Time to assume the Bruins will play Tampa Bay in Round 1

[Fenway]

If the Bruins bank 4 points in their last 4 games they win the division and will meet WC1 which now appears to be Tampa Bay after they lost in regulation to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

It will be a tough series and all this broken-down old Bruins fan can do is sing along with Ringo

L5-4 OT


W7-3


L3-2 SO


L3-1

​

Click to read more...

 

[DKH]

If true I would not be surprised if Tampa favored

They didn’t have a healthy Vaz (off season back surgery) till well into season and picked up useful adds along the way

Bruins could use Maroon here against former team and big bodied skilled Brazeau

The fan boy in me picking Bruins

But if Shrunkin Donuts told me my iced coffee was free the rest of year just by picking the winner I’m going Bolts

Cooper > Monty
Toughness Tampa (Lucic killed the B’s)
Power Play - Tampa rolls out 4 first-ballot HOF
Best player: Kucherov over Pasta and Tampa has 2 of top 3 when you add in Point & Marchand & Stamkos a wash
Defense: Tampa > Boston
Watching Hedman yesterday get 3 points in must win Pittsburgh game he looked vintage Hedman. Other then McAvoy who will be target #1 Bruins fans don’t seem to think much of the rest
GOALIES: Vasilesky until proven otherwise is on another level in the playoffs

Bruins are resilient and can give them a series but in the end top G, best PP on planet, experience, star power, and coaching will be to much

My head says Tampa in 5 but overachieving Bruins get it to 6

Good news besides garbage posts I continue to under shoot them - 4 years in a row significantly (October I had them 7th seed at 98 points) and they look like maybe 115 - yowza

The get 112-115 points that’s an A grade but they are a spunky hard working B/B+ student at their core

Hopefully this post can join the 80 % of my shitty takes here

I’m up because my cat decided to be flying all over the house at 3 like a over sugared 5 year old (my dogs at 3 might want to go out the bathroom but cats play by the cats rule)

 

[smithformeragent]

Posted this in the standings thread, but just saw this thread.

Is it worth going balls to the wall to try and pass the Rangers and avoid Tampa?

 

[Fenway]

I’m up because my cat decided to be flying all over the house at 3 like a over sugared 5 year old (my dogs at 3 might want to go out the bathroom but cats play by the cats rule)

I am also up as my 2 cats are in the 73,673 overtime of the Stanley Cat Final.

The NHL is not the NBA - there are no easy series in Round 1 anymore. Tampa like the Bruins is still fuming about being knocked out in Round 1 last year which created another iconic moment in Maple Leaf Square.



I honestly think this team will make it to Round 3 and deal with either the Rangers or Carolina.

 

[smithformeragent]

I am also up as my 2 cats are in the 73,673 overtime of the Stanley Cat Final.

The NHL is not the NBA - there are no easy series in Round 1 anymore. Tampa like the Bruins is still fuming about being knocked out in Round 1 last year which created another iconic moment in Maple Leaf Square.



I honestly think this team will make it to Round 3 and deal with either the Rangers or Carolina.

 

[Fenway]

Posted this in the standings thread, but just saw this thread.

Is it worth going balls to the wall to try and pass the Rangers and avoid Tampa?

NYR has to play a desperate Islanders team twice and also Philly

The Bruins have to deal with a desperate Washington and Pittsburgh

The Bruins/Pens game next Saturday will be prime time on ABC.

I think we can all agree that right now the Bruins appear to be playoff ready.

 

[lopey]

I think we match up well but im scared shitless of Vasky

 

[smithformeragent]

NYR has to play a desperate Islanders team twice and also Philly

View attachment 847564

The Bruins have to deal with a desperate Washington and Pittsburgh

View attachment 847566

The Bruins/Pens game next Saturday will be prime time on ABC.

I think we can all agree that right now the Bruins appear to be playoff ready.

I’m very curious to see what the B’s bottom 6 forwards look like two weeks from yesterday.

Who sits for Maroon if he’s ready?

Love it or hate it, this playoff format is making for compelling viewing for the final WC spot in the East as well as the cat and mouse game happening for seeds 1 and 2 in the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, Carolina is sitting pretty in M2.

 

[pgm16]

If the Bruins bank 4 points in their last 4 games they win the division and will meet WC1 which now appears to be Tampa Bay after they lost in regulation to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

It will be a tough series and all this broken-down old Bruins fan can do is sing along with Ringo

L5-4 OT


W7-3


L3-2 SO


L3-1

​

Is that a combination of Bruins wins & Panthers losses...magic number 4 ?

 

[Fenian24]

Posted this in the standings thread, but just saw this thread.

Is it worth going balls to the wall to try and pass the Rangers and avoid Tampa?

Yes, don't care about Presidents trophy but give me the last wild card over Tampa anyday.

 

[DKH]

I’m very curious to see what the B’s bottom 6 forwards look like two weeks from yesterday.

Who sits for Maroon if he’s ready?

Love it or hate it, this playoff format is making for compelling viewing for the final WC spot in the East as well as the cat and mouse game happening for seeds 1 and 2 in the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, Carolina is sitting pretty in M2.

A Penguins - Carolina series would be ironic since the Penguins traded star winger and Crosby BFF to Carolina

 

[NDiesel]

Tampa is probably the team I'd least want to play...but bring it on if it's them. Maroon going to be pretty useful keeping them in check in a series against them

 

[Johnnyduke]

Who does Tampa have stashed away on IR this year

Give me 7 games of Jon Cooper

 

[Gee Wally]

Dont give 2 shits about Presidents trophy. I want to enter the playoffs healthy and a bit rested where possible.

 

[DKH]

Who does Tampa have stashed away on IR this year

Give me 7 games of Jon Cooper

Ha ha really

that irked me but of course if I was GM and could pull that off - hell yah

I want some entertainment and juice and watching TB blows away even Toronto and certainly the boring islanders and hard to figure Red Wings.

Tampa is fascinating and I respect them way more then every other team in the East

Dont give 2 shits about Presidents trophy. I want to enter the playoffs healthy and a bit rested where possible.

If this was a different time and Lucic didn’t F up and the Bruins had another tough guy like a Randy McKay or even Tanner Jeannot this would be the Lunch Pail Bruins 1976-1992 group

 

[Ladyfan]

This match up scares me.

I hope Maroon will be better than I think he will be. Some of you are expecting way too much. I wish we had Looch instead...sigh.

 

[xjoeyc23x]

If they're ready do you go with a big 4th line of Braz, Maroon and Beecher?
Or do you keep Boqvist in who's looked a lot better as of late?
Lauko???

Do we cycle out Grizz, Wotherspoon, and Lohrei to round out the left side after Hampus???
Ugh I hate and love this time of the year.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Kevin Bieksa: Canucks wanted Tampa Bay in 2011 Stanley Cup final

The former Vancouver Canucks defenceman admitted something that everyone else felt about the 2011 Stanley Cup final.

theprovince.com

 

[Jorah Marshmont]

I had nightmare last night that TO swept the Bruins in the playoffs.
So bring on Tampa

 

[Kegs]

If true I would not be surprised if Tampa favored

They didn’t have a healthy Vaz (off season back surgery) till well into season and picked up useful adds along the way

Bruins could use Maroon here against former team and big bodied skilled Brazeau

The fan boy in me picking Bruins

But if Shrunkin Donuts told me my iced coffee was free the rest of year just by picking the winner I’m going Bolts

Cooper > Monty
Toughness Tampa (Lucic killed the B’s)
Power Play - Tampa rolls out 4 first-ballot HOF
Best player: Kucherov over Pasta and Tampa has 2 of top 3 when you add in Point & Marchand & Stamkos a wash
Defense: Tampa > Boston
Watching Hedman yesterday get 3 points in must win Pittsburgh game he looked vintage Hedman. Other then McAvoy who will be target #1 Bruins fans don’t seem to think much of the rest
GOALIES: Vasilesky until proven otherwise is on another level in the playoffs

Bruins are resilient and can give them a series but in the end top G, best PP on planet, experience, star power, and coaching will be to much

My head says Tampa in 5 but overachieving Bruins get it to 6

Good news besides garbage posts I continue to under shoot them - 4 years in a row significantly (October I had them 7th seed at 98 points) and they look like maybe 115 - yowza

The get 112-115 points that’s an A grade but they are a spunky hard working B/B+ student at their core

Hopefully this post can join the 80 % of my shitty takes here

I’m up because my cat decided to be flying all over the house at 3 like a over sugared 5 year old (my dogs at 3 might want to go out the bathroom but cats play by the cats rule)

I like the bruins defence better. I also think Boston is tougher. Outside of Jeannot how tough are they really? They do have a lot of weapons I agree with that much.

Bruins have mcavoy, lindholm and Carlo. All three of these guys are amazing defensively. I’m not sure if sergachev will be back by the first round but outside of hedman I don’t like any of their defence more than Bostons. I’d take lindholm Carlo and mcavoy over sergachev. The defence depth isn’t any where near Bostons imo.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

I really do believe in the whole "if they really are that good, you're going to have to eventually play them anyways" adage.

If you can't conquer a tough opponent in the first round, the Cup rightfully is not yours to win. If I were in charge, I would be focused on a. staying healthy and b. working on defensive zone breakouts to counter a heavy forecheck. I don't feel any differently about the playoffs whichever team the Bruins face. They have the ability to beat and lose to any of them.

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

Bruins playing TB in round one proves how silly the current NHL playoff seeding is. TB isn’t a WC team as they will finish about 10 points higher than the Metro divisions 3rd team. Stupid. 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, etc is how it should be but that makes sense which the NHL lacks. Quite honestly it makes me wonder why teams go so hard to finish high only to be out in round one. There’s no benefit to finishing higher in the standings. Home ice today vs gone vs 40 years ago just aren’t the same IMO. We saw that LY. TB could easily win the east. They have better goaltending than FLA, NYR and the Canes. PP is incredible and as others have said they still sting at losing to TO in round one LY. That alone is a motivator for them and maybe they relish being a little lower in the standings.

Anywho, all that being said the Bruins have been given very little credit this year. The Canadian media thinks the Leafs and Oilers have a better shot at the Cup. No chance. Both of them will be out in round one. Just watch. They both have sketchy D and goaltending for long runs, no matter what the Sportsnet/TSN cheerleaders say. The Bruins might not beat TB, but I’ll say this based on how the year has gone: they won’t stop working and have played their best hockey over most of the last 3 weeks. Good timing heading into the playoffs. As DKH said: plucky. My attitude now is….never say never. Also we owe TB for the last few times they have taken us out……will be tough but anything can happen. I didn’t think they would make the playoffs at the start of the season and they will most likely be #2 in the east, maybe even #1. Amazing.

Let’s go Bruins!

(Thank you for allowing me to vent…..)

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

I had nightmare last night that TO swept the Bruins in the playoffs.
So bring on Tampa

That is a nightmare! Can you imagine a Dangle video after that??? He would film it from the ER after having his third heart attack….

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

Kevin Bieksa: Canucks wanted Tampa Bay in 2011 Stanley Cup final

The former Vancouver Canucks defenceman admitted something that everyone else felt about the 2011 Stanley Cup final.

theprovince.com

Thanks for posting this!

Holy cow are the Canucks media still whines about that series. They had a 2-0 lead heading to Boston and their goalie blew 4 games for them. As for Colin Campbell, he reclused himself in the finals and had no say in the calls at all. There are articles at the time you can still find that show this. What a joke they are. Well here’s a pic that will make them all feel better I’m sure…..

 

[Bread and Circuses]

I had nightmare last night that TO swept the Bruins in the playoffs.
So bring on Tampa

Ease up on the Melatonin supplements, too much will give you crazy dreams.