Post-Game Talk: GAME 51 - #$@&%*!#$@&%*! Flyers 3 BRUINS 2 F/OT

[Gee Wally]

Bruins lose to Flyers, 3-2, in overtime - The Boston Globe

“You’d think that 50 games in, we would learn,” David Krejci said after a 3-2 overtime loss to Philadelphia at TD Garden Thursday, Boston’s third setback in a row and fifth in six games.

“We’ve got to understand what we are right now,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “If we were scoring five goals a night, it would be a different animal.”

Cassidy, who was “very disappointed” in his defensive group, called out captain Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Kevan Miller to lead, and hinted that more lineup changes could be coming.

“We’ve got to straighten this out, like, now,” Cassidy said. “Because we’re not scoring enough to get away with it.”

“These guys are pros,” Cassidy said. “You trust them to make the right decision.
“Goals aren’t coming easy for us. When they do, you can open up a little bit.
“We’ve talked about it. We’ve got to open up our ears and get it.”

“Lucky we have Washington coming up,” Rask said facetiously. “We can just go in there and get the points.”

 

[chizzler]

I think opposing coaches are preaching that the Bruins WILL make a mistake and we need to be ready. That certainly seemed to be the case the last 2 games.

The defense is missing assignments and it’s leading to goals. It seems like they just started to play with one another for a day. The D was much better with the younger players, I hate to say it.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

think DS and company took a risk this summer in staying, for the most part, away from UFA signings that would handcuff them cap wise. Moore was signed for good number, then he went out and got Nordy/Wags as bottom 6 depth players essentially keeping his fingers crossed the kids would duplicate or perhaps exceed last year`s performance. It clearly hasn`t worked. I`ve seen sophmore slumps, not sure I`ve seen essentially everyone who qualified as a sophmore to go through it, JD included, has had nice spurts then long stretches where he`s done little.

So, DS took a risk, wasn`t willing to go into the UFA pool and overpay, now here they are, struggling to find a player or two who can help. I`m actually not PO at DS for standing his ground over the summer but it`s clear he`ll need to address things pretty soon here or the B`s will be on the outside looking in come playoff time IMO

Sums up the current situation very well.

It’s pretty obvious things need to happen, both on a transactional side as well as a coaching side. Some of the errors being made out there are completely inexcusable.

Beyond the errors, there simply needs to be more offensive punch. I love the effort of the fourth line, the first line is great, and I honestly don’t think lines 2 and 3 are not putting in the effort. But the reality really seems to be we need to go outside the organization for some help if this team plans on making any noise post-April.

 

[TCB]

I still think he knew he could not catch Giroux so you see him look over to MacAvoy then move to cover the second man. MacAvoy never went after Giroux and so he was completely solo in on Rask.

Chara didn't have time too look over at anyone, as soon as the puck got by him, he turned around and Giroux was well gone. McAvoy was busting butt, but was well out of the play as he was the one who pinched and shot wide on the play.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Chara didn't have time too look over at anyone, as soon as the puck got by him, he turned around and Giroux was well gone. McAvoy was busting butt, but was well out of the play as he was the one who pinched and shot wide on the play.

It would have helped if Charlie hit the net, but when a Dman is on the rush, one of the F’s needs to drop back.

That’s Hockey 101, but Kuraly must have been sick that day?

 

[xStanleyCupsFor]

This ^^^! They drafted/took a 1st round risk on a guy like Seny. Four years later, play the damn kid already and see what he has. If it's all about the kid auditions and such, they've played Jfk, Freddy, Vak & Lauzon at various points this season. Why not Seny?

Pride.

 

[AngryMilkcrates]

Pride.

Lack of shown NHL ability.

 

[pkunit]

It reminded me of the 2nd round last year.

Does the NHL want a fast skilled game? I thought so, the fans think so,and the Bruins management thinks so.

Trip on Pasta is a defining moment in the game. Come on.

No excuses but Bs played well and lost. It's trending in that direction unfortunately.

Philly is good, but something is up.

 

[missingchicklet]

The defense is missing assignments and it’s leading to goals. It seems like they just started to play with one another for a day. The D was much better with the younger players, I hate to say it.

After reading your post I got curious and decided to calculate the winning pct of the Bs in games with certain D in the lineup. I simply took won games and divided by games played.

The following are the pcts of the D who have played at least 20 games this season:

Moore .581
Kampfer .560
Grzelcyk .532
Chara .531
Krug .525
Carlo .524
Miller .520
McAvoy .500

D who have played less than 20 games:

Vaakaneinen .500
Zboril .500
Lauzon .467
Clifton .444

Obviously these numbers may not mean a whole lot since so many factors go into winning and losing, but just compiled them for kicks and giggles.

 

[Gordoff]

I disagree.

1) I don’t things are nearly as “clear” as you are making them out to be.

2) I believe there are other factors at work here. The B’s had some injuries at C, but JFK was pretty clearly in the lineup because the B’s were looking to move him in a deal.

3) The reason Cassidy is having a hard time with the lines and D pairs is because he has too many options. I love a team to have depth, but the B’s have too many “depth” players and not enough difference makers.

The B’s D (when healthy) have 10 guys that could make cases that they are legitimate NHL players (the 8 that are on the team now and UV, Lauzon). When they had 4 D hurt, it was a no-brainer, these 6 were playing because that’s all you had. Now they are all healthy and you have two younger players that are in PRO that could be 3rd pair D now and one of Grizz/Moore is getting sat in games. I firmly believe that the reason Moore has not looked great in his last two games is because he’s rusty. Guy played something like two games in the last 3/4 weeks (after being in the lineup every night) and you think he’s going to be good?

With the F group, you have something similar going on. Too many choices because players aren’t distinguishing themselves and separating themselves from the rest of the guys.

Right now, the Bruins have guys playing like legit Top 6 players: 63, 37, 88, and 46.

That’s it.

Then Cassidy has the following guys that are playing like Bottom 6ers to choose from:

74, 43, 22, 42, 82, 55, 52, 20, 14 (17 also)

Too many choices with not enough guys standing out.

As an organization, you want depth. You also want a clear cut Top 6/9 so that the coach isn’t guessing at his lineups every game because the guys aren’t playing well enough to define their roles.

I am a Sweeney guy, love what he has done on the draft and development side adding bodies and I think it will pay off. Love what he has done with the extensions for Pasta and Marchand. It’s time for him to make a couple of deals so that Cassidy knows who his Top 6 guys are, knows who his 3rd line is, and knows who his 4th line is. Move one of the D for a legit Top 6 wing. Possibly move some other pieces for a legit 3C and you will see most of these issues go away.

Right now he knows what he’s going to get out of his 1st line and his 4th line (which has become his 3rd line). The 4th line are not his best players, but they are consistent and he knows what he will get from them every night.

Sometimes, too many choices is not a good thing.

Too many IFFY, mediocre choices. There are "choices" and then there are meh, whatever "choices."