Post-Game Talk: GAME 1 - BRUINS 3 Chicago 1

[BourqueFromORRk4277]

Thoughts after game 1....

Third and fourth lines both play very well together already. Top two forward lines look very out of sync 5x5.

Lucic almost looks like his old self. Might have turned back the clock like Foligno did last year. His playmaking was exceptional, especially that pass to Zacha on the doorstep.

Poitras looked great. Just keeps getting better. One of the Bruins' best forwards this game, as he was all exhibition season.

Geekie is growing on me. Has a Jason Allison vibe. Big, slow player with soft hands that takes a straight line to the hard areas.

Frederic looked ready to take another step. Was more assertive and carrying the puck longer.

Pastrnak, Marchand and DeBrusk all looked off their game. Credit to Pasta that he can be off and still come away with 2 goals.

Coyle and JVR were both ineffective this game.

Zacha looked the best of the top 6 forwards.


The defense did not look overall nearly as dominant as last year. I think we benefited from playing a weaker team last night.

Lindholm was not the dominant presence he was at the start of last year. Seems to still be shaking off summer rust. Did me a couple nice plays, but I want to see him play like he is a No. 1 again.

McAvoy is incapable of having a bad game. But he was quiet on the offensive side.

Shattenkirk was the positive surprise. Played well in all three zones.

Do not recall hearing Forbort's name called once, which is probably a good thing.

I thought Grzelcyk was very good, and I am confident he gives us an overall better chance to win right now than Lohrei.

Ullmark was great.

Pretty close to my thoughts on the game as well, but I was a little higher on Gryz's game, and less on Mac's.
In fact, I thought Gryz was the best D-man last night even though it seemed like he had to defend a 2-on-1 on every other shift.

Mac had a rough game, and kept getting caught up ice which lead to a bunch of odd man rushes for Chicago that Gryz( and Ullmark) had to defend. I'm not against him joining the offense, but one of the forwards needs to be alert to cover for him when he does.

Exhibit A:



It was nice that Poitras hustled to get back, but Gryz had already defended the play when he got there.


Gryz also made a nice defensive play when Carlo got beat near the wall:



On top of the excellent defense(even on 1:30 of PK), he also had a couple nice one-timers from the point, and some nice outlet passes that led to great scoring chances...but none of them went in so...-1.



Also, Luc looked awesome. It's so nice to have hockey back!

 

[Bruinaura]

Looch back, Ladyfan with the bat and GahdenRinkRat now with a stick, the Poitras Protection Posse!

Looch would be in third place in that lineup lol

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Technically that's a hit by definition, causing the puck carrier to lose possession. But I feel like it would still register on the stat sheet if a player is hit hard despite maintaining puck possession.

I'm sure the team tracks hits in a different way from the league.

Consider how many times a game players get hit into the board behind the net. Because they usually don't spereate the player from the puck, no hit is credited, even if it was actually hitting the opponent.

 

[DaBroons]

Pretty close to my thoughts on the game as well, but I was a little higher on Gryz's game, and less on Mac's.
In fact, I thought Gryz was the best D-man last night even though it seemed like he had to defend a 2-on-1 on every other shift.

Mac had a rough game, and kept getting caught up ice which lead to a bunch of odd man rushes for Chicago that Gryz( and Ullmark) had to defend. I'm not against him joining the offense, but one of the forwards needs to be alert to cover for him when he does.

Exhibit A:



It was nice that Poitras hustled to get back, but Gryz had already defended the play when he got there.


Gryz also made a nice defensive play when Carlo got beat near the wall:



On top of the excellent defense(even on 1:30 of PK), he also had a couple nice one-timers from the point, and some nice outlet passes that led to great scoring chances...but none of them went in so...-1.



Also, Luc looked awesome. It's so nice to have hockey back!

Where's Eddie Westfall when we need him. Seriously, last night's uniforms made me think of the 71 team, when they started wearing whites at home. These unis are very similar. When Shatty skated up the ice with the puck, I had to remind myself that he wasn't Cashman.

Also, the Hawks unis have changed little over the years, so that added to the impression. Lucic bears no resemblance to Freddy Stanfield, nor Frederick to Swoop Carlton.

 

[Forester65]

The Bedard commentary was just way over the top. I get that he’s the next big thing for the NHL but man it was 90% bedard talk and when they weren’t talking about him they were talking about guys to mentor him.

They aren't doing him any favors by building him up like they are. It gets to a point where no one can live up to that kind of hype. Plus he's small in stature and playing against many larger, stronger and more experienced players. It will be interesting to see how he responds to attrition over the long haul.

 

[Ladyfan]

Pretty close to my thoughts on the game as well, but I was a little higher on Gryz's game, and less on Mac's.
In fact, I thought Gryz was the best D-man last night even though it seemed like he had to defend a 2-on-1 on every other shift.

Mac had a rough game, and kept getting caught up ice which lead to a bunch of odd man rushes for Chicago that Gryz( and Ullmark) had to defend. I'm not against him joining the offense, but one of the forwards needs to be alert to cover for him when he does.

Exhibit A:



It was nice that Poitras hustled to get back, but Gryz had already defended the play when he got there.


Gryz also made a nice defensive play when Carlo got beat near the wall:



On top of the excellent defense(even on 1:30 of PK), he also had a couple nice one-timers from the point, and some nice outlet passes that led to great scoring chances...but none of them went in so...-1.



Also, Luc looked awesome. It's so nice to have hockey back!

We thought Grizz had a good game too

 

[jgatie]

Possibly, but remember this is Orr you're talking about. He may have wanted it that way. He's always wanted to have his teammates share the spotlight.

When they made the statue, he insisted that the names of the entire team be on the statue. When he spoke at the unveiling, he said, "Thank your for honoring our team."

This is the guy who snuck into hospitals through back door to avoid the spotlight.

He also snuck into hospitals to imitate a doctor, wheel an injured Espo out of his room, down the hall, through a door they broke to get out, and down the street to a bar.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Agreed. 3 sounds long. But the definition of a hit is not just dislodging the puck.

For sure.

I’m just wondering what your reference was since you used quotes in your response.

 

[caz16]

They aren't doing him any favors by building him up like they are. It gets to a point where no one can live up to that kind of hype. Plus he's small in stature and playing against many larger, stronger and more experienced players. It will be interesting to see how he responds to attrition over the long haul.

That is true, Pasta was targeted a lot (still is) and takes a lot of abuse. This kid is just that, a kid, it is a dangerous league. I hope he stays healthy, I really do. There are predators out there.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

Boston has always been notorious for being stingy with the hit counts. Kind of the anti MSG, where just skating by someone counts as a hit. Not counting the DeBrusk hit in the third is awful though.

Looks like Beecher didn’t get one either on his boarding call.
Is that not a hit?

He’s credited with 0

 

[Tmac37]

Going to be hard for me to cheer for JVR this year, never liked that player.

 

[quietbruinfan]

I thought Grz struggled and I am a Grz guy for the most part. Yes, Charlie was caught up ice a lot but I mostly blame the slow forwards for that, and the coach.

 

[DaStinger]

Looks like Beecher didn’t get one either on his boarding call.
Is that not a hit?

He’s credited with 0

If it isn't a legal check it does not count as a hit.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I thought Grz struggled and I am a Grz guy for the most part. Yes, Charlie was caught up ice a lot but I mostly blame the slow forwards for that, and the coach.

How, exactly, is the coach to blame for McAvoy being caught up ice?

 

[quietbruinfan]

How, exactly, is the coach to blame for McAvoy being caught up ice?

The coach who won't and can't change his style to suit his personnel you mean? At least Mr. Positive called them out as "average" and threw a jab at Sweneely for assembling a team with no team speed.

 

[danpantz]

Poitras had a shift with 12:00 left in the third that blew my mind that he’s only 19. Has a grade A chance, misses, breaks up a rush the other way with a solid backcheck, makes a good outlet pass which leads to another really good chance.

Good grief this kid is a stud.

 

[bobbyorr04]

That is true, Pasta was targeted a lot (still is) and takes a lot of abuse. This kid is just that, a kid, it is a dangerous league. I hope he stays healthy, I really do. There are predators out there.

..and they're in Boston Saturday night

 

[Ladyfan]

..and they're in Boston Saturday night

So....I should bring the baseball bat?

 

[hrdpuk]

So....I should bring the baseball bat?

Not needed. I think this team will take care of its own.

 

[GahdenRinkRat]

I assume your sister had the bat ready while on the T

Except we go different directions! Apparently I looked menacing enough brandishing the stick in my Forbort jersey

 

[The don godfather]

Wouldn't surprise me that poitras becomes number 1 center soon and pass zacha and Coyle.

 

[BourqueFromORRk4277]

Poitras had a shift with 12:00 left in the third that blew my mind that he’s only 19. Has a grade A chance, misses, breaks up a rush the other way with a solid backcheck, makes a good outlet pass which leads to another really good chance.

Good grief this kid is a stud.

Gryz broke up the rush, but it was nice to see Poitras there to pick up the puck after Gryz knocked the puck off Raddysh's stick, and then make a nice pass to get the puck moving the other way.

This kid might be just what the B's needed.

 

[Dicky113]

Did you all hear the very loud LOOOOOOOCH when he was introduced? Also, every time he was on the ice. Great crowd tonight. The best in a long time!

I was at the game. He got the biggest ovation/cheer of the night. Was comparable to the one Orr got

 

[bob77]

You are correct. You do not have to dislodge the puck. The player getting hit may have already dished the puck, and it's still a hit. That said, the hits stat is counted by the home team's statistician team and, being completely subjective, is wildly variable from arena to arena, so I don't often give it all that much credence.

The hit stat isn’t the only NHL stat that differs widely. Giveaways and takeaways are so vague it’s ridiculous. If you want to, record a game, and then after the game watch and fast forward to each give and take. The time of it is in the play by play area.

 

[Bruinator]

Wouldn't surprise me that poitras becomes number 1 center soon and pass zacha and Coyle.

Hopefully by Saturday Night lol