BRUINS GDT GAME 76 8:08 PM - THE BEAR returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2019 SCF - ESPN+/Hulu ( streaming only in US ), 98.5 WBZ-FM

Status
Not open for further replies.

Fenway

HF Bookie and Bruins Historian
Sponsor
Sep 26, 2007
69,099
100,241
Cambridge, MA
1650365605340.png


:cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:

1650365374638.png

1650365428996.png

The streaking St. Louis Blues will try to extend their offensive surge when they host the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

The Blues (46-20-10, 102 points) have scored four or more goals in their last 12 games -- the longest such stretch in the NHL since the 1992-93 season, when Pittsburgh scored four or more goals in 15 straight games.

St. Louis is 11-0-1 during this span with nine consecutive victories, including a 4-2 win at Boston last Tuesday. The Blues are coming off an 8-3 victory in Nashville on Sunday that kept them one point ahead of Minnesota for second place in the Central Division.

"We've been saying it all year, we all know that we have a really deep, offensive group," said Blues forward Jordan Kyrou, who scored twice against the Predators. "It's not that surprising."

The Bruins (46-24-5, 97 points) snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Pittsburgh 2-1 on Saturday to clinch a playoff spot.

"We have a standard here," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We're not gonna go out and celebrate that we made the playoffs, but it's still an accomplishment you should be proud of."

The Bruins can finish no worse than fourth in the Atlantic Division. They are three points behind third-place Tampa Bay.

"We're in now, and we can start building our game for the playoffs -- which I think we've been doing for the last few months," Cassidy said.

The Blues are clicking on all offensive cylinders, but the line of Robert Thomas centering Pavel Buchnevich and Vladimir Tarasenko has been especially dangerous.

Thomas has a 13-game point streak with six goals and 19 assists. Buchnevich has a 10-game streak (18 points; six goals, 12 assists) and Tarasenko has scored goals in five straight games (eight goals, six assists).

"I'm very happy with the team, the way they're performing," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "They are playing for each other and right now, they are doing a good job. It's all about the team. They've got to stick with that. We've got to keep pushing."

Berube has been alternating goaltenders, so he may go back to Ville Husso after starting Jordan Binnington on Sunday. Husso stopped 39 of 41 shots in the victory at Boston last week.

The Blues could get defenseman Nick Leddy back after he missed the last game with a facial laceration. Calle Rosen filled in for him vs. Nashville and scored twice.

"I like his speed and his ability to move the puck," Berube said of Rosen. "He's a heads-up player. He's got real good feet. He makes good plays with the puck. He's played well."

The Bruins will play without winger David Pastrnak, defenseman Hampus Lindholm and goaltender Linus Ullmark, who remained back in Boston with injuries.

"(Pastrnak) has been here a lot of years, but again he's a timing guy so he needs to play," Cassidy said. "(Lindholm) hasn't played a lot of hockey with us, so I think it'll benefit him to play with our guys and our system. Right now we'd like them to get in and get playing as quickly as possible."

Jeremy Swayman has regained the lead role in goal in Ullmark's absence. He stopped 23 of 24 shots in the victory over Pittsburgh.
 

Fenway

HF Bookie and Bruins Historian
Sponsor
Sep 26, 2007
69,099
100,241
Cambridge, MA

mjhfb

Easier from up here
Dec 19, 2016
2,359
3,640
A thousand miles from nowhere
Bruins players from the 2019 team have never seen that banner. I hope it motivates them tonight as that really was the Cup that got away from us.
It should. I remember the clip when Krug got there and saw it being toured around the rink and it bothered him. He said something like "How long do I have to look at that thing?".
 
  • Like
Reactions: bruins19

Aussie Bruin

Registered User
Sponsor
Aug 3, 2019
10,012
22,349
Victoria, Aus
But you know it won't.

Agreed. I really think the 'moment' has passed between these two teams. To the players this is largely just another game.

Mainly I just hope that the Bruins come out of this one unscathed. They ground out a win against the Pens despite being undermanned and good on them, but the Blues are just about the hottest team in the league right now, riding a 9-game winning streak during which they've scored an absurd 49 goals. On home ice they're going to be incredibly hard to stop, and if Boston can at least keep it tight and play a good solid defensive game that will be something in itself.

It's actually interesting how St Louis has evolved. Their current team packs far more offensive punch and is more dynamic than the 2019 version - Krug and Faulk are driving the play from the back end, Thomas and Kyrou are really hitting their straps, Buchnevich has been a brilliant acquisition, and Tarasenko may have wanted out but he's been a force for them this season. Rather than rest on their somewhat fortunate Cup success they've clearly had a plan for the kind of team they want to become and it's really starting to pay off. A lot of other franchises could learn from them.
 

Dennis Bonvie

Registered User
Dec 29, 2007
29,560
18,068
Connecticut
Agreed. I really think the 'moment' has passed between these two teams. To the players this is largely just another game.

Mainly I just hope that the Bruins come out of this one unscathed. They ground out a win against the Pens despite being undermanned and good on them, but the Blues are just about the hottest team in the league right now, riding a 9-game winning streak during which they've scored an absurd 49 goals. On home ice they're going to be incredibly hard to stop, and if Boston can at least keep it tight and play a good solid defensive game that will be something in itself.

It's actually interesting how St Louis has evolved. Their current team packs far more offensive punch and is more dynamic than the 2019 version - Krug and Faulk are driving the play from the back end, Thomas and Kyrou are really hitting their straps, Buchnevich has been a brilliant acquisition, and Tarasenko may have wanted out but he's been a force for them this season. Rather than rest on their somewhat fortunate Cup success they've clearly had a plan for the kind of team they want to become and it's really starting to pay off. A lot of other franchises could learn from them.

Should also mention Husso, who's been a savior in goal.

As well as the dreaded Berube, who has everyone on the same page.
 

Aussie Bruin

Registered User
Sponsor
Aug 3, 2019
10,012
22,349
Victoria, Aus
Bruins fans love to talk about draft 'what ifs?' but Robert Thomas is one that's rarely if ever discussed. He's quickly turned into a fine PPG+ 1C, and Boston could have had him in the 2017 draft but chose Vaak instead. This isn't meant to criticize - after all 18 other teams passed on Thomas too and he may not continue his current form long-term, it's just to point out what a lottery the draft can be and muse on what might have been.
 

Guelph Bruin

Registered User
Sponsor
Mar 2, 2015
834
1,922
Bruins fans love to talk about draft 'what ifs?' but Robert Thomas is one that's rarely if ever discussed. He's quickly turned into a fine PPG+ 1C, and Boston could have had him in the 2017 draft but chose Vaak instead. This isn't meant to criticize - after all 18 other teams passed on Thomas too and he may not continue his current form long-term, it's just to point out what a lottery the draft can be and muse on what might have been.
I remember Dom singing his praises and wanting the Bruins to draft him in 2017 ..... looks like he was right again
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad