11/25 - Bruins host the Hurricanes

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
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B's PK prior to Forbort's injury: 35-for-37, 94.6% (best in NHL).
B's PK since Forbort injury: 31-for-42, 73.8% (24th in NHL).


That's pretty striking
 

Maximus

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Terrible 1st period. Let's hope we can cash in at the beginning of the 2nd.
 

Myt1

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Carlo’s wingspan is pretty impressive. He’s able to not cover two players at once.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Atrocious call on the ice, it'll standup because it won't matter that Foligno is getting shoved into Kochetkov
 

Foxy42

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Brought my 13 yo who has suddenly started liking hockey this year. It’s been a very pleasant surprise development. Today certainly built in his excitement. Place was rocking (by reg season standards).
 

The Mort Report

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Honest question: How are they SO much better than last year's team? What's so different?
It's a couple things. Montgomery is more open and positive with the players, and from it looks like really improved and loosened the locker room. He has also activated the D to jump in on offense. Krejci returning has allowed Coyle to be a killer 3rd center. Zacha fits the team better than Haula, Hampus got an offseason to learn the system too. Also, Ullmark is playing at a Vezina level. Uncle Nick needs one more point to match last year's total points for the season. I'm sure I'm missing others, and the analytics people can attach numbers to these, but these are the big things I'm seeing that's different
 

IdiotKicker

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I think the two biggest things are Krejci being back and Lindholm having a lot more time to integrate. You truly have a 1A/1B defensemen now, and the depth at center, as noted earlier in the thread, is huge. Coyle is fantastic as a 3C, it just sucks we’re paying him as a 2C.
 

joe dokes

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It's a couple things. Montgomery is more open and positive with the players, and from it looks like really improved and loosened the locker room. He has also activated the D to jump in on offense. Krejci returning has allowed Coyle to be a killer 3rd center. Zacha fits the team better than Haula, Hampus got an offseason to learn the system too. Also, Ullmark is playing at a Vezina level. Uncle Nick needs one more point to match last year's total points for the season. I'm sure I'm missing others, and the analytics people can attach numbers to these, but these are the big things I'm seeing that's different
Based on the way they play the game, I think Clifton and Debrusk are the biggest beneficiaries of Montgomery's methods.
Debrusk started his rise late last year, but his presence in the top 6 is no longer "let's put him there because he has the "skills" to keep up with 37 and 63." It's "he should play there, because he's playing like it."
Clifton has made the leap to consistently deserving top 4 minutes on defense.
Folignos health has been mentioned, but it's also hard to believe that Marchand was playing hurt.
And finally, as great as they were in past years, Pasta and McAvoy are in their primes. The basketball analogy is far from perfect, but they strike me as the Bruins' JB and JT in the way they just own the ice they're on.
 

wiffleballhero

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In the simulacrum
To my mind, last year it felt like there were long stretches where the Bruins were one line deep and even if the other lines could tread water, it never seemed like they were a threat to score.

Last year, the combination of personnel and playing style made the Bruins seem slow compared to the top tier of teams. This year players like Hall and DeBrusk seem unleashed as, to my eyes, Montgomery has them playing at a different tempo that both highlights some of the skills that were less apparent last year and makes the team more capable of playing with the likes of Carolina. This game was a nice indicator of where the Bruins are compared to last spring where they looked old and slow in that series loss.
 

Myt1

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My utterly non-scientific take is that the Bruins scored fewer goals in transition under Cassidy. The seemed to get fewer breakaways, fewer odd man rushes, etc. And, when they got those opportunities, they weren’t scoring them. Those opportunities to turn to offense quickly really compliment the possession, in-zone cycling game the Bruins are able to work when they are clicking on all cylinders.

Part of that is DeBrusk’s emergence. But being able to drop Coyle down gives him more of those opportunities, Zacha seems to be a better fit for that game, Lindholm and Cliffy Hockey are pressing that advantage, etc. So, to the extent that I’m not merely suffering from blue car syndrome, this seems to be a result of personnel and system changes.
 

tonyandpals

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Agree with most takes here. The D is just much more active. Not sure who you measure it other than an eye test, but the overall play through transition/neutral zone seems so much better this year. Much more possession based approach rather than dump and chase.