Pre-Game Talk: Game 17 7:07 PM - On the road again in Uniondale - NESN, SN, 98.5 WBZ-FM
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Geordie Bruin
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▪ Left winger Nick Ritchie began the night as the Bruins’ top goal scorer on the power play, with five of his six strikes coming on the man-up. Only five other NHLers have scored more this season on the advantage.
Ritchie, 6-2 and 230 pounds, has “some Milan Lucic in him,” Cassidy said last week. The 25-year-old former Duck has shown a penchant, like Looch, for parking in front of the net, maintaining position, and providing tips and redirects.
The key elements of working the net-front, said Ritchie, are screening the goalie and getting his stick — be it the shaft or blade — on whatever rubber makes it his way.
“You’re almost trying to be a bad goalie,” he said. “You want it to go by you, so it misses you and so he can’t see it. Be sort of a distraction out front, and with the guys on our team, with the way they shoot and the plays they make, it makes my job a lot easier.”
▪ Defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, who made his season debut Sunday, will be promoted to Lauzon’s spot on the No. 1 pairing with Charlie McAvoy.
▪ Cassidy, in his late-morning Zoom presser, named Jaro Halak as the starting goaltender against the Islanders and said Tuukka Rask, the winner at Tahoe, “most likely” would get the games Friday and Sunday. “We haven’t won [at Nassau Coliseum] this year, and I certainly don’t put that on Tuukka,” said Cassidy. “We’ll just mix it up a little bit.”
Ritchie, 6-2 and 230 pounds, has “some Milan Lucic in him,” Cassidy said last week. The 25-year-old former Duck has shown a penchant, like Looch, for parking in front of the net, maintaining position, and providing tips and redirects.
The key elements of working the net-front, said Ritchie, are screening the goalie and getting his stick — be it the shaft or blade — on whatever rubber makes it his way.
“You’re almost trying to be a bad goalie,” he said. “You want it to go by you, so it misses you and so he can’t see it. Be sort of a distraction out front, and with the guys on our team, with the way they shoot and the plays they make, it makes my job a lot easier.”
▪ Defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, who made his season debut Sunday, will be promoted to Lauzon’s spot on the No. 1 pairing with Charlie McAvoy.
▪ Cassidy, in his late-morning Zoom presser, named Jaro Halak as the starting goaltender against the Islanders and said Tuukka Rask, the winner at Tahoe, “most likely” would get the games Friday and Sunday. “We haven’t won [at Nassau Coliseum] this year, and I certainly don’t put that on Tuukka,” said Cassidy. “We’ll just mix it up a little bit.”
AngryMilkcrates
End of an Era
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There's a common denominator there - Varlamov is the best goalie in the division apart from Rask and this current version of the Bruins haven't quite figured him out yet, plus of course he usually gets really solid defensive coverage. But he can be got at - both the Caps and Pens have scored 3+ goals on him multiple times this season. Boston needs to find better ways to put him under sustained pressure.
Bruinaura
Resident Cookie Monster
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Does he lurk on these boards?
I'm pretty sure mine will change it to Vitameatavegamin
AngryMilkcrates
End of an Era
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I think the guys know that Varlamov is too good to just beat straight out.
Either get people in his face to block him from seeing shots or deflect ones in.
Since I think the Islanders will keep our shots to the outside we will need a big body to go in as the bumper and deflect or collect rebounds to have a chance. If you can get into the paint and block his eyes that's perfect, but the Islanders can clear the slot. The final option is to catch him moving with one-timers, like a Pasta special. But they would be fools to give us enough passing room to go east to west to that degree.
Our D will be key in any scoring we do, but mainly this is a game for guys like Ritchie and Coyle to bring their style of game to the fore and shine.
AngryMilkcrates
End of an Era
- Jun 4, 2016
- 16,348
- 26,021
Does he lurk on these boards?
I'm pretty sure mine will change it to Vitameatavegamin
I think he does, yes.
There are a few really good young writers that keep an eye on here from time to time.
Yeah for sure, Frederic too. On D both Moore and Clifton like to shoot - Moore in particular has a sneakily good slap shot - and they'd be smart to be sending plenty of rubber netwards tonight.
Roll 4 Lines
Pastafarian!
Does he lurk on these boards?
I'm pretty sure mine will change it to Vitameatavegamin
You got some splainin to do!
Isles fan, here in peace. Halak doe not like playing against his former teams, at least he did not when he was in our net. Good luck, anyway.
Halak 7-1-1 vs Islanders
1.53 GAA
.950 SV%
1.53 GAA
.950 SV%
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