Two man advantage

[Eddie Jurak]

There isn't a whole lot that Claude can be criticized for these days, but one thing is the Bruins approach to 5 on 3 situations.  
 
A big reason why they have a legitimate power play this year is the play of Krug and Hamilton at the point.  First of  all, they can both shoot and score from the point.  More importantly, they both move, with and without the puck, which opens up passing and shooting lanes.  It's not all Krug and Hamilton - Chara playing up front has also worked out very well, as have Iginla, Soderberg, and Smith - but they are a big part of the different from past years.
 
So what happens when they go up 5-on-3?  They roll out the 2010-2011 power play.  Krug and Hamilton on the bench, Chara blasting away wildly from the point, and as little motion as they can possibly get away with.  
 
It's god-awful. 

 

[DJnVa]

I don't know---I missed the 3rd period, but on the 5 on 3 in the first they seemed to be trying to slide a pass across the crease. They were parked down low trying to slide the puck through traffic.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

I don't know---I missed the 3rd period, but on the 5 on 3 in the first they seemed to be trying to slide a pass across the crease. They were parked down low trying to slide the puck through traffic.

Sure. We know that, Montreal PKers know that. It's an awful reason for keeping your best PP point man on the bench.

 

[tonyandpals]

Sure. We know that, Montreal PKers know that. It's an awful reason for keeping your best PP point man on the bench.

 
Exactly. They need guys on the point who can move laterally and even cycle a bit up top.  Change direction, overload one of the walls to create some openings.  Shots from 40' are not going to cut it.

 

[Red Right Ankle]

Yeah you don't get that cross crease pass often unless you get the PK to slide up out of respect for point movement.