Post-Game Talk: GAME 37 - Penguins 6 BRUINS 5

[quietbruinfan]

Serious question: How many entire Bruins games have you watched this season??

Most of them actually....Quite a departure from last year.

 

[TD Charlie]

Call me crazy, but I was not entertained and I do not have as rosy an outlook on the game as most. That sucked. Ugly effort on defense. Next to zero physicality. They tied it at 5 and then forgot how to attack

The last 5 minutes of this game was horrible. Penguins goalie was lousy, and despite scoring 5 goals it never felt like Boston had much sustained offense. Down a goal In the waning minutes and they are toe dragging in the slot, one touch passing at the blue line, and spinning AWAY from the direction of the net with pucks on sticks. With how many pucks went in as a direct result of a fluke bounce, and how awful the Pens goalie was, how is the top priority not “fire any and all pucks in the general direction of the net?”

Mind boggling

 

[TD Charlie]

When we scored the first goal 20 seconds in, I thought we were off to the races. Then it turned into Monday night pickup with back to back opposing goals. The total lack of hitting precluded slowing the Pens down or preventing their stretch pass/long dump plays like the one that led to the goal (as drawn by the ESPN crew multiple times). The officiating was uneven and awful and the winning goal was an NHL/ESPN gift to Crosby. I get the call on McAvoy, but the Pen who he hooked then committed two infractions: unsportsmanlike for throwing McAvoy’s stick and then roughing for popping him in the face. No call. Further, when the ref was yelling at McAvoy in the scrum, I thought he was telling him to stop because the Pen was also going to the box. Nope.

I was shouting the exact same thing at the tv lol

I’d be annoyed if the Bruins deserved to win, or looked even remotely threatening on the powerplay tonight.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I wouldn't fret; can't win them all. Next game on Saturday night at home vs TB is kinda big imo before their road trip out west. A motivational type of win.

 

[trenton1]

Bruins were under 30 percent at the dot before winning 2 of the last 3 draws. This is an easy win in the Bergeron era. The Bruins need reliable center if they want to contend.

A sloppy game where Pittsburgh had more willingness to throw it at the net and get the deflections. A very ugly game. Pittsburgh's goalie was terrible. Shame on the Bruins for not doing more.

 

[TD Charlie]

Bruins were under 30 percent at the dot before winning 2 of the last 3 draws. This is an easy win in the Bergeron era. The Bruins need reliable center if they want to contend.

A sloppy game where Pittsburgh had more willingness to throw it at the net and get the deflections. A very ugly game. Pittsburgh's goalie was terrible. Shame on the Bruins for not doing more.

My thoughts exactly, although you’ve expressed them with a bit more tact lol

 

[RoccoF14]

Lohrei -3 in less than 9 minutes. Perhaps there could have been some consideration of giving the kid a night or two off after losing a tooth the other night. Not like he lost them the game - lots of shite to go around tonight.

Most of the shite, actually, WAS Lohrei. Granted, he’s young and needs to develop. But at the end of the day, this is a Big Boy league, and not Juniors, the AHL or the NCAA. You either show you belong or you don’t. And tonight, he didn’t. He’s a massive liability on the PK and the defensive end, and as a defenseman, that’s kind of a problem.

He’s got the (lack of) toughness of Grizz, without the experience, or the hockey IQ. Like it or not, that’s the truth, and he needs to figure it out someplace else. Preferably, Providence, not in the NHL. Nights like tonight are not a positive step in his development, and it needs to be a wake up call to anybody who wants to give him a spot ahead of Forbort or Grizz. ESPECIALLY, when the playoffs come around.

It’s not fair to Lohrei, or the guys on this team.

 

[mflo77]

Honestly the more I think about it the more annoyed I get about them calling up Merkulov after he had like 16 points in 10 games for Prov, only to end up playing him 6 min on the 4th line. It's just so self-defeating and stupid, it drives me f***ing crazy.

to play more, you have to do something when you are the ice. seems like he is going through the motions and is terrified to make a mistake.
I really really hope im wrong on this one, but maybe merkulov is austin czarnik 2.0. (Czarnik put up 61 pts + 69 pts for providence)

 

[KrejciWinger]

They shorten the bench every night, it's going to screw them come playoffs. Lindholm 30 mins in a January game... like come on. I thought this coach was brought on to be a voice for the young players.

 

[RoccoF14]

They shorten the bench every night, it's going to screw them come playoffs. Lindholm 30 mins in a January game... like come on. I thought this coach was brought on to be a voice for the young players.

The young players need to be a voice for themselves……by earning ice time. The NHL isn’t a development league. You either prove you belong or you don’t. It’s a pass-fail grade, and there isn’t a grading curve based on how old you are.

 

[eightspokedb]

Glad I slept through most of it ...

 

[McGarnagle]

Glad I slept through most of it ...

So did Matt Grzelcyk

 

[Aussie Bruin]

The young players need to be a voice for themselves……by earning ice time. The NHL isn’t a development league. You either prove you belong or you don’t. It’s a pass-fail grade, and there isn’t a grading curve based on how old you are.

Partial disagree. The NHL isn't a development league, it's true, but it is a finishing school. IMO there's some limited room for growing pains, for occasional mistakes, for expectation that a guy who overall is good enough to earn his place will every now and then not quite meet that level. I'd say there is a gentle grading curve for age/experience. A team will wear some downsides because a smart and capable rookie will learn more, and more quickly, in the NHL than in the AHL or anywhere else, and if handled right that will benefit the team in the long run. And I'd argue that a guy like Lohrei who has a higher ceiling, in theory at least, will get more wiggle room than a depth player like Lauko who's either entirely good enough to fill his role now or he's not. That may not be completely fair but it's how it is.

BUT that latitude for kids can only go so far. If you're consistently below the required standard and hurting both your team and your teammates, then whoever you are, you don't yet belong. And Lohrei probably still falls into that category. His positioning is often poor, and as you said, he's far too soft. His advanced on-ice stats, which in isolation are passable but not horrible, place him 2nd-last or last amongst Bruins defenders in all the key categories. In a game like this, none of the defenders had a great night. Gryz, Lindholm and McAvoy also all made noticeable mistakes. But Mason was probably unarguably the worst culprit. He's had some genuinely good games, and the progress is evident. But his bad performances are still really noticeable and unserviceable.

Bottom line is if Monty can't/won't trust him and feels the need to use him sparingly or outright bench him on anything more than a really infrequent basis, then, whether the coach is right or wrong, he can't be in the squad. I wouldn't send him back down just yet. That was the worst he's been in a while and overall I don't think he's miles away. But the conversation at least has to have started about whether a little more seasoning soon might be the best option, both for him and the Bruins.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

Partial disagree. The NHL isn't a development league, it's true, but it is a finishing school. IMO there's some limited room for growing pains, for occasional mistakes, for expectation that a guy who overall is good enough to earn his place will every now and then not quite meet that level. I'd say there is a gentle grading curve for age/experience. A team will wear some downsides because a smart and capable rookie will learn more, and more quickly, in the NHL than in the AHL or anywhere else, and if handled right that will benefit the team in the long run. And I'd argue that a guy like Lohrei who has a higher ceiling, in theory at least, will get more wiggle room than a depth player like Lauko who's either entirely good enough to fill his role now or he's not. That may not be entirely fair but it's how it is.

BUT that latitude for kids can only go so far. If you're consistently below the required standard and hurting both your team and your teammates, then whoever you are, you don't yet belong. And Lohrei probably still falls into that category. His positioning is often poor, and as you said, he's far too soft. His advanced on-ice stats, which in isolation are passable but not horrible, place him 2nd-last or last amongst Bruins defenders in all the key categories. In a game like this, none of the defenders had a great night. Gryz, Lindholm and McAvoy also all made noticeable mistakes. But Mason was probably unarguably the worst culprit. He's had some genuinely good games, and the progress is evident. But his bad performances are still really noticeable and unserviceable.

Bottom line is if Monty can't/won't trust him and feels the need to use him sparingly or outright bench him on anything more than a really infrequent basis, then, whether the coach is right or wrong, he can't be in the squad. I wouldn't send him back down just yet. That was the worst he's been in a while and overall I don't think he's miles away. But the conversation at least has to have started about whether a little more seasoning soon might be the best option, both for him and the Bruins.

It's an occupation, a school, a hobby, and everything in between.

 

[Ozzy Osbourne]

So did Matt Grzelcyk

Yet he will be in yet again. He’s sacred.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

So did Matt Grzelcyk

After seeing his "aggressiveness" on the Carter PP goal it's clearly evident why Sweeney on down do not want him on the ice in the play-offs.

 

[loosemoose]

Lohrei should probably go back to AHL for a bit.

 

[lopey]

Whens Forbort back?

 

[bme44]

So did Matt Grzelcyk

He is a player that , I felt should have been moved two plus years ago . At that time most posters disagreed with me and had valid arguments for there opinion . This year I feel Gryz has become less of player than he was in the past after watching the Carter goal it is not hard to understand why you do not want him in your line up come playoff time. I am just not sure if he has any value on the trade market ??? The Bruins d is not deep enough that you can not play him.

 

[quietbruinfan]

Most of the shite, actually, WAS Lohrei. Granted, he’s young and needs to develop. But at the end of the day, this is a Big Boy league, and not Juniors, the AHL or the NCAA. You either show you belong or you don’t. And tonight, he didn’t. He’s a massive liability on the PK and the defensive end, and as a defenseman, that’s kind of a problem.

He’s got the (lack of) toughness of Grizz, without the experience, or the hockey IQ. Like it or not, that’s the truth, and he needs to figure it out someplace else. Preferably, Providence, not in the NHL. Nights like tonight are not a positive step in his development, and it needs to be a wake up call to anybody who wants to give him a spot ahead of Forbort or Grizz. ESPECIALLY, when the playoffs come around.

It’s not fair to Lohrei, or the guys on this team.

I begin to wonder if 6 will ever catch on in his own zone, or is the learning curve just too steep for various reasons:
1. He learned the position late
2. low hockey I.Q.??
3. Below average defensive coaching: He was an offensive prodigy in college and allowed to rove. He is not getting good defensive coaching here, or very possibly, he absolutely refuses to implement it.

 

[Fenway]

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[Fenway]

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[Fenway]

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*Please note that Saturday's morning skate will take place at TD Garden.

Friday, January 5 (Boston, MA)
- No scheduled practice or media availability

Saturday, January 6 (TD Garden, Boston, MA)
- Morning skate, 10:30 a.m.
- Head Coach Jim Montgomery and select players available to media following morning skate
- Game vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. (TD Garden | TV: NESN | Radio: 98.5)
- Head Coach Jim Montgomery and select players available to media following the game

 

[lopey]

Bruins did not play their game. Played to Pittsburghs strengths not ours. I liked the resolve. Never gave up. But we cant play this type of game. Not going to win many

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Most of the shite, actually, WAS Lohrei. Granted, he’s young and needs to develop. But at the end of the day, this is a Big Boy league, and not Juniors, the AHL or the NCAA. You either show you belong or you don’t. And tonight, he didn’t. He’s a massive liability on the PK and the defensive end, and as a defenseman, that’s kind of a problem.

He’s got the (lack of) toughness of Grizz, without the experience, or the hockey IQ. Like it or not, that’s the truth, and he needs to figure it out someplace else. Preferably, Providence, not in the NHL. Nights like tonight are not a positive step in his development, and it needs to be a wake up call to anybody who wants to give him a spot ahead of Forbort or Grizz. ESPECIALLY, when the playoffs come around.

It’s not fair to Lohrei, or the guys on this team.

Great post. He was unplayable last night, with the increased talent level of Pittsburgh. Gryz and Forbort will be in the play-offs it would seem, for better or worse, unless they can grab Hanifin at 50% and have Matt be part of the package going back.