Pre-Game Talk: Game 33 4/1 7:07 PM - THE BEAR hunts for penguins - NESN, SN, 98.5 WBZ-FM

[kjpm]

Your not wrong. I believe the cup winning team of 2011 had two huge win streaks and a losing streak.

This 19 game stretch of subpar play can absolutely be remedied with a big run to finish the season while getting hot at the right time. I just don't see the past six games as an indication that has started. It has me hoping the switch is flipped. We have seen some good shifts, but I want to see a 3 game stretch of dominance that really puts a stamp on our identity. Right now I can not tell you what that is. Solid defensively, good in transition but not great, and absolutely reliant to a first line and a solid pp for offense.

When we have a stretch that overcomes these concerns people will still complain even when it is unreasonable. But we haven't reached that point yet. We could be just as easily whistling past the graveyard here rather then starting a hot stretch. The tea leaves are clearly ambiguous.

Great post. Basically where I'm at as well. They're pretty much as healthy as they're going to get at this point (there's always going to be one or two), it's time to really see what this team is made of. I do see some signs of life, in particular Krejci has stepped his game up offensively from where he was earlier in the year, but I still need more, especially from the bottom half of the roster.

My biggest concern right now is Rask's health though. I'm hoping he's just taking the time he needs to get fully 100% and he stays healthy when he does get back in. If it's an issue that lingers or becomes chronic this team is going nowhere, unless Vladar suddenly pulls a Binnington.

 

[The National]

Tell me what their record was early in the year when mostly everyone was healthy. I think that’s a far better depiction of the team.

Could they add a 2nd line winger and a depth piece? Yes, but also every contender adds at the deadline because no matter how good you are, you have holes. Hell, the lightning have been one of the best teams in the league for years and they still have holes and add at the deadline.

I think they’re somewhere in between these last few weeks and the what we saw at the beginning of the year. I think they overachieved at the start of the year and underachieving/injured now.

I still don’t think the team we saw at the beginning of the year has a shot against Tampa in a series.

 

[analyser]

I am impressed with their play yes. If you are going to add that two game against Buffalo and one came against New Jersey I’m going to add this:

Bruins have played lineups that have features a combination of senyshyn, kuhlman, blidh, steen, mckegg, kampfer, tinordi, Vaak and Vlader A LOT recently. With multiple of those guys going each night.

Add on to that multiple games of having a fourth liner in Frederic playing on the first line, Clifton starting who wasn’t an original top 6 defender at the start of the year.


1/3 of the team has been providence bruins players lately. I don’t care who you are facing, when you are that injured or have that many people out with Covid, any stretch of 4-1-1 is impressive.

It is DS and company's fault that they do not draft quality players for Providence. We are listed as having one of the worst prospects group.

 

[UncleRico]

I understand the injuries but prior to the M.A.S.H. unit starting to form, this wasn`t a team playing on point hockey, the return of bodies should help, but this team still has big holes to fill to be considered a contender IMO

They had the best record in hockey at one point in arguably the toughest division there is this year.

 

[The National]

I think that's mostly spot on, but I do see at least a couple of bright spots in our scoring of late. Firstly the Ritchie-Krejci-Smith line has been really starting to find a groove and both producing some decent points and dominating possession. That's been positive. I think ideally at least one of Ritchie or Smith ends up on the 3rd line making way for a new legit top 6 winger, but it's still important to see those guys finding their feet in Boston and especially to have Krejci starting to motor. The other thing has been McAvoy and Gryz starting to contribute more to scoring. We need that blueline production, and while it's only small steps and we clearly need more, at least there's something where previously there was little at all.

The team as a whole still needs to do better in a lot of areas, but I'll take just a little comfort in having a couple of things starting to go in the right direction that they can hopefully continue to build on.

100% agree.

Not all bad, the past few games we’ve seen a lot more from Krejci for sure which we desperately need to trickle down his wings.

Mcavoy continues to grow, and move the puck up the ice. Helps with our inability to break the puck out, when our 1D can just skate through a whole team on the rush.

As much as his game aggravates me at times, Carlo being back is huge. He looked pretty decent the other night, wasn’t too tentative considering the severity of the hit/injury.

Some of the main concerns going forward are Pastas play and Tuukka. We’re not going anywhere without either of those guys playing the way they can.

All in all they showed something last game, lead by Marchand, hopefully the rest of the lineup took notice to that. Called out by Bruce in the post game interview, let’s see how the kids respond to it.

 

[Alicat]

Casey DeSmith in net for Pitt tonight

 

[blkandgold77]

 

[JCRO]

Casey DeSmith in net for Pitt tonight

Rochester, NH native. I think I mentioned this on here before. But his father was my PT a few years back... Hes a Habs fan...

Go Bs!

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Blidh needs to do something to show he deserves an NHL job. He was supposed to be a hard hitting agitator but aside from one hit on Josi years ago he is invisible when he plays.

Hope the Bruins have a few PPs to score goals and Vladar makes the big saves he will need to.

 

[Dr Hook]

Rochester, NH native. I think I mentioned this on here before. But his father was my PT a few years back... Hes a Habs fan...

Go Bs!

What's wrong with him? Well, he's a Penguin for starters, but a NH kid. Come on, that's traitorous. Side note: I got pulled over late one night in Rochester back in the late 80s on my way up to Maine on suspicion of DUI. I was tired and got caught in the damn rotary in the middle of town and because there was no one around I just jumped some lanes. Well no one around except one of Rochester's finest. Thankfully he let me go.

 

[BruinDust]

Blidh needs to do something to show he deserves an NHL job. He was supposed to be a hard hitting agitator but aside from one hit on Josi years ago he is invisible when he plays.

Hope the Bruins have a few PPs to score goals and Vladar makes the big saves he will need to.

Blidh is awful. Arguably the worst set of hands in the NHL today. His hitting/agitation is overrated. AAAA-level player.

 

[Mantis]

Blidh needs to do something to show he deserves an NHL job. He was supposed to be a hard hitting agitator but aside from one hit on Josi years ago he is invisible when he plays.

Hope the Bruins have a few PPs to score goals and Vladar makes the big saves he will need to.

He tries to hit but he is just too slow to keep up with actual NHL players

 

[Sheppy]

Blidh is awful.

 

[TSBruins13]

Blidh is the worst player we've iced this season.....and that says alot because we had Ahcan up who was no way ready for a debut.

 

[TobanWest]

Blidh is awful.

He really is... Not sure what the appeal is. This team needs to play inspired and that comes from chirps, hits, fights and tough to play against. I thought he was supposed to bring some of this? I love that coach called out the kids. Why the hell is it Marchands job. Freddy where did ya go bud? Ritchie?

 

[Mione134]

Blidh used to be effective. He was a bit reckless with his hits and got penalized a lot. He went down to Prov to sure up his game and now he looks neutered a bit.

 

[NDiesel]

Blidh needs to do something to show he deserves an NHL job. He was supposed to be a hard hitting agitator but aside from one hit on Josi years ago he is invisible when he plays.

Hope the Bruins have a few PPs to score goals and Vladar makes the big saves he will need to.

To me all I want out of Blidh is some hard play tonight. He isn't an NHL regular, but hopefully he can just fill in adaquetely until the team is healthy again.

 

[Over the volcano]

Good seeing a little consistency.

For those bemoaning Blidh - if the message to the team was more sandpaper and energy from the bottom lines and kids then keeping him in the line up only makes sense. If they said they want skill and scoring from kids then there might be some different guys in the lineup.

 

[Alicat]

Blidh is awful.

He makes me miss Kuraly

 

[BUP]

They had the best record in hockey at one point in arguably the toughest division there is this year.

They had a fair amount of late comebacks and relied on the PP early on in the season; yet, they did look much better and were just a player or two away from being a real contender at that time. Presently, they lack consistency and have some serious holes, so I'm not sure what the playoffs will look like. But I thought they were around a quarterfinal team in 2011 prior to the playoffs, so my prophetic abilities are lacking....

 

[Mick Riddleton]

Did Butch not also call out Pasta? If he did not he better. Pasta has been approached the other teams zone slower then Krech and making a lot it turnovers and bad passes. He needs to get his butt in gear more then anyone.

Good luck Vladar, hopefully the team treats you better then they did Halak.

 

[The don godfather]

Win tonight and bury the flyers nothing more satisfying. Well also beating the leafs in game 7 . Let's go !

 

[the negotiator]

Good seeing a little consistency.

For those bemoaning Blidh - if the message to the team was more sandpaper and energy from the bottom lines and kids then keeping him in the line up only makes sense. If they said they want skill and scoring from kids then there might be some different guys in the lineup.

Yup

Bruce told them what he expects - now they have a game to respond ( or not).

 

[eightspokedb]

Pens uniforms are yellow. Just like their team: yellow.

not only yellow.....but chicken fecal-matter yellow....

 

[BMC]

not only yellow.....but chicken fecal-matter yellow....

You can say it- chicken shit yellow