10/10 @ Colorado

cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
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306, row 14
Who will Nazem Kadri run tonight?

Colorado has given the Bruins fits in recent years. No matter, let’s finish the trip off in style.

Nordstrom could be back for this one. We’ll see what Butch decides to do later, but I suspect Ritchie comes out and Backes goes to the 3rd line of Nordstrom is indeed a go.
 

Red Right Ankle

Formerly the Story of Your Red Right Ankle
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Jul 2, 2006
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Ritchie has been decent from what I have seen. Not sure if he's better than Backes at this point, but would like to see if he is. We pretty much know what we have in Backes at this point.
 

cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
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306, row 14
I think Backes has been better.

Backes:

22:40 5x5 TOI
OZone start 17%
Attempts 17-18
Shots 13-12
Scoring chances 9-9
XGoals 0.89-0.38 (70%)
Goals 1-0

Ritchie:

29:22 5x5 TOI
OZone start: 67%
Attempts 23-30
Shots 7-21
Scoring chances 5-19
XGoals 0.4-2.04 (21%)
Goals 1-0

It is early so the sample size is obviously very small but Ritchie has largely been useless since the first shift against Dallas. I think 4th line Backes has been effective aside from his brain dead retaliation penalty. His forecheck in the corner created the turnover that led to the Krug goal in Vegas. I thought that 14/52/42 line was their 2nd best line in that game, but I don’t see how they don’t break it up if Nordstrom is back.

They do need to play Ritchie to figure out what they’ve got in him and how to use him. Both players aren’t exactly fleet of foot which could be problematic against a team as fast as Colorado, but I’d stick with Backes for tonight. He sat in Arizona, Ritchie can take a seat tonight.
 

cshea

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Nov 15, 2006
36,047
306, row 14
Nordstrom is in, Ritchie comes out. Grzelyck is in too. Halak is in net.

Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak
DeBrusk - Krejci - Kuhlman
Heinen - Coyle - Backes
Nordstrom - Kuraly - Wagner

Chara - McAvoy
Krug - Carlo
Grzelyck - Clifton

Halak
 

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
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Apr 11, 2006
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Compared to this time last year, I think Carlo's experience has given him a better idea of when to take risks and when to play smart. I've liked the decisions he's generally made so far this game and this season.