GDT: Gm 79: Boston Bruins @ Minnesota Wild | 4/8/14 | 8P ET | NESN+ | 98.5 FM

[Vdub]

Chicago won the Presidents trophy, had home ice advantage, and lost to........

Chicago also had the best road record too, and they won game 6 in.....

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

So less ice team = healthier/fresher players, right?

So why even dress guys like Chara, Bergy, etc in the last 3 games?

I would say that some guys benefit from game days off. Some guys don't. Certainly sitting all of these guys for all of these games isn't an option.

 

[member 96824]

I think the Bruins are totally capable of winning 1 game in St.Louis and then we will come back and win both our games at home.I just don't think it would be a tremendous disadvantage to start on the road.

I don't think it's a tremendous disadvantage, but I'd personally rather have the advantage you know?

I mean...it's not guaranteed by any stretch of the word that we even see St. Louis...but that doesn't mean that I don't want home ice if we do. Having last change could have been the difference maker in that triple OT game last year...changing the make up of the entire series. Who knows? I just know if given the opportunity, I want home ice. The B's are in a good position to get it too which is great.

I'm still unaware of why I'm having to defend this position

 

[Hali33]

Home ice in the finals would be great but you have to make it there first.
Chances of making it there are much better when players are rested and healthy for the playoffs.
We still have what a 96% chance of finishing first? Without any super challenging games coming up. This team is in an excellent situation right now.
If the players are playing at 75% then that's just great. Put merlot out half the game and cut everyone else's minutes. No reason to have Chara play more than 20 for the rest of the regular season.
If the bad habits continue during the playoffs that's an issue but the fact that they played Krug as a forward tonight should tell you we weren't super concerned about playing our very best hockey tonight.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

Bruins are 3 points up with 3 games to play, all against non-playoff teams, they got home ice wrapped up people.

I don't want to hear it!!!

 

[13Hockey]

http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern.html

96% chance to have home ice breathe everyone

 

[bruinsfan46]

It's obviously not a crazy position to want home ice, it's still very likely the Bruins are gonna get it. Hamilton made a bad play bumping the guy into Rask, **** happens.

 

[patty59]

Kirk Luedeke ‏@kluedeke29 · 37m
5 seconds away from being in the final minute, but still- B's need to address giving up goals early & late- has been an issue this season

All the data I need!

No, I don't have numbers though, but it's happened quite a bit this season at the end of periods. Almost like they let up a bit at the end of the period.

I'm not too worried about it come playoff time, but it is something that's been weird for this team throughout the season.

That's hardly data

They're the best team in the league. The only thing they need to address is health. How can you even take THIS game seriously? Iginla and Krejci out and Krug was playing F and they still should have won if they called goalie interference.

Come playoff time, Caron isn't on the ice in the final minute and Krejci and Iginla are in the lineup, that games ends 6-2.

 

[SaskBruin]

Because having healthy players is the #1 Most Important Factor in the playoffs.

Krejci, Iginla and Miller all could have played tonight. Chara could have played 30 minutes. For what? So they Bruins will have home ice for an opponent they MAY face in the SCF? Who, BTW, lost tonight?

Not to mention if we grind ourselves down to win something, that only comes into play for one certain opponent, that maybe we don't even make it there ourselves.

I'd rather take the chance of having a healthy lineup than win something that lots of times doesn't even come into play. How often does the top seed in each conference face off for the cup. Also, like I said, there is a ton of work to even make it there ourselves. People make it seem like it is a forgone conclusion that we will be there.

We have home ice throughout the east and that is a great advantage. Still 3 points up with 3 games to go for home ice overall. I like our chances.

Only thing that is concerning to me is the last minute of periods. I hope that doesn't bite us in the ***

 

[member 96824]

They blew one against the Penguins where Crosby tied it, I'm struggling to remember other ones but I haven't watched every game. The Bruins have the best winning percentage in the NHL leading after two periods. Buffalo tied a game late too, so that's three times they've blown leads in the final minute, any more?

Philly a couple weeks ago also off the top, they've done it a decent amount of times at the end of the 1st and 2nd too. Not saying I'm concerned about it come playoff time, cause that's a whole different game when it comes to effort, just a weird thing with this team.

 

[patty59]

Philly a couple weeks ago also off the top, they've done it a decent amount of times at the end of the 1st and 2nd too. Not saying I'm concerned about it come playoff time, cause that's a whole different game when it comes to effort, just a weird thing with this team.

If you looked around the league and got all the numbers I would bet it's not that weird at all.

The Bruins are +50 in the 3rd period.

 

[member 96824]

That's hardly data

They're the best team in the league. The only thing they need to address is health. How can you even take THIS game seriously? Iginla and Krejci out and Krug was playing F and they still should have won if they called goalie interference.

Come playoff time, Caron isn't on the ice in the final minute and Krejci and Iginla are in the lineup, that games ends 6-2.

haha I know, I was kidding...

I'm not taking this game seriously at all, just pointed it out as something interesting. It's been something the team has done this year a number of times to good teams and bad.

Now excuse me, I have to get back to defending why I think having 4 potential home SCF games instead of 3 is a good thing

 

[Artemis]

I don't think it's a tremendous disadvantage, but I'd personally rather have the advantage you know?

I mean...it's not guaranteed by any stretch of the word that we even see St. Louis...but that doesn't mean that I don't want home ice if we do. Having last change could have been the difference maker in that triple OT game last year...changing the make up of the entire series. Who knows? I just know if given the opportunity, I want home ice. The B's are in a good position to get it too which is great.

I'm still unaware of why I'm having to defend this position

Few if anyone would disagree with you. Home ice is always a good thing.

The problem is, do you play every starter maximum minutes, even if they're tired and/or limping, to secure it? Krejci was a healthy scratch. Iginla isn't hurt THAT bad. The Bruins would have had a much better chance tonight if they'd played. I'd rather see them rest. YMMV.

 

[bruinsfan46]

Philly a couple weeks ago also off the top, they've done it a decent amount of times at the end of the 1st and 2nd too. Not saying I'm concerned about it come playoff time, cause that's a whole different game when it comes to effort, just a weird thing with this team.

If you looked around the league and got all the numbers I would bet it's not that weird at all.

The Bruins are +50 in the 3rd period.

Bruins lead the league in regulation wins so they have more last minute leads than anybody, opposing teams pull the goalie giving them a man advantage so four leads all season doesn't seem to be too bad. Yes they've given up a lot of late period goals in the first and second period, it seems like an anomaly to me more than a problem but I could be wrong.

 

[patty59]

haha I know, I was kidding...

I'm not taking this game seriously at all, just pointed it out as something interesting. It's been something the team has done this year a number of times to good teams and bad.

Now excuse me, I have to get back to defending why I think having 4 potential home SCF games instead of 3 is a good thing

I haven't read all the posts, but are some people really against the president's trophy? WOW


Really though, the Bruins have it in the bag. Nothing to worry about.

 

[member 96824]

If you looked around the league and got all the numbers I would bet it's not that weird at all.

The Bruins are +50 in the 3rd period.

I'm talking 1st and 2nd too...but yeah, maybe it's a league wide thing...I just can't remember it standing out to me in past seasons, that's all.

If it was a point I really cared about, I'd go back and try to find all the situations, but it's really not.

 

[member 96824]

Few if anyone would disagree with you. Home ice is always a good thing.

The problem is, do you play every starter maximum minutes, even if they're tired and/or limping, to secure it? Krejci was a healthy scratch. Iginla isn't hurt THAT bad. The Bruins would have had a much better chance tonight if they'd played. I'd rather see them rest. YMMV.

Who suggested doing any of that though?

I'm just addressing the guy who said he would rather start on the road in St. Louis than at home and the other guy who has his 2011 DVD on repeat.

 

[mislysBB]

Tuukka, post game interview;

"Whatever, I felt that it was interference, and I'm not going to stop *****ing about it"

Geez Tuukka, quit being so cranky and let it go. Wasn't exactly interference, from what I saw.

 

[bruinmann77]

I agree rather have home ice and we should be able to beat Win and Buffalo

 

[patty59]

The Bruins are +24 in 1st periods, +9 in 2nd periods, +49 in 3rd periods and +1 in OT.

They've only given up 43 1st period goals all season

 

[patty59]

Tuukka, post game interview;

"Whatever, I felt that it was interference, and I'm not going to stop *****ing about it"

Geez Tuukka, quit being so cranky and let it go. Wasn't exactly interference, from what I saw.

Parise took him into the net. 100% that gets called in the 1st period.

 

[Bruinator]

Bruins lead the league in regulation wins so they have more last minute leads than anybody, opposing teams pull the goalie giving them a man advantage so four leads all season doesn't seem to be too bad. Yes they've given up a lot of late period goals in the first and second period, it seems like an anomaly to me more than a problem but I could be wrong.

They also lead the league in Empty net goals. Go figure.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

I don't think it's a tremendous disadvantage, but I'd personally rather have the advantage you know?

I mean...it's not guaranteed by any stretch of the word that we even see St. Louis...but that doesn't mean that I don't want home ice if we do. Having last change could have been the difference maker in that triple OT game last year...changing the make up of the entire series. Who knows? I just know if given the opportunity, I want home ice. The B's are in a good position to get it too which is great.

I'm still unaware of why I'm having to defend this position

Yes,you are correct.As others have mentioned ,I would prefer to see the Bruins rested as we enter the playoffs,instead of killing ourselves to win these remaining meaningless games.Home ice is an advantage and as you suggest it could have made a difference last year.This year,the Bruins are significantly improved and in my opinion totally capable of defeating St.Louis without home ice advantage.

 

[Artemis]

Tuukka, post game interview;

"Whatever, I felt that it was interference, and I'm not going to stop *****ing about it"

Geez Tuukka, quit being so cranky and let it go. Wasn't exactly interference, from what I saw.

Tuukka is an ornery guy. That's part of what makes him great.

 

[member 96824]

Yes,you are correct.As others have mentioned ,I would prefer to see the Bruins rested as we enter the playoffs,instead of killing ourselves to win these remaining meaningless games.Home ice is an advantage and as you suggest it could have made a difference last year.This year,the Bruins are significantly improved and in my opinion totally capable of defeating St.Louis without home ice advantage.

Agreed.