Pre-Game Talk: Round 1: Bruins vs. Red Wings

[Kaoz*]

I think Howard is a good (not great) goalie, but when has he really been "lights out" in the playoffs? He's never made it out of the 2nd round to my knowledge, and while I haven't seen every game he's played, I seem to recall him not performing at all well in the 11-12 post season.

If the B's have anything to fear of Detroit this series it's their speed up front and their team discipline IMO. Howard shouldn't be taken lightly but he's a few pegs down the list for me when it comes to why I'm nervous about the matchup.

Whether or not a team makes it out of the 2nd round is dependent on more then just their goalies performance. A goalie can have a great playoffs and the team can still lose.

Last year for instance. Howard was very good and was a huge reason the Wings took the eventual SC champions to OT in a 7th game. Hard to really say "well he wasn't good cause he lost to Chicago in 7 in the 2nd round" when the same team put Rask and the Bruins out in 6... no?

2011-2012 was a bad playoff year for him. Really the only one. He also had quite the time with groin injuries that year and Nashville did a great job exploiting it making him work side to side a **** ton.

 

[BoyntBergie]

Whether or not a team makes it out of the 2nd round is dependent on more then just their goalies performance. A goalie can have a great playoffs and the team can still lose.

Last year for instance. Howard was very good and was a huge reason the Wings took the eventual SC champions to OT in a 7th game. Hard to really say "well he wasn't good cause he lost to Chicago in 7 in the 2nd round" when the same team put Rask and the Bruins out in 6... no?

2011-2012 was a bad playoff year for him. Really the only one. He also had quite the time with groin injuries that year and Nashville did a great job exploiting it making him work side to side a **** ton.

Yes, I'm aware there's more to a team getting out of the 2nd than their goalie. A goalie who's been "lights out" in the playoffs over the course of their career is one who's managed to carry their team on their back to at least the conference finals and not had one bad post-season one of their 4 trips there. In my book at least.

Like I said, I think he's a good goalie, probably top 10 in the league, and who knows, maybe he steals the series. IMO you're pumping his postseason performance to date a bit much though.

 

[Kaoz*]

Yes, I'm aware there's more to a team getting out of the 2nd than their goalie. A goalie who's been "lights out" in the playoffs over the course of their career is one who's managed to carry their team on their back to at least the conference finals and not had one bad post-season one of their 4 trips there. In my book at least.

Like I said, I think he's a good goalie, probably top 10 in the league, and who knows, maybe he steals the series. IMO you're pumping his postseason performance to date a bit much though.

We have a different interpretation of "great". I consider a guy who is top 10 in the league great. Good is 10-20.

We'll just have to disagree on the rest. Lundqvist is a great goalie in my opinion... the fact that the Rangers have only made it to the ECF once in his 7 years there doesn't really change that for me. Rinne is another.

On the flip side, Marc Andre Fleury can make the ECF every single year and I still think he's *****.

Safe to say, we both agree he isn't a bum.

 

[BoyntBergie]

.On the flip side, Marc Andre Fleury can make the ECF every single year and I still think he's *****.

And another point where we're most certainly on the same page.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

I come with great news Bruins fans! Listening to Canadian radio today, things I just learned:

1) Datsyuk is 100% guaranteed to have offseason surgery

2) He's apparently not even remotely close to even 80% they say. The coaching staff figure he's such a smart player that he can think the game better than whoever would replace him. But in a long series, with potentially some long OT games, I think he's going to really suffer. And obviously Claude knows to work this guys body over and over until he's got nothing left.

I think as long as Howard doesn't go rain-man on us, we'll be fine.

 

[cat400]

Looking forward to Iginla having a huge Stanley Cup Play-offs as he continues his fine play as a Boston Bruin and his quest for the elusive Cup.

Some of the media are already playing up the Ray Bourque angle (capturing the Cup in his 2nd attempt after being traded by his long time team). No reason why we can't enjoy a reverse Bourque script with Jarome.

If Rask is at the top of his game, the Red Wings should present no problem.

 

[Kelly23]

I don't think any of our right handed Dmen can play left side.

He played on the left with Kaberle (McQuaid)

 

[5Minutes4Fighting]

I understand respecting your opponent....but the media and many fans seem to FEAR the Wings. Why? Because they're faster than the B's? Because they won the season series?

They should fear the Bruins.

The Bruins are better in every major statistical category.
The B's top 2 lines are arguably better than Det's #1 line.
The B's forwards as a whole are better than Det's.
The B's defense corps is better than Det's.
Tuukka is better than Howard.

They go out and play their game...they win. Don't try to be something you're not. Do what got you there. Don't give them a chance to win by going away from your strengths.

 

[RedeyeRocketeer]

If someone told you you could face Detroit:

-minus Zetterberg
-minus their second best D
-and with a gimpy Datsyuk

Would you not instantly take that? I instantly take that.

 

[Kaoz*]

If someone told you you could face Detroit:

-minus Zetterberg
-minus their second best D
-and with a gimpy Datsyuk

Would you not instantly take that? I instantly take that.

Would have preferred Columbus honestly. Or Philly. Someone the Bruins can engage and get a response from. Tampa would have been fun too simply because they have no D or goaltending.

Detroit will be a great series to watch from a fan perspective, but there were better matchups for the Bruins to have.

That said, the Bruins should easily win this series. They have a tendency to make things harder then they have to be in the postseason though.

 

[Trap Jesus]

When was the last time we were this favored to win the Cup? Everyone seems to be saying Bruins this year.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Would have preferred Columbus honestly. Or Philly. Someone the Bruins can engage and get a response from. Tampa would have been fun too simply because they have no D or goaltending.

Detroit will be a great series to watch from a fan perspective, but there were better matchups for the Bruins to have.

That said, the Bruins should easily win this series. They have a tendency to make things harder then they have to be in the postseason though.

Agree with all this. Philadelphia/Columbus is a much better match-up, and Tampa just isn't a very good team IMO, especially not against Boston. I'd throw the Rangers in there too.

 

[Kaoz*]

When was the last time we were this favored to win the Cup? Everyone seems to be saying Bruins this year.

08-09 a lot were saying Boston.

 

[Trap Jesus]

08-09 a lot were saying Boston.

I don't remember it being like this though. In 08/09 we were getting lumped into that category of teams that saw a sudden rise to success but were too inexperienced. We almost seem to be a unanimous pick to come out of the East and then it seems like most people are picking us for the Cup too.

 

[13Hockey]

08-09 a lot were saying Boston.

That team was much weaker on D

Chara
Wideman
Montador
Hindy
Ward
Stuart

Ference was hurt

and hunwick was the 7th man

 

[Kaoz*]

I don't remember it being like this though. In 08/09 we were getting lumped into that category of teams that saw a sudden rise to success but were too inexperienced. We almost seem to be a unanimous pick to come out of the East and then it seems like most people are picking us for the Cup too.

With a SC win and another finals appearance in just the last three years they'd be crazy not to pick the Bruins though, especially when you consider the Presidents trophy regular season they just had.

The Bruins have never had this much success as long as I've been alive so I've never seen anything exactly like it. 08-09 is the last real time I can remember any large number of people outside the Bruins fanbase collectively picking the B's as a serious threat to win it all.

That team was much weaker on D

Chara
Wideman
Montador
Hindy
Ward
Stuart

Ference was hurt

and hunwick was the 7th man

And as Trap Jesus said, far more inexperienced. Hard to believe the Bruins had the year they did with that squad on the backend. Ward and Stuart were pretty steady though and Wideman had an incredible year. Doesn't even nearly compare to this year, though I'd feel a lot better if we had Seids back.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Yeah, I understand why people are picking us, but I'm not sure I expected it to be this much. I wasn't around for the late 80s early 90s teams. What was the hype like for us back then going into the playoffs with the Oilers/Penguins juggernauts lurking around?

 

[Boston BROin]

Yeah, I understand why people are picking us, but I'm not sure I expected it to be this much. I wasn't around for the late 80s early 90s teams. What was the hype like for us back then going into the playoffs with the Oilers/Penguins juggernauts lurking around?

I know it doesn't change the odds at all, but I hate that people are picking the Bruins to win the cup so heavily. I can just see it now, 'Huge upset! Bruins are out, Cup is up for grabs!'

I also don't want to see entertaining hockey when the Bruins play. I want boring games where the Bruins go up early and suffocate the opponent. I don't care about being entertained, I want the Bruins to win.

I just hope the Bruins pound the Wings as much as possible. Hit their kids. Make them scared. As much as I like Datsyuk, hit him early and often. He's not 100%. Don't make it dirty, but let him know you're there every time he touches the puck. The more he's looking over his shoulder, the less he's using his all world vision and puck handling.

I'm nervous.

 

[Ladyfan]

...

I don't know if anybody has noticed or if anyone really cares

But I've been really quiet about our chances this year.

Thing I'm running into, is that I don't see a rational reason that the Bruins shouldn't win it all this year. There isn't a stat that I can use to back it up. There isn't a hole on the roster as it stands (no, Caron doesn't count).

But I'm not feeling it. Which could mean one of two things:

1) There's going to be a problem with how the team plays or how another team plays us that's going to prevent the B's from winning.

2) They really are that good. And they will steamroll their way to victory.

The only thing that I have considered that could be problematic, is that Bruins are going into the post-season as THE favorite to win. And I think they've played their best when it was seemingly iffy at best almost each and every series.

I think they have to go into Game 1 against Detroit with the "us against the world" feeling. This is unfamiliar territory for them and I don't know how they will react... But it can't be like it was against Toronto last year, or they will be very disappointed very quickly.

Well at least you don't feel as bad as you did in 2011 wen the B's were down 2 to the Habs in the first round...

"This team stands no chance in this series. They are DONE. Done. Toast. Screwed.

Not a chance. Not a prayer. Not a hope in God's Green Hell.

The most we can hope for, is that we don't get booted from this year's playoffs in four games. Even that seems pie-in-the-sky as things stand today"

When the B's get past Detroit I will feel better.

 

[Kaoz*]

Yeah, I understand why people are picking us, but I'm not sure I expected it to be this much. I wasn't around for the late 80s early 90s teams. What was the hype like for us back then going into the playoffs with the Oilers/Penguins juggernauts lurking around?

There were the Oilers/Penguins juggernauts so there wasn't much room for anything else. Being from Canada I was constantly bombarded with pro Canadian NHL team information (though I was lucky enough to get WSBK when they finally offered it with the movie channels up here, which gave us far more Bruins coverage thank god). TSN was a fledgling channel mid to late 80's and you never really had the coverage that you started to get in the 90's. Everything was a lot more regional.

Now you have analysts analyzing analysts and covering all 30 teams as well as a whole world full of sources right at your fingertips. Far far more connected.

All a long way of saying "****ed if I know man, I was like 5, had country cable in Canada for the first decade of my life, and when I started following hockey I do so through the sports section in the news paper and the Bruins games CBC aired."

Dave Poulin was a boss in NHL 94 though.

 

[Ladyfan]

Everything is making me nervous - this waiting is hard to handle.

Is there a flu bug, is Bergy injured, is Paille concussed, etc.... I don't know what to believe. Some comments are chipping away my confidence while we wait. I don't like the Bruins being picked as the favourites either, the underdog role is so much better.

Friday can't come soon enough.

I am nervous too and can't wait for the puck to drop. I do believe the extra days will benefit the injured players though.

 

[Artemis]

Well at least you don't feel as bad as you did in 2011 wen the B's were down 2 to the Habs in the first round...

"This team stands no chance in this series. They are DONE. Done. Toast. Screwed.

Not a chance. Not a prayer. Not a hope in God's Green Hell.

The most we can hope for, is that we don't get booted from this year's playoffs in four games. Even that seems pie-in-the-sky as things stand today"

When the B's get past Detroit I will feel better.

Bazinga.

 

[Boston BROin]

Well at least you don't feel as bad as you did in 2011 wen the B's were down 2 to the Habs in the first round...

"This team stands no chance in this series. They are DONE. Done. Toast. Screwed.

Not a chance. Not a prayer. Not a hope in God's Green Hell.

The most we can hope for, is that we don't get booted from this year's playoffs in four games. Even that seems pie-in-the-sky as things stand today"

When the B's get past Detroit I will feel better.

HAHAHA, that's hilarious.

To be fair though, how many of us here didn't feel that way after the first two games? Hell, I also thought we were done in the finals. I told my buddy, 'I can't believe the Bruins are just going to roll over and die like this.'

If the Bruins lose tomorrow, you can bet on more chicken little around these parts. I might be a part of it.

 

[acr*]

When was the last time we were this favored to win the Cup? Everyone seems to be saying Bruins this year.

Probably 1974.

 

[Ladyfan]

HAHAHA, that's hilarious.

To be fair though, how many of us here didn't feel that way after the first two games? Hell, I also thought we were done in the finals. I told my buddy, 'I can't believe the Bruins are just going to roll over and die like this.'

If the Bruins lose tomorrow, you can bet on more chicken little around these parts. I might be a part of it.

MMB is a great fan and when he posted this most of us felt that same way...once the B's won game 3 things changed.

This makes me laugh still "...Not a hope in God's Green Hell" I actually think Scott brought the B's luck.