Post-Game Talk: Stars 7 Bruins 2

SPLBRUIN

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Mar 21, 2010
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What I don't understand is what in the world has happened to the Bruins well entrenched structure, it has completely disappeared. As shocking as that has been, the ST's play is absolutely atrocious, the worst PP in the league and a bottom 5 PK. These coaches are completely failing at whatever message they are trying to get across, it is a complete gong show. They or someone else have to get them back to Bruins type hockey, the kind Julien originally instilled. There hasn't been much turnover from last year so there is no excuse as to why this train is coming off the track at breakneck speed.
 
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Gee Wally

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DALLAS — So much for the era of good feelings.

One game after pulling off their biggest win of the season, the Bruins failed to ride the momentum, falling flat in a 7-2 loss to the Stars Thursday night at American Airlines Center.
The Bruins were outplayed in every facet by a red-hot Stars squad that has scored seven goals in each of its last two games.

By comparison, the Cowboys, their football neighbors, managed just 6 points last Sunday.

“We lost every battle. Soft on the puck. Soft everywhere. Not finishing checks,” said defenseman Nikita Zadorov. “Just got embarrassed today.”

Boston had trouble matching Dallas’s speed and quickness all game.

The Stars consistently got to loose pucks first and kept the Bruins on their heels for large stretches, most notably during the second period, when they effectively put the game out of reach with three goals to build a 5-1 lead.

“I thought we did a lot of good stuff in St. Louis and today we were just, we weren’t there. Our effort wasn’t there,” said Zadorov, who was hit with a game misconduct following a late slashing call. “[We were not] hard to play against. It wasn’t there. So that cost us a game. They have a lot of skill up there. They bury their chances.”

Similar to what happened in St. Louis on Tuesday night, the Bruins fell behind, 2-0, and lost one of their defensemen to injury. It was Hampus Lindholm against the Blues and Brandon Carlo against the Stars.

The Stars set the tone early when Mason Marchment got a step on Charlie McAvoy, who had stumbled and beat the Bruins defenseman to the puck behind the net.

Marchment curled around and left the puck for Matt Duchene, who one-timed a missile to the top shelf past Jeremy Swayman’s blocker for his ninth of the season at 1:09.

Swayman kept it that way for a bit, making dandy saves on back-to-back one-timers from Logan Stankoven and Marchment.

Dallas doubled its led on Evgenii Dadonov’s penalty shot.

Dadonov had a partial breakaway, and Mason Lohrei tied him up and clipped the puck away but was called for the infraction.

It was a borderline call, at best.

“I didn’t think it was a penalty, but I understand why they called it,” said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery.

The Bruins lost Carlo when Stars captain Jamie Benn crunched him from behind and into the boards behind Swayman’s net.

As Carlo tried to collect himself, Zadorov went after Benn.

After some sweater tug-o-war that included Benn swiping Zadorov’s helmet off, the big Bruins defenseman got loose and landed some powerful overhand rights that buckled Benn.

“My teammate is laying on the ground. I think that’s a good response,” said Zadorov.

Carlo gingerly made his way to the locker room with the medical staff but was able to return to start the second and finish the game.

“He’s a tough competitor,” said Montgomery. “One thing about Brando is he wears his heart out there on the ice and he’s a Bruin.”

The Stars had the Bruins on their heels for much of the second, with Swayman (31 saves) keeping Boston in it with his glove work.

It seemed inevitable Dallas would increase its lead, and it finally happened with a two-goal blitz late in the period.

Montgomery thought about lifting Swayman at that point, but after talking it over with his assistants, he stuck with his All-Star.

Roope Hintz scored in the first minute of the third to boost it to 6-1, before Pastrnak and Marchment traded goals for the final.

“It’s been frustrating all year that we haven’t been able to string like, three to four consistent games where we feel like our habits and details are consistently there,” said Montgomery.

Though Swayman expressed frustration about his performance, he maintained a positive outlook despite the loss.

“It’s just like any game. It’s giving myself a good position on the first shot and trusting my abilities on the second shot. And I didn’t do that tonight, so I think I’ve got to fix that,” he said. “And I’m excited too, and we’re going to make sure that this is a building block for us, not a step back. And that’s on us to do so.”
 

Gee Wally

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Also:

Johnson out of lineup​

Bruins winger Tyler Johnson was not in the lineup for an undisclosed reason. Montgomery said Johnson “had to attend to a family matter, so he went back home.” His spot was taken by Patrick Brown, who was called up earlier in the day. Brown had 3 goals and 7 points in a dozen games as Providence’s captain .
 

Boston Bandit

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HumBucker

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Coaches? Players? Both?

The defensive system has collapsed. That's on coaching, I have to assume.

Special teams are a mess.
The putrid PK might be pinned on coaching, but maybe we're also missing players like Heinen and Forbort more than we thought we would.

We have enough talent to have a decent power play – or at least one that's better than this. Gotta be coaching?

The number of times we've seen players attempt a half-hearted stick check instead of a more fully engaged effort – it's disappointing. Case in point, Frederic's weak battle attempt in the neutral zone which the Stars player easily won, resulting in a goal. Not to single out Freddy. Lots of blame to go around. Pasta also needs to show more battle. He encounters some resistance, and just backs off.

Not enough forwards seem willing to go to battle to generate offence. Exceptions are the 4th line, Marchand (most nights) and I think Coyle also has often shown more battle than most. The rest, meh.

I know it ultimately falls to the head coach, and likely Monty will take the fall, but I doubt the coach is telling the players to give a half-arsed effort in those situations. On the other hand, the coach sets the tone for the team. On the other other hand, what's he supposed to do, bench 3/4 of the team?

I don't blame management as much. In the off-season they landed two prime UFAs - a big, punishing D-man and a legit top-6 centre: both things we all said they needed. (Kudos to Zadorov for going at it with Benn after the hit on Carlo.) Kastelic and Koepke seem to be good adds - two of the rare bright spots so far this season.

As much I think Monty is a good coach, maybe a new coaching regime is what is needed to shock these players into shape.
 
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