We'll find out tonight who the Bruins play.
FWIW, McAvoy and Cross were healthy scratches for Providence today.
FWIW, McAvoy and Cross were healthy scratches for Providence today.
Round 1- Ottawa
- Thread starter cshea
- Start date
The Washington matchup is probably a sweep. Despite their struggles with OTT I think is a winnable series.
Thanks Columbus for winning a game you had nothing to really play for (other than "momentum"?). I really wanted to post something about how Toronto is already in their postseason of blowing important winnable games, but at least they weren't up 4-1 in this one.
Also, looking forward to bringing back some of that postseason hate for Burrows. (So glad we got the last laugh in that series).
Also, looking forward to bringing back some of that postseason hate for Burrows. (So glad we got the last laugh in that series).
Ottawa Senators (A2) vs. Boston Bruins (A3)
Wednesday, April 12, 7pm: BOS @ OTT NHL Net/NESN
Saturday, April 15, 3pm: BOS @ OTT NBC
Monday, April 17, 7pm: OTT @ BOS CNBC/NESN
Wednesday, April 19, 7:30pm: OTT @ BOS USA/NESN
*Friday, April 21, TBD: BOS @ OTT NESN
*Sunday, April 23, TBD: OTT @ BOS NESN
*Wednesday, April 26, TBD: BOS @ OTT NESN
Wednesday, April 12, 7pm: BOS @ OTT NHL Net/NESN
Saturday, April 15, 3pm: BOS @ OTT NBC
Monday, April 17, 7pm: OTT @ BOS CNBC/NESN
Wednesday, April 19, 7:30pm: OTT @ BOS USA/NESN
*Friday, April 21, TBD: BOS @ OTT NESN
*Sunday, April 23, TBD: OTT @ BOS NESN
*Wednesday, April 26, TBD: BOS @ OTT NESN
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D health is the biggest concern for the Bruins. Cassidy called Krug day-to-day last week after his injury. They haven't said anything about Carlo yet, and probably won't. Sweeney has availability this morning. Cross and McAvoy were held out of Providence's game yesterday, so the speculation is that they will be the replacements. McKenzie says he wouldn't be surprised if McAvoy is added to the roster today.
So begins the strange ritual of Canada during the playoffs. Other than the Habs few older fans cheer for Canadian teams. So we get a weird situation where older conservative Don Cherry fans cheering for original 6 teams look down on those cheering for Oilers, Sens, Flames.
TSN is in rapture now with so many Canadian teams in.
TSN is in rapture now with so many Canadian teams in.
I took this whole week off. I am so glad I did, 'cause I am gonna get drunk as fuck.
Yea, McKenzie is reporting that the Bruins are going to burn the first year of his ELC.
Looks like Krug/Carlo aren't doing well, and Sweeney et al see the value in a PMD against the 1-3-1.
I understand the intent, but I worry this is shortsighted. The Bruins aren't winning the Cup this year. I understand getting him experience...but man, talk about getting thrown into the fire.
Looks like Krug/Carlo aren't doing well, and Sweeney et al see the value in a PMD against the 1-3-1.
I understand the intent, but I worry this is shortsighted. The Bruins aren't winning the Cup this year. I understand getting him experience...but man, talk about getting thrown into the fire.
Chara - McAvoy
Liles - McQuaid
Miller's
Seems like the most logical grouping. K. Miller or McQuaid can play with Chara in a close-and-late situations.
Liles - McQuaid
Miller's
Seems like the most logical grouping. K. Miller or McQuaid can play with Chara in a close-and-late situations.
This may be a dumb question but if he doesn't get into a game is the ELC year burned even if he practices with the team? I understand him being up there for precautionary reasons in case Carlo/Krug can't go.
McKenzie is tweeting about it now, but I don't think it is that big of a deal. This doesn't affect his service time towards free agency or arbitration, and when he comes out his this contract in 2 years he won't have accrued enough games to be eligible for an offer sheet. He gets a raise sooner, but that's about it. If they think he can help, then I'm OK with it. The depth chart is pretty thin. Morrow has barely played and it seems they don't want to throw him in there as cold as he is. Then we're down to the Providence guys. Grzelyck, Cross, McAvoy. Charlie is a righty and would fit in where Carlo was, and he has the highest ceiling.
Edit: ELC year is burned the second the ink goes on the contract.
Bruins have recalled Zane McIntyre on an emergency basis. Why would McIntyre be brought up? Would it be to serve as a practice goalie so Rask can rest this week?
I don't mind burning the year. It's becoming standard operating procedure around the league with the high end college guys. You may also get the player under a cheaper bridge contract after 2 years than after 3 (see Pastrnak).
Thanks for updating the title...
Krejci, Acciari, Krug, Carlo and Khudobin absent from practice.
Marchand - Bergeron - Backes
Stafford - Spooner - Pastrnak
Schaller - Moore - Nash
Vatrano - JFK - Beleskey
Chara - McQuaid
Miller's
Liles - McAvoy
I hate pairing McQuaid and Chara right out of the gate. I'm fine with it if they are defending a late lead, but I think that pairing too immobile and worry about them moving the puck up ice.
Krejci, Acciari, Krug, Carlo and Khudobin absent from practice.
Marchand - Bergeron - Backes
Stafford - Spooner - Pastrnak
Schaller - Moore - Nash
Vatrano - JFK - Beleskey
Chara - McQuaid
Miller's
Liles - McAvoy
I hate pairing McQuaid and Chara right out of the gate. I'm fine with it if they are defending a late lead, but I think that pairing too immobile and worry about them moving the puck up ice.
I would think that no matter what they go with, at least one pair will have significant trouble moving the puck up ice (unless Krug comes back healthy).
Really, they only have McAvoy, C. Miller, and Krug who can move the puck effectively. Liles used to be that guy bbbuutttttttt he's sucked out loud this year.
Is Amelie reporting Sweeney incorrectly? She tweeted that Krug was unavailable for the start of the series, not that he was out for the entirety.
Huge loss, if true.
Huge loss, if true.
Fluto just uses the term "unlikely", but it appears he seems to mean Game 1 as well.
Cross-posting from Playoffs thread.
http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/...ie-mcavoy-torey-krug-likely-brandon-carlo-out
Yes this is true. Every game with the probable exception of Game 2 will be on NESN.
Sadly that would probably be a delay of game penalty now.
The Bruins should be familiar enough with the 1-3-1 given that Boucher used it in the Conference Finals back in 2011. Yeah that was 7 years ago but the concepts are still pretty much the same.
The Bruins should be familiar enough with the 1-3-1 given that Boucher used it in the Conference Finals back in 2011. Yeah that was 7 years ago but the concepts are still pretty much the same.
McAvoy with Chara today.
2nd day without Krejci. Not sure what's up there, I don't believe the team said anything about his absense yesterday. He played 18 min on Saturday and took the late double minor for high sticking, so nothing jumps out as out of the ordinary.
2nd day without Krejci. Not sure what's up there, I don't believe the team said anything about his absense yesterday. He played 18 min on Saturday and took the late double minor for high sticking, so nothing jumps out as out of the ordinary.
I posted this in the game thread, but this thread is probably a better home for it. Fluto put together a nice little article documenting the workings of the 1-3-1.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/bruins/2017/04/11/ottawa-setting-trap-neutral-zone-for-bruins-here-how-works/dzbvOs7vXIl0scQBdeZiZI/story.html
Funny, I was just talking to someone on my team about this game on Sunday night.
I don't like McAvoy with Chara.
Chara-McQuaid at least gives you a big, strong and mean pairing of stay-at-home D men. Neither of them is going to carry the puck through the neutral zone, but Chara is very good at moving the puck up to forwards. And that pair would bury Ottawa's forwards.
McAvoy shouldn't be getting 20 minutes. Pair him with Liles, a smart veteran who can talk to the kid through the game.
The Bruins are the second biggest favorite in Vegas to win first round... behind only the Capitals
That... seems strange.
That... seems strange.
I was thinking that Cassidy could juggle his defensive pairings based on face-off zone, line matchups, and score. With 2 of his top 4 D men out, creativity would help.
This has been mentioned a few times in various places, but the short version of this is that the analytics community is very high on the Bruins and very low on Ottawa. The Bruins analytical profile is that of a very good team. Add in the get to play out of the Atlantic and most models are high on the Bruins chances overall.
Here's an article from last week about the Bruins possibly being a dark horse. Make of it what you will.
http://www.tsn.ca/a-lower-seeded-team-that-may-surprise-in-nhl-playoffs-1.717100
This was written before the Krug injury. His injury and how long he is out will play a huge factor in their chances overall.
How much of the analytics dislike is because Ottawa is content to play the 1-3-1 when no one else is using it that much?
You don't see high scoring games much with the them, you don't see them giving up much by way of odd man rushes. They aren't aggressive forecheckers. I can see why the numbers don't jump off the page at you.
Even ignoring "analytics", they gave up more goals than they score this season. That something bad teams do, end of story. They are one of the worst playoff teams in the past few years. I mean just look at their roster, they are not good.
I also think the 1-3-1 works against them in the playoffs, in the regular season it's something teams don't see much of, and don't often have any time to prepare for. It's not like the NFL where you get multiple practices to prepare for your next opponent.
Anything can happen in a 7 game series, but the Bruins should win this one and I'll be extremely disappointed if they don't. When did this board turn into a "just happy to be in the playoffs" crowd?
When did this board turn into a "just happy to be in the playoffs" crowd?
When the Bruins missed two years in a row and fired the most successful coach in their history in the middle of the season. Because when Claude was canned I had no expectation they'd make the playoffs. They looked to be completely adrift.
When the Bruins missed two years in a row and fired the most successful coach in their history in the middle of the season. Because when Claude was canned I had no expectation they'd make the playoffs. They looked to be completely adrift.
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I can see the 1-3-1 working against them the longer a series goes (for your reasons), but the Bruins best PMD isn't going to be on the ice to start the series. He is pivotal to them beating the 1-3-1 and it's variants.
I'm more in the 60/40 Bruins feeling unless Krug only misses 1 game, then my expectations might climb. I can't see being extremely disappointed about any result unless it's a sweep by Ottawa where the B's are outscored by 2-3 goals in each game.
Interesting to me that they burned JFK's first year but didn't use him last night, not even when Krejci when down
That was either done as an incentive to get him to sign, in which case their only alternative was to send him back to BU, or it reflects shortsightedness (i.e., they thought he could help them before he signed, but gave up on that notion after half a dozen NHL shifts.