With Acciari out, and Beleskey still MIA, the Bruins need to Blidh the Sens out

[Colt.45Orr]

Accairi must have a concussion --I saw a hit in his last game where he was caught with his head down a little at the Bruins blue-line and thought he was going to get rocked (it was Acciari, so he stayed on his feet) but it looked like he took contact to the head.


Beleskey, most of us would agree, needs to be Anaheim-Playoff-Beleskey to redeem a god-awful season and justify his contract (and place in the league).


He finished the game with 0 shots and 0 hits.

That is unforgivable.

(Backes had 5 hits, for context).


This is going to be a very physical series vs. the Sens and we need Acciari in this series pretty bad to throw his weight around and punish "Borvo Cop" and other Sens D. The Sens are dropping back and then sending Borvo and others to jump up to meet and hit the Bruins trying to reach the redline (exactly how the Miller injury took place actually).


In a playoff series, the way to break the trap is to break the parts, one at a time. That means we need to break down the parts (D) retrieving the pucks that we dump in.


We have Backes doing that but I sure wasn't impressed with Schaller (doesn't use his size on the forecheck nearly enough) nor was Beleskey finishing hits either.

Where does that leave us?

Anton Blidh is an extremely willing and able forechecker/hitter who gets in fast and often on the forecheck and doesn't ever pass up contact. Exactly what we need in this series.


(clean hit, Josi was knocked out by his own stick coming up from the hit)

Our season finale Vs. the Caps, Tom Wilson was running our guys and laughing at our weak response --I would much rather a guy that gets under Wilson's skin (for example) and draws penalties.



If Acciari (better player) is back in the lineup then there likely isn't room for Blidh, but if Beleskey isn't able to get up for the playoffs then we need to bring in someone able to punish the Sens every time we dump the puck in.

Click to read more...

 

[Colt.45Orr]

**EDIT** I've only seen Blidh in his games up in Boston ---I would love to hear from Providence watchers......
perhaps I'm giving him too much credit?

 

[rocketdan9]

I rather see Blidh than Beleskey ... done with him

But I rather see cehlarik than blidh

need offensive firepower for this series

 

[Saxon Eric]

Agree,which means Jimmy Hayes will play Saturday

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Every game that Beleskey is in the lineup is a new fail by Cassidy. Even Hayes is a better option.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Colt, not quite as far fetched as the infamous "call Camara up" post...

 

[northeastern]

Missed accairi tonight. Cehlarik should get a chance over belesky or Jimmy

 

[PB37]

Agreed. I want to see Sens dmen punished and with the way Blidh plays, he can get under skins.

 

[toasterjam]

yea I was callin for Blidh, I want it.

I watched a few p-bruins games last week and Blidh was an animal as usual, hitting everything that moves, forces the d to make bad plays with the puck. The kid is ready to go, he didnt look out of place in his time in boston.

I have watched almost 20ish p-bruins games this season and it's a nightly thing for Blidh, just plays at that energy level night in and night out.

Guy is the perfect energy pest, doesnt take bad penalties, draws calls, forechecking animal, hits everything, crashes the crease, gives other teams fits.

Give me Blidh over Beleskey, Schaller and Kuraly

Blidh is a Swedish Missile n aim for Karlsson.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

I love Erik Karlsson and respect the heck out of him, but the Bruins need to hit him every chance they get (those chances are few and far between).

Phaneuf is famous for giving up the puck under physical pressure and Borvo just straight up needs someone to run him.

 

[PB37]

I love Erik Karlsson and respect the heck out of him, but the Bruins need to hit him every chance they get (those chances are few and far between).

Phaneuf is famous for giving up the puck under physical pressure and Borvo just straight up needs someone to run him.

Schaller had a chance to knock him hard and passed up the chance. I wish that had been Lucic on the forecheck.

 

[toasterjam]

I love Erik Karlsson and respect the heck out of him, but the Bruins need to hit him every chance they get (those chances are few and far between).

Phaneuf is famous for giving up the puck under physical pressure and Borvo just straight up needs someone to run him.

basically make Borowiecki have to actually play hockey and make hockey plays. He really is a terrible hockey player and a weakness on the Sens if he is pressured and forced to actually play D and make plays.

His failed clear attempt led to Vatrano goal tonight...was some nice justice.

Sens fans know how bad he actually is at hockey, props for him being a good hitter and willing to take himself out of position looking for hits. Exploit it. Guy cant play hockey.

 

[Mr. Make-Believe]

...

No argument from me, Colt. Bang on.

 

[Bad Puck Bounce]

Would really like to see both Blidh and DeBrusk in the line up. Need something out of the bottom 6, though tonight it was more wanting anything at all out of Spooner, Schaller, and Beleskey.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

Schaller had a chance to knock him hard and passed up the chance. I wish that had been Lucic on the forecheck.

I remember that --and other opportunities he had.

Such a shame because he is 6'2 220 but that doesn't mean anything if you don't have it as part of your hockey DNA to finish hits.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

basically make Borowiecki have to actually play hockey and make hockey plays. He really is a terrible hockey player and a weakness on the Sens if he is pressured and forced to actually play D and make plays.

His failed clear attempt led to Vatrano goal tonight...was some nice justice.

Sens fans know how bad he actually is at hockey, props for him being a good hitter and willing to take himself out of position looking for hits. Exploit it. Guy cant play hockey.

Exactly -- get in on the forecheck and get in their heads by actually hitting them and then the turnovers WILL come.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

yea I was callin for Blidh, I want it.

I watched a few p-bruins games last week and Blidh was an animal as usual, hitting everything that moves, forces the d to make bad plays with the puck. The kid is ready to go, he didnt look out of place in his time in boston.

I have watched almost 20ish p-bruins games this season and it's a nightly thing for Blidh, just plays at that energy level night in and night out.

Guy is the perfect energy pest, doesnt take bad penalties, draws calls, forechecking animal, hits everything, crashes the crease, gives other teams fits.

Give me Blidh over Beleskey, Schaller and Kuraly

Blidh is a Swedish Missile n aim for Karlsson.

Perfect scouting report for what we need.

 

[KnightofBoston]

Personally I think they need to cal up camara before blood

 

[ThomasJ13]

Exactly -- get in on the forecheck and get in their heads by actually hitting them and then the turnovers WILL come.

I absolutely agree with the forechecking requirement (physical checking in this case) against the Sens. Particularly when they do their Boucher-neutral-zone-thing. You are often forced to dump the puck in when you can't otherwise break that mess, and the success or failure of the dump-ins often rides on how well the D retrieves the puck, which in turn is of course affected by how well you pressure them.

The Bruins are just not built to physically impose that kind of pressure IMO, which makes me still apprehensive about this series in spite of the Game 1 victory. Backes can do it, but he can't do it alone. I've given up on Beleskey, and after that there ain't much. I hadn't thought of Blidh until your post, but the more I think of it, the more I like it. That said, they probably won't mess with the roster much until they lose, but I would hope that #81 is at least on the radar in the event things take a turn.

 

[Colt.45Orr]

I absolutely agree with the forechecking requirement (physical checking in this case) against the Sens. Particularly when they do their Boucher-neutral-zone-thing. You are often forced to dump the puck in when you can't otherwise break that mess, and the success or failure of the dump-ins often rides on how well the D retrieves the puck, which in turn is of course affected by how well you pressure them.

The Bruins are just not built to physically impose that kind of pressure IMO, which makes me still apprehensive about this series in spite of the Game 1 victory. Backes can do it, but he can't do it alone. I've given up on Beleskey, and after that there ain't much. I hadn't thought of Blidh until your post, but the more I think of it, the more I like it. That said, they probably won't mess with the roster much until they lose, but I would hope that #81 is at least on the radar in the event things take a turn.

Well said.

When we were battling for a playoff spot and they called up Acciari, he brought an effort and physical level that stood out and brought a lot of energy to the team.

When he is ready to come back in then there likely isn't room for Blidh, but until then we need someone to bring the physicality that 55 brings.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Sean Kuraly is bigger than Blidh, skates better, and is just as good/better on the forecheck. Plus, he's already on the roster. When Krejci returns, if you want a physical presence on the forecheck, he stays in the lineup and is that guy.

 

[Sheppy]

I'd love to see Blidh on the 4th line with Acciari out... Guy hits like a freight train.

I don't care what you say, you need physicality in the lineup. We have one forward who will throw hits consistently.

 

[Sheppy]

Personally I think they need to cal up camara before blood

Camara is no long in the organization.

 

[DKH]

Camara is no long in the organization.

He was joking

Camara done in by concussions with an s

 

[LSCII]

Matt Beleskey is a net negative player at this point. He brings zero value to the game and should be sat for virtually anyone else with a pulse. He can't score, he can't skate, he's always behind the play, and he's not even hitting. Sit him for anyone because anyone else would have a better shot at actually doing something that contributes than Beleskey.