GDT: CAR @ BOS Game 6: Welcome [Back] to the Hellmouth!

[Canes]

I think it was the pass at their (Boston's) Blue line.. It was telegraphed and easy to intercept. but yes once in the zone there is tons of blame to go around

That pass was so bad and was probably the highlight of one of his worst games in a Canes uniform. Even the Bruins d-man knew where Aho was going with the puck before Aho did.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I think it was the pass at their (Boston's) Blue line.. It was telegraphed and easy to intercept. but yes once in the zone there is tons of blame to go around

Honestly, that was a big risk/reward play by the Bruins defender. If he had missed the intercept (and given the way the ice was last night, very real possibly there), then he's out of position and it's a 3-on-1. Obviously, it worked out for them, but I'm not sure that was a play that should have been made (nor should Aho be blamed for not expecting that play)

 

[Svechhammer]

I think it was the pass at their (Boston's) Blue line.. It was telegraphed and easy to intercept. but yes once in the zone there is tons of blame to go around

Yep, he had one opportunity to get that puck deep for the line change and just passed it to the tape of a bruins defenseman. And then we got hemmed in, and whiffed on multiple clearing opportunities, with one or two of those attempts coming from Aho himself.

The whole sequence was bad, but the giveaway that caused it all to begin was indefensible. That's not the kind of play your 1C should be making.

Honestly, that was a big risk/reward play by the Bruins defender. If he had missed the intercept (and given the way the ice was last night, very real possibly there), then he's out of position and it's a 3-on-1. Obviously, it worked out for them, but I'm not sure that was a play that should have been made (nor should Aho be blamed for not expecting that play)

I can't agree with this. Aho hit the guy clean on the tape with the pass. I don't care if it could have been a 3 on 1, it was such a bad play that it immediately went the other way and became a crushing goal against. And it wasn't even that great a play by the B's defenseman, Aho literally went tape to tape on the play, it was a gift.

 

[Tryamw]

Honestly, that was a big risk/reward play by the Bruins defender. If he had missed the intercept (and given the way the ice was last night, very real possibly there), then he's out of position and it's a 3-on-1. Obviously, it worked out for them, but I'm not sure that was a play that should have been made (nor should Aho be blamed for not expecting that play)

See I don't disagree with you completely but Boston was going to play desperate. Desperate teams are going to gamble.. you HAVE to expect that.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

See I don't disagree with you completely but Boston was going to play desperate. Desperate teams are going to gamble.. you HAVE to expect that.

They were up 2-1 at the time, and that Canes line had JUST scored. I'm not sure that was the right time to be desperate.

But I will agree that the Bruins are playing with a desperation that the Canes have yet to match, despite claiming to understand how last night was a "must win game"

Hopefully that desperation shows up in 7

 

[rainband]

I am really surprised how many folks are saying "ECF or I'm disappointed" given that by the final week of the season we knew a) we wouldn't have Anderson, b) we were getting BOS or TBL, and c) there are only 100+ point teams to get through in the East. Now, I'm still puzzled about the road no-shows, don't get me wrong. But, acknowledging the terrible optics of the apparent 3-goal home-ice advantage in this series, there was almost no reason to think any round would be much better than a 50-50 shot.

 

[chaz4hockey]

I am really surprised how many folks are saying "ECF or I'm disappointed" given that by the final week of the season we knew a) we wouldn't have Anderson, b) we were getting BOS or TBL, and c) there are only 100+ point teams to get through in the East. Now, I'm still puzzled about the road no-shows, don't get me wrong. But, acknowledging the terrible optics of the apparent 3-goal home-ice advantage in this series, there was almost no reason to think any round would be much better than a 50-50 shot.

C’mon when you finish first in your division, #3 in the league and you know that all you have to do is give one decent road effort and you are on to the next round (which should be a W since neither rangers nor pens are as good as Boston) that you should win to go to ECF.

4 years ago unrealistic goal; this year, if we don’t get to ECF it’s blatantly underachieving and a big failure (as you can tell I’m not a everyone gets a trophy for showing up person).

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I am really surprised how many folks are saying "ECF or I'm disappointed" given that by the final week of the season we knew a) we wouldn't have Anderson, b) we were getting BOS or TBL, and c) there are only 100+ point teams to get through in the East. Now, I'm still puzzled about the road no-shows, don't get me wrong. But, acknowledging the terrible optics of the apparent 3-goal home-ice advantage in this series, there was almost no reason to think any round would be much better than a 50-50 shot.

I think this fanbase is a little spoiled by past playoff experiences and thinks getting to the conference finals is easier than it actually is.

 

[Identity404]

YOU KNOW… THERE IS A GOALIE WITH LOADS OF THAT.


MINE.

After @MrazeksVengeance’s winning streak, I vote for you!

WELL OK THEN

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I think this fanbase is a little spoiled by past playoff experiences and thinks getting to the conference finals is easier than it actually is.

2 teams do it every year, out of 16. Your expected value is to do it once every 8 years. We’ve done it thrice in the last 16 years. We’ve had our fair share.

But, you can also do it based on making the playoffs. Then you’ve got a 25% chance.

 

[hblueridgegal]

I don’t know it they’re all just going off a script but the post game same ole same ole presser comments bug me. I don’t even sense real disappointment but rather resignation.

It kinda feels like this could be a Gonzaga situation.

 

[Stickpucker]

I see a lot of talk about Aho's turnover on the 3rd goal, and how it's shooting ourselves in the foot, but I think that's discrediting the Bruins.

Aho wasn't the only one who failed to clear the zone that play. It seemed like literally every Canes player had a chance to clear the puck on that sequence and just... didn't. I built the package for the goal, and it happened directly after TonyD failed to clear the zone and then left the passing lane wide open to attempt to pressure McAvoy.

Why'd they all look terrible on that sequence? Because the Bruins made them look terrible. The Canes were exhausted. Bruins forecheck forced bad passes under pressure, leading to turnovers and preventing line changes. The Bruins were able to complete their change, and fresh legs against guys that had been out there for a 1:00+, and it's an easy goal from there.

I'm seeing a lot of this this series and it bears repeating: This isn't your typical 2 vs 7 matchup. The Bruins finished with over 100 points. They finished with only 3 less wins than the Canes. This was never going to be an easy series and it should surprise no one that it's going to seven.

I think the turnover people were talking about wasn't when he failed to clear the zone it was earlier when he was skating 4 men wide into the ozone and did a sloppy lateral pass looking for the rw and put in right on a bruin's stick leading the the counter attack and long dzone shift.

 

[Brad Meador]

I see a lot of talk about Aho's turnover on the 3rd goal, and how it's shooting ourselves in the foot, but I think that's discrediting the Bruins.

Aho wasn't the only one who failed to clear the zone that play. It seemed like literally every Canes player had a chance to clear the puck on that sequence and just... didn't. I built the package for the goal, and it happened directly after TonyD failed to clear the zone and then left the passing lane wide open to attempt to pressure McAvoy.

Why'd they all look terrible on that sequence? Because the Bruins made them look terrible. The Canes were exhausted. Bruins forecheck forced bad passes under pressure, leading to turnovers and preventing line changes. The Bruins were able to complete their change, and fresh legs against guys that had been out there for a 1:00+, and it's an easy goal from there.

I'm seeing a lot of this this series and it bears repeating: This isn't your typical 2 vs 7 matchup. The Bruins finished with over 100 points. They finished with only 3 less wins than the Canes. This was never going to be an easy series and it should surprise no one that it's going to seven.

I actually agree with this despite my disappointment. I'm disappointed because we did not show up at all on ANY of our games on the road, especially the most critical (last game). If this team had played hard and still lost by running into a hot goalie like someone else said I would've accepted the loss easier and just said we just got beat. But for three games not once did we play well in Boston; they dominated us and blew us out of the building in two of the three games (lost by 2 goals, which I don't count as a blow out, in game 3). Granted Boston did not play well in our barn either this series so it's a win/win.

Right now Swayman is playing like Patrick Roy or Marty Brodeur against us in Boston yet in Carolina we scored 4 on him.

I'm also mad because I so want us to beat Boston after what they've done to us in the playoffs two of the last three years. The players need to use that. Hopefully, they'll come out with fire tomorrow.

Carolina now has to defend home ice ONE more time in this series. It will be the final time. Win they move on and lose they go home. I do not want to see them choke away a 2-0 series lead.

Series have gone this way but it's rare: Los Angeles beat San Jose in 2013 in 7 games (all wins for both teams on home ice), San Jose beat Nashville in 2016 in 7 games (all wins for both teams came on home ice). I believe that was the last year. We ruined the pattern in 2019 vs Washington by winning game 7 on the road. Prior to that win each teams victories were only on home ice.

If we hadn't beaten Nashville in game 6 last year that series would've ended like this one. All wins on home ice.

Let's just hope we don't make Swayman look like Patrick Roy or Marty Brodeur in their prime tomorrow in our building.

5-0 in game 7's since relocation and 2-0 at home. Need to have that trend to continue for just one more game.

IF we move on to the next round can we start winning games on the road please.

 

[LakeLivin]

I think 1 person has mentioned that our #1 goalie is out. Overlooked, or do people think it shouldn't be that much of a factor?

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

I think 1 person has mentioned that our #1 goalie is out. Overlooked, or do people think it shouldn't be that much of a factor?

I think it’s been overlooked and this series would be over already if we had Freddie. However our goaltending has not been the issue and we should’ve still easily beaten this Bruins team without him.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I think 1 person has mentioned that our #1 goalie is out. Overlooked, or do people think it shouldn't be that much of a factor?

Goaltending hasn't been an issue in the series, so it's not been mentioned. Raanta has been stellar in keeping the game close until the team literally gives up in front of him.

Look at the 4-1 goal from this game, for example. Unreal save, team takes a collective dump on the ice, then deflects it into their own net past Raanta. Not much more you can ask of him.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Goaltending hasn't been an issue in the series, so it's not been mentioned. Raanta has been stellar in keeping the game close until the team literally gives up in front of him.

Look at the 4-1 goal from this game, for example. Unreal save, team takes a collective dump on the ice, then deflects it into their own net past Raanta. Not much more you can ask of him.

He did have a soft one the other night, but if your offense can't even generate a scoring chance 5-on-3 then short of a shutout you're still gonna lose, whether it's Freddie, Raanta, Vasi, or Lafontaine

 

[Blueline Bomber]

He did have a soft one the other night, but if your offense can't even generate a scoring chance 5-on-3 then short of a shutout you're still gonna lose

The Marchand goal? Yeah, he probably could have had it, but he more than made up for it with his play the rest of the game.

 

[LakeLivin]

I think 1 person has mentioned that our #1 goalie is out. Overlooked, or do people think it shouldn't be that much of a factor?

Just to be clear, I asked this in no way as criticism of Raanta. But who knows how not having your #1 goalie (and team MVP) might affect overall play in a series in a "butterfly effect" kind of way?

Speaking of which (and way more out there): in game 3 there was an obvious too many men penalty against Boston that was called but then dropped after the refs had a conference. This was right at the start of game 3, and right after the Canes had spanked the Bruins in the first two games. At the time it sure gave me a feeling that the refs might dropped the call as potentially having too big an impact on the series given the circumstances (series management?). If that call had stood and the Canes had scored on the PP, I wonder if that might have sent the series down an alternate path leading to a quick series ending. I'm not suggesting it would have happened, just another potential example of the butterfly effect that's crossed my mind. Or maybe I watched too much Big Bang Theory.