Game 7 - Bruins @ Carolina - Destroy the Civic (Center)

wiffleballhero

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 28, 2009
4,528
In the simulacrum
Actually only one the last 50 years but yes, unbelievable, with all the great players and talented teams during those spans
And yet for 40 of those years the Bruins have generally been a good, but not great team in a league where good is always good enough to play footsie in the spring. They are a tease, really.
 

McBride11

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
22,109
Durham, NC
Pssshhhh, wellll, PNC Arena is a nice joint, good beer / food options and easy to access. That was my takeaway from G2 and 7. Also the fans there were generally nice and cordial and chatty, but hockey knowledge was well, even my limited knowledge made me look like TSC, cshea, myt1 or the other legends in here.

The chippy stuff from Car seemed less in this game, but I also had a few more beers. But I am still not sure how Bs had ZERO PP until the very end where it was the automatic over the glass penalty.

Car fans were apoplectic when the wraparound in the 3rd was called a 'no goal' - guy I was next to, very nice, and I discussed and i was like well when the refs lose sight they blow it dead. Some yahoo behind us - BUT IT WAS CLEARLY IN. Uhhh none of the stadium views showed that - Sway had the post and covered it.

The, I think first period, when it was 0-0 Bs had a cross pass in front of net and Raanta made an AMAZING save sliding across, everyone thought it was in initially. I had a sinking feeling after that. The fucking DOMI scores 2 later, including one that seemed just a lucky deflection of Lindholm into his stick on the left side of teh net.

PS - pretty sure Bergy got time on that last PP, just they possession was shit.

So uh - go AVS!
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

critical thinker
SoSH Member
Dec 19, 2009
9,386
Wasn't the knock for the longest time that the Jacobs family didn't want to spend money? Like during the Harry Sinden era and for awhile after? I thought they didn't get serious about pumping money into the team until the new Garden was so christened. Isn't that why Bourque never won here and had to go to Colorado to get a Cup to bring back and show to the long-suffering fans?
 

Salem's Lot

Andy Moog! Andy God Damn Moog!
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Jul 15, 2005
14,461
Gallows Hill
Wasn't the knock for the longest time that the Jacobs family didn't want to spend money? Like during the Harry Sinden era and for awhile after? I thought they didn't get serious about pumping money into the team until the new Garden was so christened. Isn't that why Bourque never won here and had to go to Colorado to get a Cup to bring back and show to the long-suffering fans?
They’ve spent to the cap every year since it was instituted. Spending money isn’t a problem.
 

jaytftwofive

New Member
Jan 20, 2013
1,182
Drexel Hill Pa.
And yet for 40 of those years the Bruins have generally been a good, but not great team in a league where good is always good enough to play footsie in the spring. They are a tease, really.
I agree. As much as I love them they have underachieved more then any Boston team in my lifetime. I'm 64. The Red Sox may have broken our hearts more but they would overachieve then collapse, pre 2004. I believe they(The B's) have disappointed us the most. 71, 74, 79(76-79 the Habs were kings of the NHL so not winning it all then was understandable)82 to Quebec Ughh. 83, 84, 90, 91, 93, 09, 2012, 2014, On and on. 2013 the Blackhawks were a little better. I'm not saying they should have won the Cup all those years but certainly advanced further. And years they should have won or possibly won it all were 71, 74, 79, 90, 91(They had the Pens 2 to zip) 2009, 2014 best record in the league I think. Ok 83 I'll stand corrected since the Islanders were still in their dynasty run and were still a better team then the Bruins even though the B's had the best record in the league that year.
 
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Smiling Joe Hesketh

Throw Momma From the Train
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May 20, 2003
35,719
Deep inside Muppet Labs
Even when they’re good they disappoint, no team has lost more Stanley Cup Finals.

This year is more of the same. If Bergeron retires he’ll have one ring which is nice but it still feels like they’ve wasted his career.
 

ArmyBoSoxFan

New Member
Jul 17, 2005
89
Irvine, CA
Such a weird game. Didn’t really feel like a game 7. I can’t tell if that is the ESPN production or the lack of energy by the team until the last 2 minutes.
 

lexrageorge

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Jul 31, 2007
18,095
Don’t quite get the Cassidy hate. Neely and Sweeney badly blew the DeBrusk draft and still waste money every year overpaying for bottom 6 forwards and lower tier defensemen. Carolina had the better roster hands down, and it wasn’t particularly close. But Jacobs will never sell, so we’re stuck with mediocrity from the front office.
 

Humphrey

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Aug 3, 2010
3,163
Such a weird game. Didn’t really feel like a game 7. I can’t tell if that is the ESPN production or the lack of energy by the team until the last 2 minutes.
Something about that arena or the Canes' style of play (or both) seemed to suck the life out of the Bruins.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
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Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
Don’t quite get the Cassidy hate. Neely and Sweeney badly blew the DeBrusk draft and still waste money every year overpaying for bottom 6 forwards and lower tier defensemen. Carolina had the better roster hands down, and it wasn’t particularly close. But Jacobs will never sell, so we’re stuck with mediocrity from the front office.
I’ll try to thread this needle.
Cassidy’s teams have been very organized, and as this series shows, when he can work the matchups, he can make some chicken salad out of chicken shit (those that really don't like Cassidy will say that the Perfection Line can cover a lot of issues, which, is kinda fair).

However, his teams also don’t create much offence in a league that increasingly stresses fluid offence, and DeBrusk is hardly the first young talent to take up residence in Cassidy’s doghouse. And while he can exploit matchups, his system is very rigid, to the point that he'll jam square pegs in round holes (refusing to play defencemen on their off-side, same for wingers). He's also pretty muted in his criticisms of officials in the face of some statistically-validated lack of penalty calls, and his communication and coaching styles have left a few people on the team frustrated (not just kids, but Krejci felt frustrated that they finally moved Pastrnak off the top line only after he'd left).

The big thing now, though, is if Sweeney is gone, the new GM should have the run of the ship, which means he shouldn't be saddled with the last GM's coach.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
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Jul 12, 2005
9,528
The Island
Is there evidence that this is even in the works, at all? I've read a couple speculative articles that carry exactly the same authority as this thread. But I've not seen anything with a source suggesting that this is even a discussion. I hope it is.
I haven’t seen it anywhere except here, and even then, most don’t believe it, myself included.

Colin could easily lead the third line and would be a tremendous add. Second line potential, too, depending on the top six mix.
No offence, but the guy’s a 29-year-old plug that’s played the fourth line on four teams in the last three years, including a first-year expansion team. In case you need more evidence, here’s his fantasy write-up post-Game 4 from ESPN:

Blackwell has done well on the road in the playoffs, earning a goal and an assist in the last two games. The 29-year-old finished the regular season with 20 points in 58 appearances between the Kraken and the Maple Leafs, playing mainly in a fourth-line role with the latter after the trade deadline. As such, he shouldn't be expected to produce much offense, and he could cycle out of the lineup for the likes of Kyle Clifford or Wayne Simmonds.
Dude’s closer to Nick Foligno than a middle-6 forward. I chose him as an example because he’s the double-whammy of a plug that had a couple decent games recently AND a local kid, something the Bruins (and the Habs too) have overweighted in their player evaluation.
 

RG33

Certain Class of Poster
SoSH Member
Nov 28, 2005
7,199
CA
I get that this loss sucked. It did. But, the Canes were the better team. Faster and deeper.

I think Cassidy is a great coach. I don’t want to see him go anywhere.

I’m pretty neutral on Neely / Sweeney. I get that others helped create this run, but it feels like people are dismissing 3 SCFs in the last 11 years — winning 1 and almost winning the other 2.

They need higher end talent for sure. They were unable to replace Krejci which was a huge loss. The FA spend on 3rd/4th liners needs to end. With that said, they have a great base with Marchand / McAvoy / Pasta / Lindholm / Swayman for the foreseeable future — with hopefully some of the Lohrei / Lysell / Beecher crew hitting.