Post-Game Talk: GAME 59 - B's leapfrog past Hogtown for 2nd in Atlantic - BRUINS 4 LA Kings 2 FINAL

[smithformeragent]

With regards to playoff format.

It rewards teams for winning their division and that’s a good thing.

It creates rivalries within the division and that’s also a good thing.

The path appears difficult for the Bruins. I get it. At the same time, you know the path goes through Tampa. Tampa is earning/has earned that proviledge through their play.

There’s never going to be a perfect format. I’ll take this over the randomness of 1 v 8 and I’m fine with being in the minority on that.

 

[Chief Nine]

What a fun game last night. Well worth staying up for it.

I thought Kovalchuk was their best and most dangerous player.

That Rask save on the 2on1 was brilliant.

DeBrusk is playing his best hockey since last year’s playoffs. Glad to see him finally passing the puck again.

Another strong game from Heinen.

Carlo is going to be a Norris candidate one day.

Best “4th line” in hockey.

Unfortunately Norris candidates have to be at the top of the league for defenseman in scoring and I just don’t see Carlo being there. It’d be nice but just defense is not what the voters look at which is a shame

 

[ODAAT]

He does have that ability to score from anywhere out of nowhere the Bruins really lack.

I actually don`t dislike the player, but I don`t find his game anywhere near what the B`s need from a consistent top 6 guy. He was invisible outside of the 7-8 minutes he had on the PP and IMO, I think some here felt he looked good and have based their opinions on what he did on the PP where yes he did look good, had lots of room to do so. Soon as the 5 on 5 play was going on, invisible and irrelevant

 

[Alicat]

Don’t want Kovalchuck.

He is not a Bruins type player.

People are getting enamored by the name.

 

[ODAAT]

Don’t want Kovalchuck.

He is not a Bruins type player.

People are getting enamored by the name.

and by how he looked on 7-8 minutes of the PP last night

 

[Alicat]

and by how he looked on 7-8 minutes of the PP last night

A small sample size.

I do not want him on this team period

 

[LouisSleigher]

Hard to argue with success, but I still question the ice time the fourth liners are getting. Last night, Kuraly led all forwards in ice time and Wagner was third. Acciari played more than Bergy or Krech. That last fact in particular vexes my mind.

 

[ODAAT]

A small sample size.

I do not want him on this team period

nope, voiced my issues/concerns with him when news was the B`s were pursuing him during the summer. Think he is now a one trick pony and for a team like the B`s who are strong on the PP, just not sure where else he would help

 

[Chief Nine]

A small sample size.

I do not want him on this team period

I agree 100% with this. If he’s capable of playing like he did in both games against the B’s then that tells me he’s not worth whatever it would take to trade for him and whatever salary you negotiate for.

I just don’t see a consistent player there.

He’d get clobbered here for taking games off which he certainly will. I mean look at what people post about Krejci

 

[Chief Nine]

Hard to argue with success, but I still question the ice time the fourth liners are getting. Last night, Kuraly led all forwards in ice time and Wagner was third. Acciari played more than Bergy or Krech. That last fact in particular vexes my mind.

That’s because the third line right now is just awful. It’s the Achille’s heel of the team right now

 

[ODAAT]

That’s because the third line right now is just awful. It’s the Achille’s heel of the team right now

feels like and is like this team is essentially running with only 3 lines and that`s a huge concern heading towards the playoffs<<<< that`s my Dr. Obvious statement of the day

 

[wintersej]

Don’t want Kovalchuck.

He is not a Bruins type player.

People are getting enamored by the name.

That shot tho.

 

[talkinaway]

Toronto and Boston have similar schedules but I think the Bruins have a slight edge. How on earth does Toronto still have 3 with Buffalo and 2 with Montreal?

The format is nuts as Tampa should in a logical division format draw #4 Atlantic Montreal in Round 1 - but with the Wild Card crossover they will most likely draw a Metro team which could very well be Pittsburgh or even Washington.

Schedule makers were weird this season, at least in the Atlantic - all our opponents were clumped. We're done with Toronto, Montreal, and Buffalo, but we've only had one game each against Florida and Tampa. I get the idea of loading the last two weeks with divisional games - it increases the suspense. But do they all have to be against the same team? That actually mathematically makes no sense - we play 2 games each against FLA/TBL in the last part of the season, and by the looks of it, all four games won't matter to the other team. If one each of those late FLA/TBL games were switched with a TOR/MTL/BUF game, there'd likely be a heated game in March or April.

I'm sure it has to do with FLA/TBL being a playing cluster, much like ANA/LAK/SJS are - cuts down on travel time, and just makes sense. But I kind of like to know how we match up against TBL before the trade deadline...and that's not gonna happen.

 

[ThomasJ13]

Hard to argue with success, but I still question the ice time the fourth liners are getting. Last night, Kuraly led all forwards in ice time and Wagner was third. Acciari played more than Bergy or Krech. That last fact in particular vexes my mind.

Bruins have 3 game in 4 nights. Coaches have to pick their spots to get players a little rest. Bergeron, Marchand and Krejci led in icetime on Friday. And even though the Bruins did not have any huge leads last night, they were in the lead or at least felt 'in control' for much of the game, so those are the games you try to give the top guys a breather, with an eye toward San Jose tomorrow. I'm sure Cassidy would have preferred that 2 goal lead much earlier and then you'd see even more Kuraly and Wagner icetime, but he did manage to get the top guys a little rest without sacrificing a point.

 

[HumBucker]

Fun game to watch. So good to see DeBrusk getting his mojo back and MacAvoy as well. We really need to count our blessings with the young D that have come up - Carlo, MacAvoy, Grizz - all with varying skillsets and ways to impact the game.

Tuukka just phenomenal. I was so worried he might not be the same after the concussion, but he's right back to being dialed-in.

Bergeron... nuff said.

I wasn't happy to see Marchand's antics, but Kopitar was embellishing all game and giving them PPs. Marchand's goal was a beauty.

 

[lopey]

Just read the leafs board. They are on suicide watch today lol

 

[lopey]

I know this is not popular opinion but watching rangers penguins and Kevin hays looks real good.

 

[PlayMakers]

thought Kovalchuk looked dangerous on the PP, invisible while 5 on 5

I disagree. Their best chance in the first came off a pass from Kovalchuk who pulled up and hit a late rusher. Their best chance in the second was a pass from the corner to Doughty through three Bruins. He stripped the puck from our D a couple times, once on a breakout high in the offensive zone. He was quick and shifty in the corners...

 

[PlayMakers]

Unfortunately Norris candidates have to be at the top of the league for defenseman in scoring and I just don’t see Carlo being there. It’d be nice but just defense is not what the voters look at which is a shame

He’s been attacking a lot more this year. McDonagh was also not very offensive early in his career but developed that part of his game later on in the NHL. It would be great if Carlo could follow that path.

 

[DKH]

So for fun, I went and read the Kings GDT.

They are not fans of Kopitar right now. Lazy, no emotion, etc. Can you imagine this board ever saying that about Bergeron? They are also not fans of Carter.

I had to laugh when somebody said there were two rule books last night. Apparently the Bruins got away with so much....

Bergeron is the greatest underrated NHL player since expansion

David Krejci also is playing much better then your average 32 soon to be 33 year old

 

[DKH]

He’s been attacking a lot more this year. McDonagh was also not very offensive early in his career but developed that part of his game later on in the NHL. It would be great if Carlo could follow that path.

He’s getting smarter about it and he likes to do it

If you rewatch the first 6-10 minutes of the Ducks game Carlo looked like Larry Robinson

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

So for fun, I went and read the Kings GDT.

They are not fans of Kopitar right now. Lazy, no emotion, etc. Can you imagine this board ever saying that about Bergeron? They are also not fans of Carter.

I had to laugh when somebody said there were two rule books last night. Apparently the Bruins got away with so much....

Probably the Kovalchuk Effect.

 

[Fenian24]

Unfortunately Norris candidates have to be at the top of the league for defenseman in scoring and I just don’t see Carlo being there. It’d be nice but just defense is not what the voters look at which is a shame

I was pretty critical of Carlo his first two years but he has picked up his physical game to go with a great shut down game and has been very impressive this season.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

With regards to playoff format.

It rewards teams for winning their division and that’s a good thing.

It creates rivalries within the division and that’s also a good thing.

The path appears difficult for the Bruins. I get it. At the same time, you know the path goes through Tampa. Tampa is earning/has earned that proviledge through their play.

There’s never going to be a perfect format. I’ll take this over the randomness of 1 v 8 and I’m fine with being in the minority on that.

Yep, no matter what the setup, someone is going to get screwed.

 

[bruinmann77]

Carlo is slowly becoming a true shut down Dman, Glade we never traded this kid