season.

So I'd say Cassidy (and assistant coaches) has handled the power play pretty well all year.

 

[aguineapig]

Great post.

But Carlo had his best play off game last night.

They had stated that Carlo had bulked up a good bit during the "off-season" and that in itself is not a bad thing. But with no training camp per se, has had no time to readjust to it. It's coming now though. It will always be about his stick and stride with him, his skating allowed him to claim so so much ice with those. The strength was needed though for along the boards and net front. Charlie is the top dog, he will have the highlight reel hits like on Staal and Scheifele, Carlo will be just damned hard to play against. Charlie, Carlo and Cliffy pretty darn good right side, all right.

 

[wintersej]

I was critical of 47 and 25 in the pregame thread, so I gotta give them kudos for stepping it up last night.

Krug especially was playing smarter. Great transition plays, bet he wanted the helper on that Kase breakaway haha. Carlo was able to do his thing, and had a smart offensive play himself. Good stuff.

Still hope this series gets Carlo's temperature up more. He is so much more of a force when he isn't playing passive. Steps in the right direction last night for sure.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Will win the Cup.

Deep in skill, speed, size, D, and goal.

No weakness.

I recall people saying no one had a chance against Vancouver in 2011 before the finals . How did that one work out ?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Sorry except for tonight's he hasn't been great. I'll give him that he looked good tonight and his 1st game but otherwise he's been less than average. Let's call a spade a spade.

So Halak looked less than average in a 2-1 win?

 

[BMC]

B's were 2nd in the league on the power play in the regular season.

So I'd say Cassidy (and assistant coaches) has handled the power play pretty well all year.

By the end of the season it had gotten too predictable & teams knew how to counter it. Putting DK out there added more unpredictability, more movement and thus better scoring chances.

 

[BMC]

Halak's a better puck handler than Rask. That's a major plus against a team like Tampa. Helps the small defensemen from getting crushed too often.

I still get really nervous when he tries to handle the puck. That he's better at it than Rask isn't very comforting!