Post-Game Talk: GAME 44 - DEATH, TAXES AND ANOTHER LOSS TO WASHINGTON - Caps 4 BRUINS 2 FINAL

Coach Parker

Stanley Cup Champion
Jun 22, 2008
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Donato is really impressing me. Aside from his strength issue the two negatives are: 1) he needs to quit shooting so many low pct shots as soon as he touches the puck, and 2) he still gets lost on D some of the time -- his spacing sucks as well. He is improving in all areas, but still has a ways to go. I hope to goodness that kid line stays together and Bruce doesn't do something stupid. The chemistry is building. Heinen is playing better with that line. JFK is improving as well.

Tonight showed that Backes simply cannot be in the top 6. I know he tries hard and I like his toughness, but he hurt the team in all three zones tonight. He is far too slow against a team such as Washington. I'm not sure where they can put him though. The kid line is looking great and gaining chemistry so he doesn't need to be there. He might not be so great on the 4th line given their role at the moment due to his lack of speed. I'd probably drop Acciari and at least try Backes there and see what happens.

First line cannot always be on. Tonight showed that. That is where you need to have an effective second line. Front office does not need to be pissing around trying to find a third line center. The team's most glaring need is someone for that second line.

And what is up with the PP strategy? You have a ****ing man advantage. So much time and potential scoring is being wasted the way they are utilizing Pasta. It's so damn predictable as well -- follows the same path every PP. Pretty easy to defend. No wonder the other teams are getting more good looks on the PP than the Bruins are. It's completely insane that they abandoned what was working. How many more games is it going to take for the staff to figure this one out?

Backes finds a spot on the 4th line. The end.

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
DeBrusk - Krejci - HOLE
Donato - JFK - Heinen
Nordstrom - Wagner - Backes

Suddenly with the hole filled, the 3rd line looks like a fast, young line with a chance to develop into a scoring threat together.
Suddenly the 4th line looks very strong and can drop in other players for a more physical role when needed.
 

Absurdity

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Jul 6, 2012
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I think the Bruins were the better team tonight, but they didn't get the result they wanted.

I was not a fan of Cassidy rolling out the 4th line against Ovechkin which cost them, but in general, I thought the 4th line played great. The kids line looked great as well especially against a heavy Washington team. I'll single out Donato. He followed his great play against Buffalo with a meh one against Minnesota. Being one of the smaller guys on the team, he had no problem engaging and getting to the dirty areas of the ice against Washington. Great to see from him.

The top 6. Backes needs to get off the 2nd line.

The Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line has been horrible 5 on 5. I also wasn't a fan of Marchand's and Pastrnak's play tonight. They played soft along the boards reaching for pucks to avoid contact rather than skating and getting possession of the puck. I am also not a fan of Marchand not fighting Eller.

I think the Bruins need to split the top line. Whether they have to move Pastrnak to Krejci's line or move Krejci up between Marchand and Pastrnak, something needs to be done, and it may not be as simple as trading for a RW to play with DeBrusk and Krejci.
 
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Cam14b

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I can't disagree with Eller, I k ow the game has changed but man code says you give Eller the fight if you are Marchand. By not dropping them it just cements his rat persona. In the same situation I bet Chara and even Bergie would fight..

Guess I am a little old school.
 

TCB

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This was an issue last year as well, but I think it's gotten worse this year with the secondary scoring woes.



Way too many perimeter low danger shots.


Yup, That was it quantity over quality, but if Jake buries those two doorsteps chances Bruins win.
 

Coach Parker

Stanley Cup Champion
Jun 22, 2008
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I’m starting to think if DS gets that legit 2nd line wing, and Cassidy lets that 3rd line gel, the B’s might be in good shape.

100% agree. Every time I've seen them together (or Bjork in Donato's spot) they have looked good when KEPT together. Problem is when no one is scoring Cassidy tries everyone on that 2nd line RW and often breaks them up. He also breaks up and puts Pastrnak on the 2nd line and then we see Backes playing 1st line minutes. Spells nothing but trouble.
 

22Brad Park

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Nov 23, 2008
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Backes finds a spot on the 4th line. The end.

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
DeBrusk - Krejci - HOLE
Donato - JFK - Heinen
Nordstrom - Wagner - Backes

Suddenly with the hole filled, the 3rd line looks like a fast, young line with a chance to develop into a scoring threat together.
Suddenly the 4th line looks very strong and can drop in other players for a more physical role when needed.

I like Kuraly on that 4th line.He hits
 

Baddkarma

El Guapo to most...
Feb 27, 2002
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Caps are too skilled and too big. Bruins are no where what it would take to beat them in seven. Best hope is they sleepwalk through a series and lose before the Bruins face them.
 
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CharasLazyWrister

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Sep 8, 2008
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@FanSince72 still think this is Miller's fault? Puck clearly shot under his stick, no deflection.

He played it how he should have. Halak gave up a mega softie.



Even if it was deflected...get out and challenge the shooter a bit more. He has no choice but to take an out high wrister in that situation.

Defending Halak there has “agenda” written all over it.
 
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JRull86

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Jan 28, 2009
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Yup, That was it quantity over quality, but if Jake buries those two doorsteps chances Bruins win.
They actually did get to the net front area more this game.

It's the nothing shots from the point with no traffic that they CONSTANTLY take, which are baffling.
 

duffy

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Feb 12, 2006
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Backes is becoming more and more of a square peg for a round hole on this team unfortunately.
Backes is not the problem! This team as a whole is light and plays a Poke and Hope type of game. Every forward except Wagner pokes the stick and does fly bys against teams like Tampa and Washington who hit every time they have a chance. I am not talking Byfuglien type hits, just bump, push, and disruption at least, especially against the B's top players. That is why the B's top line typically does nothing against those teams. I don't know how we fix this as University players don't typically play that way and the rest of the B's, minus Backes and Wagner don't either! The B's Defenceman other than Miller also don't, so what do you do? Add to that every shot Washington takes is meant to score whereas the B's take approximately 10% of their shots are meant to score!
 

missingchicklet

Registered User
Jan 24, 2010
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Not a fan of Bruce throwing Jaro under the bus. Especially when his coveted top line was a -3 and 0/4 on the PP.

Yes that third goal was brutal but he saved our ass plenty of other times
It's total bullshit to throw Halak under the bus. The score would have been much worse had Halak not stepped up on several huge saves. Hard to defend when breakaways are being given up lately like candy at Halloween. Coaching was a bigger problem tonight than goaltending.
 

crimsonace

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Mar 7, 2010
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Not a fan of Bruce throwing Jaro under the bus. Especially when his coveted top line was a -3 and 0/4 on the PP.

Yes that third goal was brutal but he saved our ass plenty of other times

Didn't hear the comment, but Bruce doesn't pull punches when it comes to pointing out a player can/should be better. He's honest, and it appears the players respect that. He'll praise them when deserved, but he'll also point out a mistake or where improvement needs to happen. It was a soft goal. Everyone watching knows it. You could tell from Halak's reaction he knew it. Pointing that out doesn't make it any more of one, nor does it equate throwing the goalie under the bus. You just tied the game at 2-2, you need a save there.
 

22Brad Park

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Caps are too skilled and too big. Bruins are no where what it would take to beat them in seven. Best hope is they sleepwalk through a series and lose before the Bruins face them.

Yea ok Bruins pumped 43 shots missing McAvoy and a big hole on 2nd line that should be plugged soon by Sweeney and nothing from their 1st line.I do not buy it.
 

CharasLazyWrister

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Sep 8, 2008
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Northborough, MA
Not a fan of Bruce throwing Jaro under the bus. Especially when his coveted top line was a -3 and 0/4 on the PP.

Yes that third goal was brutal but he saved our ass plenty of other times

Did I miss something?

From what I heard, Jack tried to bait him and Bruce defended him saying that he made multiple good saves following the third goal. He said “well, let’s not throw him under the bus then” to Jack.

Did I completely miss something or is this just a false narrative being pushed?
 

TCB

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Dec 15, 2017
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They actually did get to the net front area more this game.

It's the nothing shots from the point with no traffic that they CONSTANTLY take, which are baffling.

The bruins just aren't built as a team who can out muscle the opposition and bang home a rebound. I know a lot of it is having the hockey sense and just that uncanny knack of knowing where that rebound is going as well as having that desire to win those battles, but either way the Bruins are coming short in this area way to often.
 
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TheReal13Linseman

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Oct 26, 2005
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I don't get the Krug hate here, other than some see an undersized defenseman and assume he needs to go because he doesn't fit the mold. A decade ago, we were all saying "this team needs a puck-mover badly" and gets someone who is a PMD who can get the puck, make the first pass out of the zone and has elite offensive skill. Paired with a good stay-at-home guy, he's an asset.

Chara is old, he's lost a step, but he's still 6-9, strong in his own zone, an insanely good penalty killer and very effective.

They need a legit 2nd line RW, maybe another depth piece for L3 (although the kid line looks really good right now), but dumping Krug/Chara aren't the answer. There are enough high prospects to use to make that move.
For the record, I like Krug. He’s got great offensive skills, though he has some defensive lapses at times. I’m just saying that you gotta trade quality to get quality. I think he’s our best asset with which to make a good hockey trade for a winger who’s as good a player as Krug is as a defenseman.
 
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JRull86

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Not a fan of Bruce throwing Jaro under the bus. Especially when his coveted top line was a -3 and 0/4 on the PP.

Yes that third goal was brutal but he saved our ass plenty of other times
A coach is allowed to throw a player under the bus for their play from time to time. Don't feel like he did.

Bad goal woke Halak up, and he was lights out afterwards.

Still was shitty as all hell on that 3rd goal, and frankly he can't give that up in that situation. Just cannot.
 

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