Post-Game Talk: GAME 56 - NYR 3 BRUINS 2

[22Brad Park]

@Aussie Bruin, I am back home after an uneventful drive back.

Ownership will accept a DNQ this season because the Celtics should keep TD Garden humming into June. The key now is for the Bruins to fall into the bottom 11 and have a chance with the lottery.

The biggest problem is Marchand, and his taking a bad penalty tonight can't be ignored.

I think Sweeney is safe but Sacco will be fired and the B's will look at who becomes available.

I agree with the Marchand penalty as it was just a backbreaker, & team captain no less.That said however ,I think the biggest problem here is Sweeney .

 

[KillerMillerTime]

Marchand wasn't pushed. The way he raised his arms and his history can lead to many viewers seeing this as a fairly deliberate "I'm driving the net, but while I'm here I might was well hit the goalie" moment, and thus a penalty.

At the same time, one can argue that Miller deserved a penalty for removing Marchand's helmet. But Miller's actions with the helmet have nothing to do with Marchand's decision to try and get a sneaky shot in. Especially, since he's been doing that a lot lately (not running the goalie, but getting a needless and frankly selfish shot in). He's been called for it a bunch lately, but also has gotten away with a couple (kicking out someone's skate a couple games back).

It's a fair criticism to say that while Marchand's offensive abilities AND his edgy play have a benefit to the team BUT that you probably want your captain to be someone to pull a player aside and say "You know, there are times and places for that but in the 3rd period of a close game isn't one of those times" But Marchand IS the captain, no there's nobody with cache to tell him to play smarter.

And it's ok for fans to say these things without someone becoming unhinged and swearing at them and calling them morons because they don't share the same view as you.

Just a tip.

Thought ever cross your mind that he was crashing the net hoping the puck hits him and deflects in? Where the puck came from and angle he took it crossed my mind immediately.

 

[22Brad Park]

To me, Marchand was one of these few guys that brought his game last night. I also have a difficult time blaming him too much for a penalty that I’m guessing few other guys would have been callled on. It was very minimal contact and he was legitimately driving toward the net to make a play on the puck. He takes dumb penalties but I really don’t think that’s one of them. The two biggest factors are there are a. Driving to the net and b. Getting zero benefit of the doubt because the name is “Marchand” on the back of the uniform.

.Where was the puck when he contacted the goalie?

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

He also stayed out wayyyyy too long on that PP when the shorty was scored.

Not sure why Poitras stopped skating on that backcheck either. Him doing so gave Kreider that extra step.

Once again, another boring game to watch.

This team needs some serious structure, I don't think anyone knows where or what they should be doing.

To your first point....yeah...that's a problem I see both Marchand and Pastrnak having at times. Pasta at one point was out for what felt like 2 minutes and seemed like he could barely skate. This after he passed up a line change at least once. It really becomes an issue in the defensive zone when the other team has fresh skaters on the ice.

I actually barely watched the second period because I was so bored by the first period. Felt like an icing every 15 seconds.

I've liked (when they're on) the way they play in the offensive zone since Sacco took over. Far fewer forced hope plays to the center of the ice and more of a willingness to grind the other team down through hard cycle work, and then making the passes into the slot when they're actually there. Defensively, I do still see the same issues. Not enough pressure on the points (seemingly to guard against cross-ice passes) which just gives the other team a ton of room to cycle without expending much energy. The breakout strategy? Yeah, I really don't know. Last year and this year, it seems like 90% of plays out of the zone are hope plays even when the D has room to manuever. Carlo and Zadorov, in particular, often seem to just throw the puck up the boards without even considering options even when they have plenty of time. Both guys are really fond of standing almost still when they get the puck in their own zone. I understand they arent puck moving dynamos, but I have a hard time accepting they are operating at their full potential. On the other hand, I actually like what Zadorov tries to do in the offensive zone using his size. It's odd that a player with his stat line and build often seems more comfortable on the offensive side of the rink rather than the defensive.

 

[BMC]

Probably, but their fans may set the record for drinking most shots.

I think we've locked that one up!

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

.Where was the puck when he contacted the goalie?

I honestly don't remember.

 

[BruinDust]

I think this is right- size, speed, FO ability, which is what he's shown in his time here. He is okay on the defensive side of the puck, too. But, guys that don't really score at lower levels don't turn into scorers in the NHL. I am curious what they saw that made them think they could get some offense out of him (like even a 25-30 point guy). Either way, it never has clicked. I'd be happier with him if he was a 3rd or 4th rounder doing what he's doing; that would make him a great pick. To this point, he's a quasi-bust as a first rounder.

I'll say this much about Beecher, he's very good at face-offs, especially for a guy his age.

He may never be more than a 4th liner, but I think he could be a 4th line center that plays a decade in this league. He has all the tools to be a strong defensive center who is strong on face-offs and if there is one position I'm not that worried about producing offense from the forward group, its my 4th line center.

 

[Bruin4]

I honestly don't remember.

I think your dead on, Marchy was anticipating a pass to the front of the net and was heading to the net and Shesterkyn(sp) glided out to the front of his crease and Marchy actually tried to avoid him, at least thats what I saw without going back and checking the tape.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Not saying there's not a "good reason" for it. As I said, he takes dumb penalties. And invites the attention. But, in the context of trying to make a play and the fact that he was playing a hard game all night long, I'm not upset with him about that particular penalty.

Frankly, I thought the Bruins were lucky to be in that game all the way through. They were being outplayed, IMO, from puck drop. Given that, I find it forced to pick at any particular moment and assign blame to that play and/or player.



He's a good skater but I really don't see any other notable asset. He's really good at getting into position to make something happen and then doing nothing with it.

It's a slightly more intense version of how I feel about Lohrei on the back end sometimes. Not lacking on physical assets but lacking on thinking the game at the highest level. It's like the opposite of David Pastrnak who can have a terrible game where he is moving terribly (hasn't had one of those in a good while), but still will put up points just because he has a fantastic sense of the right area to get to (plus a great one-timer).

All I know is that when Marchy got called there, I though, shit, that's gonna kill us.

 

[22Brad Park]

I honestly don't remember.

 

[Dr Hook]

I'll say this much about Beecher, he's very good at face-offs, especially for a guy his age.

He may never be more than a 4th liner, but I think he could be a 4th line center that plays a decade in this league. He has all the tools to be a strong defensive center who is strong on face-offs and if there is one position I'm not that worried about producing offense from the forward group, its my 4th line center.

That's fair, and he is good on the dot. I love his speed, too. That said, while I don't care if he ever becomes a big point producer, I'd like to see him at get back to where he was early in the season and in spots last season where he looked like a guy that would get you 25 points or so. I think a team has to get at least a little bit of scoring from its fourth line.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

I think your dead on, Marchy was anticipating a pass to the front of the net and was heading to the net and Shesterkyn(sp) glided out to the front of his crease and Marchy actually tried to avoid him, at least thats what I saw without going back and checking the tape.

I think he saw Shesterkin and 80% avoided, 20% made contact just because ultimately the contact was there to make. Could he have done more to avoid him? Sure. But that kind of minimal contact, bump you because I can contact happens all the time and the majority of the time is ignored. But when the ref and NYR skaters see it's Marchand, the outrage ensues.

I'm not saying Marchand hasn't "earned" the attention during his career. But even at his age, it's detrimental at some point to 100% discard ALL of the shenanigans. In the context of last night's game, I just don't mind it. And, truthfully, even though it is Marchand, I think most referees are letting that sort of incident go completely in a provably impactful game.

This is like a half second of elapsed time that shows almost nothing about what is actually going on immediately before Marchand ends up contacting Shesterkin. Extremely deceptive.

 

[22Brad Park]

I'll say this much about Beecher, he's very good at face-offs, especially for a guy his age.

He may never be more than a 4th liner, but I think he could be a 4th line center that plays a decade in this league. He has all the tools to be a strong defensive center who is strong on face-offs and if there is one position I'm not that worried about producing offense from the forward group, its my 4th line center.

55.1% in dot .9 pts in 54 games.

 

[LouJersey]

I mean only the most delusional Bruins fans can think that's not a penalty, I'm sorry.

 

[22Brad Park]

I think he saw Shesterkin and 80% avoided, 20% made contact just because ultimately the contact was there to make. Could he have done more to avoid him? Sure. But that kind of minimal contact, bump you because I can contact happens all the time and the majority of the time is ignored. But when the ref and NYR skaters see it's Marchand, the outrage ensues.

I'm not saying Marchand hasn't "earned" the attention during his career. But even at his age, it's detrimental at some point to 100% discard ALL of the shenanigans. In the context of last night's game, I just don't mind it. And, truthfully, even though it is Marchand, I think most referees are letting that sort of incident go completely in a provably impactful game.



This is like a half second of elapsed time that shows almost nothing about what is actually going on immediately before Marchand ends up contacting Shesterkin. Extremely deceptive.

Holy moly...guess I can try find the extended look.Nobody pushed him there though

 

[LouJersey]

I think he saw Shesterkin and 80% avoided, 20% made contact just because ultimately the contact was there to make. Could he have done more to avoid him? Sure. But that kind of minimal contact, bump you because I can contact happens all the time and the majority of the time is ignored. But when the ref and NYR skaters see it's Marchand, the outrage ensues.

I'm not saying Marchand hasn't "earned" the attention during his career. But even at his age, it's detrimental at some point to 100% discard ALL of the shenanigans. In the context of last night's game, I just don't mind it. And, truthfully, even though it is Marchand, I think most referees are letting that sort of incident go completely in a provably impactful game.



This is like a half second of elapsed time that shows almost nothing about what is actually going on immediately before Marchand ends up contacting Shesterkin. Extremely deceptive.

it's still a penalty though regardless.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

We can break that down further if we want, though it may not matter, but there were 15 forwards taken in front of him, so that means he is has been outscored by 11 taken after? And he has just 34 points in 110 games, and really, most of this season he has been an offensive black hole. I think late round is wrong (I read it as later round), if we mean 5-7th, but certainly if he were a third rounder or fourth even, he would have been a steal. He is definitely not a steal at 30. I think it's fair to question the pick even though it is academic- he's our guy like it or not (for now).

What I am mostly curious about is what in his history made anyone think he could be Roope Hintz lite? And that's an honest question because obviously some scouts saw something there, as did Don Sweeney.

He had a clear pedigree that can't be argued against for being ranked between 30-50. That's no worse than mid 2nd round material. There weren't any DeBrincat types in the draft that he was taken before and Pinto isn't DeBrincat.

 

[Dr Hook]

I mean only the most delusional Bruins fans can think that's not a penalty, I'm sorry.

Well, what often happens around here is that anything negative said about a player, even if true, will cause someone to get triggered for whatever reason and go nuclear. That was absolutely a penalty and it was a bad one to take. I don't know why that is controversial, to be honest. It's Brad and he's made a career out of stuff like that.

 

[Bruin4]

I mean only the most delusional Bruins fans can think that's not a penalty, I'm sorry.

it may be a penalty, but only do to Marchy going to the net anticipating a pass, his intention wasn't to run the goalie. I wish more players on this team would have half the drive this guy has., he's far from their problem.

 

[Dr Hook]

He had a clear pedigree that can't be argued against for being ranked between 30-50. That's no worse than mid 2nd round material. There weren't any DeBrincat types in the draft that he was taken before and Pinto isn't DeBrincat.

That's fine, and I get the argument, and I was not one bashing Sweeney over the pick when it happened, but I am more curious about the decision process. What exactly was the pedigree (other than he was in the NTDP and at D1 Michigan) that led him to be taken in the first round? He never put up big points at any level. That is more what I am interested in at this point, because I am sure there is a story behind it and something the scouts and Sweeney saw in him that thought he was the right choice, or maybe the best choice they could make in that draft slot.

 

[Sheppy]

I mean only the most delusional Bruins fans can think that's not a penalty, I'm sorry.

The Bruins don't take penalties, man.

It's one of these:

1. Dive/Embellishment from the other player
2. Soft call (which don't get me wrong, it happens and sometimes I agree)

I'm convinced a player on the opposing team could get decapitated and people in here will call it a dive.

The Marchand interference last night was 100% a penalty any day of the week. Now, the question remains is if it should have been evened up after he was tackled and had his helmet removed. I said last night I thought it should be even, but yeah, Marchand should of and was penalized.

 

[22Brad Park]

it maybe a penalty, but only do to Marchy going to the net anticipating a pass, his intention wasn't to run the goalie. I wish more players on this team would have half the drive this guy has., he's far from their problem.

It was a penalty & it hurt the team .I don't care what his intentions were he has to avoid the goalie up a goal in 3rd period on the road.

 

[LouJersey]

The Bruins don't take penalties, man.

It's one of these:

1. Dive/Embellishment from the other player
2. Soft call (which don't get me wrong, it happens and sometimes I agree)

I'm convinced a player on the opposing team could get decapitated and people in here will call it a dive.

The Marchand interference last night was 100% a penalty any day of the week. Now, the question remains is if it should have been evened up after he was tackled and had his helmet removed. I said last night I thought it should be even, but yeah, Marchand should of and was penalized.

for sure that's a different argument.

Well, what often happens around here is that anything negative said about a player, even if true, will cause someone to get triggered for whatever reason and go nuclear. That was absolutely a penalty and it was a bad one to take. I don't know why that is controversial, to be honest. It's Brad and he's made a career out of stuff like that.

yeah I see some of the better posters getting cursed out. No wonder nobody really likes to post here anymore.

 

[Sheppy]

for sure that's a different argument.


yeah I see some of the better posters getting cursed out. No wonder nobody really likes to post here anymore.

Agreed. I wasn't a fan of that at all.

 

[LouJersey]

it may be a penalty, but only do to Marchy going to the net anticipating a pass, his intention wasn't to run the goalie. I wish more players on this team would have half the drive this guy has., he's far from their problem.

His antics recently and two coaches having serious issues with him tell me it's time for him to go. Thanks for all the memories, so long and farewell.