4/15 -- Boston @ Washington

Ferm Sheller

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Mar 5, 2007
20,973
The Bs face a desperate Washington team on the road tonight at 7:00 pm. Another playoff-style game.
 

Doug Beerabelli

Killer Threads
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Going to game tonight. My daughter lives in DC, and we happen to be visiting as part of vacation in middle south. We’ were going to go back to CT today, but she mentioned Bruins we’re in town, and last home game for Caps. So we extended trip a day.

Let me know if anyone wants a souvenir Caps poster they are giving away tonight.
 

Cotillion

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Jun 11, 2019
5,129
Wonder if we will say the Capitols sunbeam tonight or maybe they finally bought a curtain for the window
 

cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
36,254
306, row 14
Heinen - Zacha - Pastrnak
Marchand - Coyle - DeBrusk
Lauko - Geekie - Frederic
Maroon - Boqvist - Beecher

Lindholm - McAvoy
Wotherspoon - Carlo
Shattenkirk - Peeke

Swayman

Monty shaking up the PP units:

PP1: Shattenkirk, Pastrnak, Heinen, Zacha, Maroon
PP2: McAvoy, Marchand, Geekie, Coyle, DeBrusk
 

barclay

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Jan 27, 2006
1,390
Hey Lauko -- next time you have an open shot at the goalie from 8 ft out -- try shooting it anywhere but right AT the goalie. Thanks.
 
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NJ_Sox_Fan

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Jan 2, 2006
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NJ
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a good team get less shots on goal more often than this years Bruins team
 

cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
36,254
306, row 14
25.2% xGF 5v5 for the game, buoyed by a 95% third. Sometimes, you get what you earn.
The problem was even though they controlled they only generated 0.40 xGF in the period. It wasn't like they were amassing chance after chance. It was cycle...cycle...turnover, Capitals icing...cycle...cycle...etc.

They can't figure out the Capitals. 3 games, xGF of 1.03. 1.80. 0.90 (about the lowest I've seen for any team in any game...maybe ever). Lindgren has 2 shutouts against the Bruins but in each faced only 18 and 16 shots on goal. He hasn't had to stand on his head.

Part of the low shot total is Monty's system. He doesn't want them shooting for the sake of shooting. He only wants shots if there's a 10% chance of the puck going in. It does seem to have some merit as this is now the 3rd year running that a Monty team has had a high shooting percentage, usually something that fluctuates wildly. The Bruins are currently 3rd in 5x5 shooting percentage. Last year they were second. 2 years ago when Monty was running the offense for the Blues, St. Louis led the league. The main difference between this year and last is they don't control the puck as much which leads to less chances and shots.

I also think they could find more balance between quality and quantity. We have gone between two extremes. Butch was very much a low-to-high float one in from the point and hope for tips, deflections, scrambles, etc. The Bruins would dominate the shotclock but often had one of the lowest shooting percentages in the leauge. Monty is more pass it until the net is open, then shoot it in. There can be a balance between the two. Like last night. They have 8 shots headed into the 3rd period. They had already played this team once where it was a struggle to put the puck on net. Why not just try to pepper the guy? It had been 8 period plus an OT of offensive futility against Washington, maybe chance the approach?