Pre-Game Talk: ECQF Game 1 4/12 7 PM - BRUINS at Ottawa - Game 1 | NESN, SN, NHLN (US), WBZ-FM 98.5

[Trap Jesus]

Putting all of your eggs in one basket is almost never a good idea.

Pasta without Bergeron and Marchand doesn't exactly make whatever line he's on a world-beater. It helps, sure, but there's no question that the three of them together makes one of if not the best line in the league. At the very least I think it's something worth exploring on the road. You know Boucher will push Pageau against the Bergeron line, maybe this will force them to adjust.

 

[riverhawkey91]

Pasta without Bergeron and Marchand doesn't exactly make whatever line he's on a world-beater. It helps, sure, but there's no question that the three of them together makes one of if not the best line in the league. At the very least I think it's something worth exploring on the road. You know Boucher will push Pageau against the Bergeron line, maybe this will force them to adjust.

I'm with you here. IMO this series comes entirely down to coaching -- making the decisions like the one you're mentioning, and instilling the discipline needed to beat the 1-3-1. It's actually a great opportunity for Cassidy to show what he's made of and prove whether or not it was the him or the change that got us here. If he out-coaches Boucher and leads the Bruins past the Sens, have to imagine he's a lock to have that interim title removed.

 

[BruinsFanMike82]

Over their last 15 games played respectively:

• Tuukka Rask = 8 - 6 - 1; 2.12 GAA; 0.921 Sv%; 1.6 Goals Saved Above Average; 0.850 High Danger Sv%
• Craig Anderson = 9 - 3 - 3; 2.22 GAA; 0.920 Sv%; 1.01 Goals Saved Above Average; 0.842 High Danger Sv%

Going by the above, it's a fairly even match-up between the two goalies.

 

[TMac21]

EK and Methot will not be at 100% for this series as well, so both teams are hurting.

 

[chizzler]

I think this series is going to boil down to how good the Bergeron line can be. Ottawa's strategy this year against the Bruins was to have Pageau shadow Bergeron as much as humanly possible, and free up their top two lines centered by Turris and Brassard, along with Karlsson, to go against the Bruins other lines.

The Pageau line took a beating against the Bergeron line possession-wise, but Ottawa made up for it by their other lines carrying the play against Boston's other lines. Issue for Boston in the regular season was that the Bergeron line could not buy a goal at ES despite the massive territorial advantage. Bergeron still managed to net Boston's only goal against Ottawa at ES this season, but they still shot at just over 3% on the season.

I'm starting to think Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak may be a good idea for this one. Just try to overwhelm the Senators by so much in that 30% of the time they're on the ice that they have to adjust.

The Senators were pushing the B's around. Hitting them and forcing them to a perimeter game. Tougher team. Everone thinks they aren't that good. I think we don't match up well with them.

 

[PatriceBergeron]

Why is Vatrano still playing at this point?

I'm fine with giving Beleskey an opportunity initially because of the playoff experience, but what is Vatrano giving you?

 

[Greek_physique]

Why is Vatrano still playing at this point?

I'm fine with giving Beleskey an opportunity initially because of the playoff experience, but what is Vatrano giving you?

Right now you hope for secondary scoring....also,IMO, if someone else gets hurt he could move up a line.

We are really thin at the LW position; so we're kinda stuck too.

 

[Sharp Shooting Neely]

EK and Methot will not be at 100% for this series as well, so both teams are hurting.

Gavin Lee of the Prohockey site provided the following on the Sens players in his playoff notes report. Smith also in but Methot is listed as maybe. Agree they will not be at 100% by any stretch.

"The Ottawa Senators will welcome back Erik Karlsson and Zack Smith for game one of their series against the Boston Bruins, GM Pierre Dorion confirmed today. The team may also get Marc Methot back into the lineup, less than three weeks since his finger was “shattered†by a Sidney Crosby slash. Inserting those three into the lineup will give the Senators a huge boost at both ends of the ice, as they continue to try and play their shutdown style."

 

[trenton1]

The Sens are getting healthy at the right time and the Bruins are getting banged up at the wrong time. This is going to be a tough series for the Bruins. Ottawa is a pretty deep team. Not much high-end talent up front but pretty good players 1-13 at forward. This series could go either way but the Bruins are definitely going to need a huge step up from about 4-5 players to pull this out. Spooner definitely has to make something happen.

 

[ODAAT]

Why is Vatrano still playing at this point?

I'm fine with giving Beleskey an opportunity initially because of the playoff experience, but what is Vatrano giving you?

perfect world neither would be dressing

 

[13Hockey]

Playoff Series Prices are out and

Vegas has made the Bruins big favorites to win the series

Only the Capitals are bigger favorites to win there 1st round series

 

[13Hockey]

 

[missingchicklet]

Playoff Series Prices are out and

Vegas has made the Bruins big favorites to win the series

Only the Capitals are bigger favorites to win there 1st round series

The McAvoy effect.

 

[bruins repeat time]

Those odds are sick. I really believe the bruin sens should be a pick or 120 max either way/

 

[bruins repeat time]

There is no way we should be a bigger fav than Anaheim, minny pitt even though I can easily see the dogs winning any of those series.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Gavin Lee of the Prohockey site provided the following on the Sens players in his playoff notes report. Smith also in but Methot is listed as maybe. Agree they will not be at 100% by any stretch.

"The Ottawa Senators will welcome back Erik Karlsson and Zack Smith for game one of their series against the Boston Bruins, GM Pierre Dorion confirmed today. The team may also get Marc Methot back into the lineup, less than three weeks since his finger was “shattered†by a Sidney Crosby slash. Inserting those three into the lineup will give the Senators a huge boost at both ends of the ice, as they continue to try and play their shutdown style."

"Shutdown style".

 

[Sharp Shooting Neely]

Should the illness Dobby is dealing with inneed involve a nasty flu bug they may be well served to follow the BoSox lead in dealing with a potential problem. Quote is from the Pro Sports Daily site.


"The Red Sox had to fumigate their clubhouse
As we mentioned last week, the Red Sox are dealing with a flu epidemic. Hanley Ramirez has missed several games in a row and Mookie Betts just came back yesterday after missing several games himself. Today the Sox placed Robbie Ross on the DL and even their announcer, NESN’s Dave O’Brien, has been sick. In all, a total of seven players have been sick to some degree or another.

Today John Farrell told the press that, to combat the epidemic, the Sox are fumigating and disinfecting the clubhouse at Fenway Park while the club is on the road. Like, with a big bug-bomb-style fogger and a wipe down and everything."

 

[Sharp Shooting Neely]

"Shutdown style".

AKA "The Boring Boucher Blanket"

 

[Daffy]

AKA "The Boring Boucher Blanket"

You guys may find it boring, but us Sens fans are happy to finally have a coach with some structure. Besides, any time your team can win a playoff game, it's never boring. Have always respected the Bruins and their fans. Should be a good, physical series. Keys to a Boston victory is to take a lot of penalties. Our powerplay is disgusting. I'll say Sens in 5, but that's only because I'm going to game 5 and I want that to be the deciding game lol. I'd say good luck but.. you know... I'll say good luck next round if you beat us. Cheers guys.

 

[northeastern]

You guys may find it boring, but us Sens fans are happy to finally have a coach with some structure. Besides, any time your team can win a playoff game, it's never boring. Have always respected the Bruins and their fans. Should be a good, physical series. Keys to a Boston victory is to take a lot of penalties. Our powerplay is disgusting. I'll say Sens in 5, but that's only because I'm going to game 5 and I want that to be the deciding game lol. I'd say good luck but.. you know... I'll say good luck next round if you beat us. Cheers guys.

Well said. But man is it boring haha... But a win can make up for that for the hometown fans. I don't expect high ratings from other cities for this series though.

 

[Daffy]

Well said. But man is it boring haha... But a win can make up for that for the hometown fans. I don't expect high ratings from other cities for this series though.

Fair enough. I will say though, Karlsson is a treat to watch. Every game. Was hard getting excited to watch the games he didn't play lol.

 

[northeastern]

Fair enough. I will say though, Karlsson is a treat to watch. Every game. Was hard getting excited to watch the games he didn't play lol.

Without a doubt. Any predictions on how healthy​he actually is going into the series?

Sucks health is such a factor here.

 

[Otherworld]

I am surprised that the Bruins are favorites here. They aren't in my mind.

Time will tell but there is nothing I see that would lead me to believe otherwise at this point.

 

[Cronuss]

I've been following the odds for months, and the Bruins have been the favorites in almost every single game for the last 6 months, even when they were constantly losing. Interesting.

 

[MD Bruins Fan]

I am surprised that the Bruins are favorites here. They aren't in my mind.

Time will tell but there is nothing I see that would lead me to believe otherwise at this point.

Analytics-wise the Sens are a bad team. I think that has a lot to do with the line.