GDT: Game 78 Saturday 4/5/2014 Bruins vs. Flyers 1PM NESN, NHLN-US

[DarrenBanks56]

i really cant decide who sits out of mez bart and krug.
who is it gonna be?

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

i really cant decide who sits out of mez bart and krug.
who is it gonna be?

Not Krug. But we cannot have a Bart-Krug or Meszaros-Krug pairing.

 

[Numbah4]

If we play Detroit, do we need Shawn Thornton? I'd be tempted to play 7 def. against them. Not playing a def. on the wing, just double shifting one of our top 3 rw's. Against Columbus we'll probably need
Sugar Shawn.

 

[BNHL]

If we play Detroit, do we need Shawn Thornton? I'd be tempted to play 7 def. against them. Not playing a def. on the wing, just double shifting one of our top 3 rw's. Against Columbus we'll probably need
Sugar Shawn.

5-3-9 in fights since the Scott fight.

 

[member 96824]

If we play Detroit, do we need Shawn Thornton? I'd be tempted to play 7 def. against them. Not playing a def. on the wing, just double shifting one of our top 3 rw's. Against Columbus we'll probably need
Sugar Shawn.

It's playoffs...so the "need" for Shawn is a little overstated IMO.

I like the guy, but his play AND fighting ability have regressed this year...which just simply comes with age.

 

[TCL40]

It's playoffs...so the "need" for Shawn is a little overstated IMO.

I like the guy, but his play AND fighting ability have regressed this year...which just simply comes with age.

He is part of what makes Merlot tick IMO.

I think he can be replaced but not by a Dman-it needs to be somebody from Providence (because Caron just makes Merlot a shell of its former self) who can bring the energy.

I don't think they will sit Thornton-not even to play 7 Dmen.

I do think Thorntonnis about done as a player though-it's tough to last to your late thirties/forties as an enforcer.

 

[trenton1]

5-3-9 in fights since the Scott fight.

What was he in the 18 before?

 

[BNHL]

what was he in the 18 before?

10-2-6

 

[BMC]

How could any fan hate Loui after today's game? He could be the X factor in the playoffs.

They are either just trolling, still in love with a player from Dallas, or don't know a damn thing about hockey.

Or all of the above

 

[KnightofBoston]

Not Krug. But we cannot have a Bart-Krug or Meszaros-Krug pairing.

Chara - Hamilton
Boychuk-Mez/Bart
Miller - Krug

 

[member 96824]

Does a Boychuk-Bart/Mesz pair bother anyone else here?

I like Boychuk a ton, and his defensive IQ has grown tons over his career here...but he's not exactly a line anchor.

Probably a topic for a different thread though.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Does a Boychuk-Bart/Mesz pair bother anyone else here?

I like Boychuk a ton, and his defensive IQ has grown tons over his career here...but he's not exactly a line anchor.

Probably a topic for a different thread though.

I'm completely OK with Bart-Boychuk, but I am much higher on Bart than most. MB gives you a ton of mobility to go with JB's physical game.

 

[ODAAT]

I'm completely OK with Bart-Boychuk, but I am much higher on Bart than most. MB gives you a ton of mobility to go with JB's physical game.

Really impressed with Bart considering what he`s been asked to do, seems to take alot of hammering here, unnecessarily IMO. Does he make mistakes, yep, hardly the first younger D-man to do that who plays solid minutes, I`ll take Bart`s mistakes over the one`s a Captain in Toronto makes

 

[member 96824]

I'm completely OK with Bart-Boychuk, but I am much higher on Bart than most. MB gives you a ton of mobility to go with JB's physical game.

In that aspect absolutely, but neither are lock down match up defenders. Like I said, Boychuk has gotten much smarter, especially with his pinches.

If we meet a Pitt, I don't know how sold I am that those two can contain a Malkin-Neal line.

I guess either way, it's not like there is much for options at this point.

 

[ODAAT]

In that aspect absolutely, but neither are lock down match up defenders. Like I said, Boychuk has gotten much smarter, especially with his pinches.

If we meet a Pitt, I don't know how sold I am that those two can contain a Malkin-Neal line.

I guess either way, it's not like there is much for options at this point.

Bah, if Fleury continues his playoff dominance he`s shown in recent years, won`t matter one bit

 

[GloryDaze4877]

In that aspect absolutely, but neither are lock down match up defenders. Like I said, Boychuk has gotten much smarter, especially with his pinches.

If we meet a Pitt, I don't know how sold I am that those two can contain a Malkin-Neal line.

I guess either way, it's not like there is much for options at this point.

I guess you could go Z-JB as the "shutdown pair" in the Z-Sides mold? Not sure if I would trust Bart-Dougie yet? I think the B's are going to have to rely on a strong overall team defense in the absence of Seidenberg.

 

[member 96824]

I guess you could go Z-JB as the "shutdown pair" in the Z-Sides mold? Not sure if I would trust Bart-Dougie yet? I think the B's are going to have to rely on a strong overall team defense in the absence of Seidenberg.

Right, I mean it's tough because for the first time in as long as I can remember, we have more offensive style guys than shut down guys.

They used Chara-Miller for a stretch earlier this year, and I actually really liked that pairing. Sort of in the mold of Chara-Ward a bit back but Miller is much more mobile.

Z-whomever will match up against Crosby. You're right though, against Malkin...it'll just take an extreme team effort defenders and forwards.

Bah, if Fleury continues his playoff dominance he`s shown in recent years, won`t matter one bit

Touche, that makes it all moot


FWIW, I think Philly beats NYR and Pitt beats Detroit...and I don't see Pitt beating Philly....but just speaking from a top 2 seeds perspective.

 

[ODAAT]

Right, I mean it's tough because for the first time in as long as I can remember, we have more offensive style guys than shut down guys.

They used Chara-Miller for a stretch earlier this year, and I actually really liked that pairing. Sort of in the mold of Chara-Ward a bit back but Miller is much more mobile.

Z-whomever will match up against Crosby. You're right though, against Malkin...it'll just take an extreme team effort defenders and forwards.



Touche, that makes it all moot


FWIW, I think Philly beats NYR and Pitt beats Detroit...and I don't see Pitt beating Philly....but just speaking from a top 2 seeds perspective.

Not so sure Pitt can beat the Wings, who play an exceptionally disciplined game that will cause fits for Sid and the gang, can see Datsyuk and Zetterberg rendering Sid and Geno useless

 

[member 96824]

Not so sure Pitt can beat the Wings, who play an exceptionally disciplined game that will cause fits for Sid and the gang, can see Datsyuk and Zetterberg rendering Sid and Geno useless

They have before, will be a fun series to watch...I'm not sure if Zetterberg will be back in time for that series though, he hasn't started skating yet. Everything I've heard says at the earliest, maybe like a game 6 or 7 in the first round.

I'll be rooting for the Wings, gotta love the maine boys Howard and Nyquist doing a little Penguin hunting!

 

[13Hockey]

No iginla again at practice today

Miller out as well

 

[Bruinguy]

I went to the game - my first game in Boston and what a great time I had! What an experience it was finally being with my own kind!

I had the same experience last May when I traveled from Toronto (area) for game 2 of the Bruins - Leafs. Bruins lost that one but it was completely overshadowed for me that I was actually there! I can't wait to do it again!

 

[Sea Bass Neely]

I'm completely OK with Bart-Boychuk, but I am much higher on Bart than most. MB gives you a ton of mobility to go with JB's physical game.

I'm a Bart fan too... sure he makes mistakes but overall he's more than held his own. I think he brings more to the table than Mez but it's pretty close, nice to have that sort of depth.

In any case, Bart-Boychuk have played as a pair in A LOT of games mid-season and the pair worked pretty well more times than not. They played well together as a D-pair last night, and looked solid.

Bart made a few nice hits too, and as usual skated the puck out of the D-zone well. I don't understand why he gets so much hate. I understand Krug cannot be taken out for his offense (especially the PP unit), but he is far more of a defensive liability than Bart ever was.

Another thing worth noting... Bart has playoff experience, was put in a tough position as a rookie getting the big-time call, and he did not look lost, his composure (and Krug's) impressed me last playoffs.

It's going to be between Bart and Mez. The difference maker could be how Bart has been partnered with Boychuk for large portions of the season. There was a stretch where Bart was regularly getting over 20 minutes/game playing alongside JB55 and the Bruins were playing just fine. They've been consistently solid on D as a team all season, with and without Seidenberg (as important as Denny is).

Bart/Boychuk, i would imagine, have a familiarity with each other and a certain chemistry from playing hundreds of NHL minutes together over a period of many games. They were also a pair during many of the winning-streak games. That might be the difference as Clode sees it.

 

[Dellstrom]

I'm completely OK with Bart-Boychuk, but I am much higher on Bart than most. MB gives you a ton of mobility to go with JB's physical game.

I'm fine with Bart-Boychuk on paper, but on ice, they SUCK together. Maybe just bad luck recently. I'd go

Chara-Hamilton
Bartkowski-Boychuk
Krug-Miller
McQuaid
Meszaros

Meszaros is way too hot and cold for me. Makes an absolutely brilliant OFFENSIVE play, then completely blows it on D. We have Hamilton and Krug to be the offensive QBs on D, and Chara/Boychuk to a lesser extent. I just feel like Meszaros is a guy who's going to cost you a game(s), while Bartkowski is just having a bit of a rough stretch. He played phenomenal in the playoffs last year, and looked real good for the first half of the year.

 

[TCL40]

Really impressed with Bart considering what he`s been asked to do, seems to take alot of hammering here, unnecessarily IMO. Does he make mistakes, yep, hardly the first younger D-man to do that who plays solid minutes, I`ll take Bart`s mistakes over the one`s a Captain in Toronto makes

I think Bart is playing a few more minutes than he is ready for-ideally he would get sheltered minutes but those belong to Krug.

I don't mind Bart but he has a lot of brain farts. I think I like Bart better in the defensive end but Mez IMO is better at keeping the puck in the O zone and seems to have a better shot.

I think we may see both during the play offs.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

I guess I'm in the minority, but I'm just not seeing all these errors out of Bart that everyone is, or more accurately, I'm not seeing any more errors out of Bart than I do from any other d-man playing Top 4/20 min per game in the NHL.

I was not a high level player by any stretch, but I was a d-man for most of the time I played, so I tend to watch them in games more than the F's if I'm not trying to concentrate on anything specific. I think my perception of the D and their mistakes may differ from most in a couple of ways. Right off the top I will say that when a d-man or a goalie makes a mistake it is usually far easier to spot than when a F does, because the puck is in our zone and because the result is often a goal or at the least a good offensive chance. Next, I feel like people don't realize that if you concentrate on any Top 4 d-man in the NHL for the 20-25 minutes they are on the ice, you are going to see mistakes, even if the guy is an All-Star. From rookies, you are likely to see more.

If I have the chance I'm going to go back and watch a game on DVR and see if I can chart all the mistakes and see who comes out on top. In the last couple of weeks, just off the top of my head, if I had to guess, I would say that I have seen Chara make as much/more mistakes than any of the other d-men. Does that mean he's the worst, or just that he faces the toughest opponents more than anyone else?

To be continued...