4/2 Bruins @ Wings
- Thread starter cshea
- Start date
Whatever, game turned on a fluke. Might as well happen in the game that helps ensure the Wings aren't the first round opponent.
That was one hell of a run by the Bruins. 16 straight with a point, 15-0-1. One of the best streaks I've ever seen out of any Bruins team. March was supposed to be an impossible schedule, and they go out and damn near run the table. Amazing.
Meh, a tough two minute stretch in what was otherwise a defensive clinic.... they outplayed Detroit for most of the game and just had trouble finishing.
Besides, a regulation loss allows SoSH to rest up cshea for the playoff run.
Besides, a regulation loss allows SoSH to rest up cshea for the playoff run.
Well that sucked.
A couple of defensive lapses, missed opportunities, excellent goaltending by Howard and a huge fuckup by the officials.
Detroit was very fortunate tonight.
A couple of defensive lapses, missed opportunities, excellent goaltending by Howard and a huge fuckup by the officials.
Detroit was very fortunate tonight.
Bruins were dominant, didn't get some puck luck, and Detroit capitalized on a bad turnover before a change. Nothing Chara could do on Nyquist's goal: he was flat footed because of the change and just can't compete with that speed from someone already in stride. I though he had a really good game otherwise.
If get Lucic a rest sometime soon. He made a couple great plays, especially keeping the puck in the offensive zone (an area that has really stood out for him this year, IMHO), but looked a step slow both physically and in his passing decision-making. Too many times he saw the play a second after you could say to yourself, "There's a seam, oh, now its closing and if he passes it it's a turnover." And it was, repeatedly.
If get Lucic a rest sometime soon. He made a couple great plays, especially keeping the puck in the offensive zone (an area that has really stood out for him this year, IMHO), but looked a step slow both physically and in his passing decision-making. Too many times he saw the play a second after you could say to yourself, "There's a seam, oh, now its closing and if he passes it it's a turnover." And it was, repeatedly.
I certainly agree with getting him (and everyone) a game here or there.
But I wonder how much having a different winger on the other side led to that too. That line has been so good that they might be in each other's heads by now and possible that Loui is just a half step off of where Iginila would have been or a half a second slow to react to something and...
Honestly that's the only thing that bothers me a little bit about getting people rest is you shake up the lines when you do it. If you rest IGgy put the replacement in his spot, don't move around from other lines too. I'm probably weird about that and overstating it though.
But I wonder how much having a different winger on the other side led to that too. That line has been so good that they might be in each other's heads by now and possible that Loui is just a half step off of where Iginila would have been or a half a second slow to react to something and...
Honestly that's the only thing that bothers me a little bit about getting people rest is you shake up the lines when you do it. If you rest IGgy put the replacement in his spot, don't move around from other lines too. I'm probably weird about that and overstating it though.
I think that latter point is right, Nap, especially on a team as deep as this one. The 1b and third lines are good enough as units and get substantial playing time to the point where I think the marginal benefit of playing the next best guy on the top line is exceeded by the detriment of shaking another line up.
The Luc stuff that I'm thinking about wasn't really linemate comfort I think. A lot of it was cross ice stuff, not always to Loui, that seemed almost like he was getting baited like a cornerback does to a QB he has a good read on.
Ed's wink and nod at the prior amnesty discussion gives me a mini-soap box for this, but I really think Lucic's entire game really matured this season. He seems to be far more comfortable working at the top of the offensive zone with the puck, something that seems to require a different mental appreciation of the game and the system than he's shown in the past.
The Luc stuff that I'm thinking about wasn't really linemate comfort I think. A lot of it was cross ice stuff, not always to Loui, that seemed almost like he was getting baited like a cornerback does to a QB he has a good read on.
Ed's wink and nod at the prior amnesty discussion gives me a mini-soap box for this, but I really think Lucic's entire game really matured this season. He seems to be far more comfortable working at the top of the offensive zone with the puck, something that seems to require a different mental appreciation of the game and the system than he's shown in the past.
Myt1 said:
I can't prove this necessarily, but I suspect that a lot of that has to do with Iginla - both in the locker room and on the ice.
Myt1 said:
Could be just a bad night. I think I pointed out during the game (or maybe just said it out loud) that he was having a rough night (as far as we know). But like any good scientist I was trying to massage the data to make sure it fit my thesis. Which means it was because of the line juggling.
NYCSox said:
He's also been (knocks on wood, throws salt over shoulder, spits over other shoulder) completely healthy for the first time in I don't know how long. And seems to have gotten the point that while it's okay to fight now and then you're much more valuable to us kicking ass on the ice than icing your hands in the box.
But just 2 points in his last 8 games. So give that horse a rest, eh Claude?
Playing with a future HoFer power winger no doubt helps. It is interesting, though, that Lucic started gangbusters even while Iginla was scuffling a bit.NYCSox said:
Boychuk is on T&R right now and they started to ask him about the Krug penalty. They got as far as "last night Torey Krug..." and he was already laughing about it but then quickly said you can't really complain about it because they're not going to change their mind.
Myt1 said:
Actually I was thinking as more of an influence - "this is how a big time power forward is supposed to play" - rather than Iginla's productivity, though that doesn't hurt either.