Pre-Game Talk: Series Discussion: Boston vs St Louis

[TheDizee]

Big congratulations to both teams for making it to the finals. Both are more than deserving to be here and earned their place by defeating some great teams. Should be a very good series. Backes vs his former team

Game 1 at Boston
Monday, May 27 at 7 p.m.
TD Garden
NBC, KMOX 1120 AM

Game 2 at Boston
Wednesday, May 29 at 7 p.m.
TD Garden
NBCSN, KMOX 1120 AM

Game 3 vs. Boston
Saturday, June 1 at 7 p.m.
Enterprise Center
NBCSN, KMOX 1120 AM

Game 4 vs. Boston
Monday, June 3 at 7 p.m.
Enterprise Center
NBC, KMOX 1120 AM

Game 5 at Boston *
Thursday, June 6 at 7 p.m.
TD Garden
NBC, KMOX 1120 AM

Game 6 vs. Boston *
Sunday, June 9 at 7 p.m.
Enterprise Center
NBC, KMOX 1120 AM

Game 7 at Boston *
Wednesday, June 12 at 7 p.m.
TD Garden
NBC, KMOX 1120 AM

Click to read more...

 

[Novacain]

Just. f***ing. Win.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

I can't believe we have 5 more days to go until puck drop.

I really do think this is a toss up series. Both teams are hot. Bruins have won 7 in a row. The Blues have won 3 in a row and looked unbelievable in Games 5 and 6.

The Bruins are the best team we will face in these playoffs. The Blues are the best team that Boston will face.

I don't think there is any way we win this series in less than 6 games. And I'm not sure we can win Game 7 in Boston. So I'll say Blues in 6! Let's Go!!!!!!!!!

 

[elkranio]

Well everyone's giving the cup to Boston.
But we've ground planes, celestial bodies and fish into paste. I believe we can make some good bear burgers.

 

[Em etah Eh]

What’s the latest on Dunn?

 

[MissouriMook]

I can't believe we have 5 more days to go until puck drop.

I really do think this is a toss up series. Both teams are hot. Bruins have won 7 in a row. The Blues have won 3 in a row and looked unbelievable in Games 5 and 6.

The Bruins are the best team we will face in these playoffs. The Blues are the best team that Boston will face.

I don't think there is any way we win this series in less than 6 games. And I'm not sure we can win Game 7 in Boston. So I'll say Blues in 6! Let's Go!!!!!!!!!

I think a lot will depend on whether or not we can get the Games 5-7 Blues to show up in Games 1-4. We've yet to get through 4 games in a series without being tied 2-2. This team has proven so many of us wrong over and over this season, but falling behind 3-1 to a team like Boston would seem pretty hopeless.

I think the Blues come out and steal Game 1 if for no other reason than the Bs will probably be a little rusty with their long layoff. Simply put, this team just needs to take this one game at a time, one period at a time, one shift at a time. I think most of these games are going to be of the 1-0 and 2-1 variety, so getting an early goal in Game 1 like we have so often in these playoffs would be huge. Get them on their heels early and do what we did so well to the Sharks, Stars and Jets late in those series - just don't let them get to their game.

 

[Beauterham]

Well everyone's giving the cup to Boston.
But we've ground planes, celestial bodies and fish into paste. I believe we can make some good bear burgers.

I don't mind being the underdog. A lot of non-Blues fans said we would lose to the Jets and the Sharks. We appear to thrive when the other team is the favorite. Can't wait for the series to start.

 

[TheDizee]

Blackhawks fan on this board said it best:

Blues play better when they are underdogs and they do not start a series at home.

 

[LGB51]

As I've already said, this is it. I can't see any team in 2019 beating this Blues team in a 7 game series. Let everone think we have no chance yet again, the way it's been in almost every series. Makes it better in the end bring on the Bruins.

 

[Stelmacki]

Oh....so this is real? We’re really going to the Finals?

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

What’s the latest on Dunn?

He’s day to day, officially. But there was mention (I think from Pang) the day after the injury that he was really not as close as that, amd that it was just an artifact of the playoffs to report it that way.

I don’t recall seeing him in the press box last night. I think that tells us he is not close. Maybe he’s done for the season.

Intellectually, if he had a broken jaw and some teeth, I’d expect him to be able to play in the Finals. If he has some facial bone fractures it could be more complicated and not safe even with a cage. You’d have to think there isn’t a hockey player alive who wouldn’t do any kind of contraption possible to be able to play in the SCF.

 

[67Blues]

Bruins think they can climb to the top and claim the Cup?

 

[Rarename91]

as far as i am concern f*** THE CAMPBELL AWARD I DONT CARE ABOUT THE WCF WIN AT ALL UNLESS WE WIN THE CUP.

 

[Default]

It was nice seeing Dunn on the bench during handshakes. I don't know what to think in regards to him playing or not. I saw that his lip was stitched so maybe he got hit in a different spot than what I thought originally.. idk.

This could very well be the hardest series yet, as it should. Starting on the road is always good. Plus getting that precious game 6 at home could potentially be very..very bittersweet.

I have us in 6.

 

[STL BLUES]

If Dunn had lip surgery it can take two - four weeks. That’s two weeks of tilting your head back to consume liquified food. And no straws because you could pull the stitches out. It’s dreadful! And even with solids you’re still restricted. Worst post op I’ve ever had.

 

[Celtic Note]

If Dunn had lip surgery it can take two - four weeks. That’s two weeks of tilting your head back to consume liquified food. And no straws because you could pull the stitches out. It’s dreadful! And even with solids you’re still restricted. Worst post op I’ve ever had.

My lip got stuck to a straw after that surgery once and pulled a stitch out. It sucked. And I wasn’t using a straw in a normal way. I was using it to drop liquified food in my mouth. Apparently the littlest thing can screw it up

 

[LGB51]

He’s day to day, officially. But there was mention (I think from Pang) the day after the injury that he was really not as close as that, amd that it was just an artifact of the playoffs to report it that way.

I don’t recall seeing him in the press box last night. I think that tells us he is not close. Maybe he’s done for the season.

Intellectually, if he had a broken jaw and some teeth, I’d expect him to be able to play in the Finals. If he has some facial bone fractures it could be more complicated and not safe even with a cage. You’d have to think there isn’t a hockey player alive who wouldn’t do any kind of contraption possible to be able to play in the SCF.

Concussion maybe?

 

[Meatball]

Beat Tuuka. Hit everything with a pulse. Stay out of the box.

"We goin' bear huntin' yall."

 

[WeWentBlues]

I bet we see Dunn at some point this series.

 

[LGB]

A couple reasons for optimism.

1. Tuukka Rask has been playing out of his mind for the Bruins during their playoff run, but will that continue?

Playoffs (GSAA = goals saved above average)

	SA	Sv%	GAA	GSAA
Rask	549	.942	1.84	6.93

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Regular Season

	SA	Sv%	GAA	GSAA
Rask	1245	.912	2.48	3.21

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Tuukka's GSAA during this playoff run is over double what it was during the regular season while facing less than half the shots. Both of his Sv% and GAA have improved significantly as well. Now the Bruins have an 11 day break between games, will Tuukka come back at the same level? I would bet we see some regression.

2. We have been a different team since Sammy Blais was put into the line up.

Game 1 vs. Winnipeg through Game 5 vs. Dallas

	W-L	CF%	FF%	GF%	xGF%
STL	6-5	51.15	50.75	50.00	47.63

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Game 6 vs. Dallas through Game 6 vs. San Jose

	W-L	CF%	FF%	GF%	xGF%
STL	6-2	50.46	52.20	66.67	52.16

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Since inserting Blais and moving Sundqvist down to the 4th line we have been able to roll four lines that all control greater than 50% of the xG share. Our CF% actually went down slightly, but that makes sense considering we played the Sharks who were #1 in the NHL by CF% during the regular season. Blais also brought more physicality to our team as we went from 25.5 hits/60 to 32.3.


A reason for concern.

The Bruins special teams have been dominant during their playoff run while ours have been average at best.

Playoffs

	PP%	PK%
Bruins	34.0	86.3
Blues	19.4	78.0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

The Bruins PP was also the 3rd best in the NHL during the regular season at 25.9%, though every team we've faced has had a good PP (Winnipeg 4th, Dallas 11th, San Jose 6th). Our PK really needs to step up if we are going to win this series because I cannot see us winning if we let Boston continue to convert at such a ridiculous rate. Boston's PK was average (16th) during the regular season.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

I still like our chances. How could you not at this point? However, while I still think we run a little deeper, and our bottom 6 is flat out dangerous, I do not anticipate that we will be able to grind Boston down the way we did to the last 3 opponents as we got deep into the series. I expect this will be very tight and competitive end to end.

 

[Burynai]

A couple reasons for optimism.

1. Tuukka Rask has been playing out of his mind for the Bruins during their playoff run, but will that continue?

Playoffs (GSAA = goals saved above average)

	SA	Sv%	GAA	GSAA
Rask	549	.942	1.84	6.93

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Regular Season

	SA	Sv%	GAA	GSAA
Rask	1245	.912	2.48	3.21

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Tuukka's GSAA during this playoff run is over double what it was during the regular season while facing less than half the shots. Both of his Sv% and GAA have improved significantly as well. Now the Bruins have an 11 day break between games, will Tuukka come back at the same level? I would bet we see some regression.

2. We have been a different team since Sammy Blais was put into the line up.

Game 1 vs. Winnipeg through Game 5 vs. Dallas

	W-L	CF%	FF%	GF%	xGF%
STL	6-5	51.15	50.75	50.00	47.63

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Game 6 vs. Dallas through Game 6 vs. San Jose

	W-L	CF%	FF%	GF%	xGF%
STL	6-2	50.46	52.20	66.67	52.16

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Since inserting Blais and moving Sundqvist down to the 4th line we have been able to roll four lines that all control greater than 50% of the xG share. Our CF% actually went down slightly, but that makes sense considering we played the Sharks who were #1 in the NHL by CF% during the regular season. Blais also brought more physicality to our team as we went from 25.5 hits/60 to 32.3.


A reason for concern.

The Bruins special teams have been dominant during their playoff run while ours has been average at best.

Playoffs

	PP%	PK%
Bruins	34.0	86.3
Blues	19.4	78.0

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

The Bruins PP was also the 3rd best in the NHL during the regular season at 25.9%, though every team we've faced has had a good PP (Winnipeg 4th, Dallas 11th, San Jose 6th). Our PK really needs to step up if we are going to win this series because I cannot see us winning if we let Boston continue to convert at such a ridiculous rate. Boston's PK was average (16th) during the regular season.

Great post, thanks!.......Completely agree on the last part. This might come down to special teams in the end.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I do think the long lay-off is going to mess with Boston's momentum.

 

[mk80]

This is going to be a tough series. Credit to the Bruins they are no laughing stock, and have firepower on offense, solid defense, and Tukka Rask has been lights out these playoffs! It's interesting because Binnington was with Providence in the AHL, the Bruins are going to have probably the best scouting report on him. That all said I think we can take them! My prediction is Blues in 6 but again I wouldn't be surprised if this goes a full 7.

 

[67Blues]

Anything can happen now. Just getting there is the battle.