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Post by MrHulot on Dec 15, 2023 18:09:20 GMT
The Blues fans I know (my wife's cousin and that cousin's husband and sons) all believe that BeerLeagueBinnington was the difference. Not one word about St.Louis having been favored by the refs when they weren't anywhere close to the Bruins' talent level. No, because the Bruins have Marchand, "who is the dirtiest player in the league" (and probably was Lee Harvey Oswald in his previous life...) Two sides on the officiating. One was it premeditated. I doubt it, unless each crew was spoken to individually each game after the Berube conference. Or was it the simple power of suggestion. With Butch not really answering for Berube's accusation. For some reason I lean towards the latter. That's what I'm leaning towards as well.
I really didn't like Butch's non-response. I know it has been proclaimed often (at least a couple of times by my old favorite KFClaude) that it's the Bruins organization's philosophy not to engage publicly in discussions about officiating, like during press conferences, etc. But at the end of the day (or the end of the 2019 SCF) this "let's be gentlemen about this" attitude not only didn't help the team at all, IMHO it is borderline naive. Don't get me wrong, I do not want my team to win by cheating. Responding to Berube's accusations and trying to get the refs to do their job correctly, however, most definitely cannot be seen as cheating. On the contrary, I feel like a clearly superior Bruins team was cheated out of a cup by some clever remarks from an opposing coach.
This is one of my main beefs with some previous Bruins coaches in general. I didn't know initially what to make of KFClaude. At least he brought some stability after Dave Lewis was sacked, and the team was trending upwards. But I totally hated his "stunned deer in the headlights" coaching performance against the Flyers in 2010. (Plus his regular "we weren't ready to play" presser routine.) A journalist for the Montreal Gazette later analyzed KFClaude as follows:Butch's non-response during the 2019 SCF was just as infuriating to me. Was he really comfortable standing behind the bench watching his players literally getting slaughtered by an ultra-dirty opposing team? Or was he afraid that DS would fire him if he spoke up against the dreadful officiating? If anything, they should have handed him his walking papers because he just stood there and did nothing. (Of course it's not an easy call to make and fire your coach after he just took your team to game 7 of the SCF.)
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Post by bookboy007 on Dec 15, 2023 23:15:22 GMT
The trouble with the Bruins teams through this era was always depth and as we know now a team needs that to win, the B's teams in 88' & 90' didn't have that, they were over matched. The Oil had Messier, Anderson, Kurri, Gelinas, Graves, MacTavish, Tikkanen up front and Lowe, Gregg, Huddy, Ruotsalainen & Muni on the back end, Rannford in net. The B's had Bourque, Neely, Janney and a bunch of plumbers who worked hard. Harry did add Poulin & Propp but they were past their best due date although still serviceable. I was hopefull when it started as the Oil had traded Gretzky but as it unfolded i knew a B's win wasn't happening. If the Bruins had won the 1st game maybe the outcome would have been prolonged but in reality i don't think so. I agree with Book's opinion that the series takes a different turn after a Bruins win in game 1. But still, lack of depth. I remember reading an analysis about the Bruins roster and their general game plan, I think it was in the Sporting News hockey yearbook 1990-91, that read, "keep the score close and wait for a power play, a dangerous strategy". What do you do when your number 1 center gets totally eliminated by the other team's premier pest? Should they have tried to take Tikkanen out of the game (rough him up, get him to drop the gloves)?I remember thinking they should get Janney away from Neely. Put Poulin there - bigger, more capable of playing through the pestering, and he was hot that playoffs. Then he got hurt.
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Post by bookboy007 on Dec 15, 2023 23:27:06 GMT
Was watching this game. Reminded me how much I loathe the fucking Blues and how psychologically broken I was by that Game 7 loss. I will never get over it. It’s nice seeing them blow a third period lead and lose at home. It was even better when I realized they fired Berube. Blues v Ottawa yesterday meant they covered the Berube firing on TSN Ottawa and the expected new coach smell effect. Very surprising that the fans have sided with the fired coach over the GM and even the players. The booing of Kyrou and his teary eyed presser. The booing of the Armstrong presser on the jumbotron before the game. The beat guy they talked to made a good point on how karma has bit them in the form of bad roster management. Their leading scorers in those playoffs were O'Reilly, Schwartz, Pietrangelo, Tarasenko, Perron, Bozak, Parayko, Schenn, Sundqvist and Dunn. In order: faded and traded; let him walk; let him walk; injured then let walk; let walk; still there; still there, traded and back, expansion draft. Guy pointed out that the strategy seems very bargain basement: replace expensive Pietrangelo with cheaper Krug and Faulk; replace O'Reilly with Kevin Hayes. Sign Brandon Saad. Sign Kapanen. Acquire Leddy. Bad roster decisions undermined their ability to compete. Good.
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Post by sandogbrewin on Dec 16, 2023 11:56:29 GMT
Think Lindy Ruff is next.
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Post by MrHulot on Dec 16, 2023 19:41:25 GMT
I agree with Book's opinion that the series takes a different turn after a Bruins win in game 1. But still, lack of depth. I remember reading an analysis about the Bruins roster and their general game plan, I think it was in the Sporting News hockey yearbook 1990-91, that read, "keep the score close and wait for a power play, a dangerous strategy". What do you do when your number 1 center gets totally eliminated by the other team's premier pest? Should they have tried to take Tikkanen out of the game (rough him up, get him to drop the gloves)? I remember thinking they should get Janney away from Neely. Put Poulin there - bigger, more capable of playing through the pestering, and he was hot that playoffs. Then he got hurt. Harry Sinden and Monty Burns and their nickel and dime shit. They cost Ray at least one ring. Poulin was okay, but that wasn't enough by any means. Propp was meh.
The Jets had the Oilers on the ropes in round 1, up three games to one. Years later I met a hockey coach from Manitoba who frequently said "in the playoffs go with the hot guy in goal, and if he doesn't get the job done, bring in the other one - do not rotate your goalies just for the sake of it." He was probably referring to Bob Murdoch (R.I.P.) alternating Bob Essensa and Stephane Beauregard in goal for Winnipeg in that series against Edmonton.
In the 90s I wondered why the Pingu could swing big deals like the one for Francis and Scumuelsson, but the Bruins never did. I know the Whalers probably wouldn't have made that deal with the B's (they later got Wesley for draft picks from the Bruins), but I never felt like Sinden was really trying to get the reinforcements they needed. Okay, they got Oates from the Blues, but they had to give up Janney in return - back to being strictly a one-line team without depth again.
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Post by MrHulot on Dec 16, 2023 19:49:44 GMT
Think Lindy Ruff is next. Hmm, NJ has won 7 of their last ten games. Still three points out of a wild card spot though, but they're still without Doughie and Nosek
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Post by sandogbrewin on Dec 16, 2023 20:57:25 GMT
Think Lindy Ruff is next. Hmm, NJ has won 7 of their last ten games. Still three points out of a wild card spot though, but they're still without Doughie and NosekExpectations from management and ownership is cup contender. There losing games they shouldn't. Think he's next.
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Post by MrHulot on Dec 16, 2023 21:23:31 GMT
Hmm, NJ has won 7 of their last ten games. Still three points out of a wild card spot though, but they're still without Doughie and Nosek Expectations from management and ownership is cup contender. There losing games they shouldn't. Think he's next. Okay, I'm not betting against you.
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Post by MrHulot on Dec 16, 2023 21:39:15 GMT
Was watching this game. Reminded me how much I loathe the fucking Blues and how psychologically broken I was by that Game 7 loss. I will never get over it. It’s nice seeing them blow a third period lead and lose at home. It was even better when I realized they fired Berube. Blues v Ottawa yesterday meant they covered the Berube firing on TSN Ottawa and the expected new coach smell effect. Very surprising that the fans have sided with the fired coach over the GM and even the players. The booing of Kyrou and his teary eyed presser. The booing of the Armstrong presser on the jumbotron before the game. The beat guy they talked to made a good point on how karma has bit them in the form of bad roster management. Their leading scorers in those playoffs were O'Reilly, Schwartz, Pietrangelo, Tarasenko, Perron, Bozak, Parayko, Schenn, Sundqvist and Dunn. In order: faded and traded; let him walk; let him walk; injured then let walk; let walk; still there; still there, traded and back, expansion draft. Guy pointed out that the strategy seems very bargain basement: replace expensive Pietrangelo with cheaper Krug and Faulk; replace O'Reilly with Kevin Hayes. Sign Brandon Saad. Sign Kapanen. Acquire Leddy. Bad roster decisions undermined their ability to compete. Good. Let's hope their next coach picks a few fights with BeerLeagueBinnington...
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Post by RichHillOntario on Dec 16, 2023 22:18:45 GMT
Blues v Ottawa yesterday meant they covered the Berube firing on TSN Ottawa and the expected new coach smell effect. Very surprising that the fans have sided with the fired coach over the GM and even the players. The booing of Kyrou and his teary eyed presser. The booing of the Armstrong presser on the jumbotron before the game. The beat guy they talked to made a good point on how karma has bit them in the form of bad roster management. Their leading scorers in those playoffs were O'Reilly, Schwartz, Pietrangelo, Tarasenko, Perron, Bozak, Parayko, Schenn, Sundqvist and Dunn. In order: faded and traded; let him walk; let him walk; injured then let walk; let walk; still there; still there, traded and back, expansion draft. Guy pointed out that the strategy seems very bargain basement: replace expensive Pietrangelo with cheaper Krug and Faulk; replace O'Reilly with Kevin Hayes. Sign Brandon Saad. Sign Kapanen. Acquire Leddy. Bad roster decisions undermined their ability to compete. Good. Let's hope their next coach picks a few fights with BeerLeagueBinnington...Thinks he's the new Billy Smith or Ron Hextall.
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Post by 50belowzero on Dec 16, 2023 22:24:46 GMT
Think Lindy Ruff is next. Signed a new multi year contract before the season started, 4 pts out of the top 3 in the Metro with games in hand, i think he's safe for awhile.
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Post by sandogbrewin on Dec 17, 2023 0:07:28 GMT
Expectations from management and ownership is cup contender. There losing games they shouldn't. Think he's next. Okay, I'm not betting against you. I could absolutely be way the fack off. But I have hear there are rumblings.
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Post by bookboy007 on Dec 17, 2023 19:24:09 GMT
Okay, I'm not betting against you. I could absolutely be way the fack off. But I have hear there are rumblings. Can't recall where i saw it, probably the fan written sites, but someone had a "things we've learned so far this season" post that included the Bruins not going anywhere because they have the best tandem and the best coach. Also said Lindy should have actually been fired when they were chanting for it last season and the reprieve is hurting them now.
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Post by sandogbrewin on Dec 18, 2023 12:17:35 GMT
I could absolutely be way the fack off. But I have hear there are rumblings. Can't recall where i saw it, probably the fan written sites, but someone had a "things we've learned so far this season" post that included the Bruins not going anywhere because they have the best tandem and the best coach. Also said Lindy should have actually been fired when they were chanting for it last season and the reprieve is hurting them now. Great point by 50 though that's a lotta years of buyout. Anyone pick Sullivan in Pittsburgh ? I didn't go back and look. Now if Sullivan is available after Lindy possibly gets axed.
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Post by kelvana33 on Dec 18, 2023 15:51:49 GMT
Can't recall where i saw it, probably the fan written sites, but someone had a "things we've learned so far this season" post that included the Bruins not going anywhere because they have the best tandem and the best coach. Also said Lindy should have actually been fired when they were chanting for it last season and the reprieve is hurting them now. Great point by 50 though that's a lotta years of buyout. Anyone pick Sullivan in Pittsburgh ? I didn't go back and look. Now if Sullivan is available after Lindy possibly gets axed. Saw someone posted on this thread, first thing that came to mins was Sullivan got the axe after that brutal game the other night. I think it's coming.
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Post by 50belowzero on Dec 18, 2023 19:14:44 GMT
Great point by 50 though that's a lotta years of buyout. Anyone pick Sullivan in Pittsburgh ? I didn't go back and look. Now if Sullivan is available after Lindy possibly gets axed. Saw someone posted on this thread, first thing that came to mins was Sullivan got the axe after that brutal game the other night. I think it's coming. Well Dubas did give Ol' Mike the dreaded vote of confidence about a week ago, so............
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Post by 50belowzero on Dec 18, 2023 19:18:50 GMT
DJ Smith beat Sully to this weeks wack job, but next week is another thing.
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Post by MrHulot on Dec 18, 2023 22:38:36 GMT
Let's hope their next coach picks a few fights with BeerLeagueBinnington... Thinks he's the new Billy Smith or Ron Hextall. I don't know if other members of this board will approve, but I liked Billy Smith and Ron Hextall.
Tough, sometimes way too anxious to start a fight, but at least not vanilla.
And they were both competent goalies (even though Hextall never won a cup). BLB, on the other hand, is a genuine freak, throwing water bottles at opposing players during pressers (Kadri).
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Post by MrHulot on Dec 18, 2023 22:42:37 GMT
I could absolutely be way the fack off. But I have hear there are rumblings. Can't recall where i saw it, probably the fan written sites, but someone had a "things we've learned so far this season" post that included the Bruins not going anywhere because they have the best tandem and the best coach. Also said Lindy should have actually been fired when they were chanting for it last season and the reprieve is hurting them now. Actually I'm not so sure about that "best coach" title anymore. I guess the players like to play for him, but some of his decisions, especially the benching of Poitras, JVR and ShatnerKirk, are at least questionable. Of course his job should be safe, for now.
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Post by bookboy007 on Dec 18, 2023 23:59:40 GMT
DJ Smith beat Sully to this weeks wack job, but next week is another thing. Called it.... (OK, I said he'd be first but he was...what...fourth? Ok, never mind.)
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Post by 50belowzero on Jan 14, 2024 1:50:17 GMT
I think the odds on McLellan are tightening, Kings are in a free fall. He opened at the Bookstore at 50-1, must be 25-1 by now?
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Post by 50belowzero on Jan 14, 2024 6:16:25 GMT
Make that 8 losses in a row for the Kings, their schedule doesn't get any easier either.
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Post by MrHulot on Jan 14, 2024 10:02:23 GMT
Make that 8 losses in a row for the Kings, their schedule doesn't get any easier either. WTF happened? They looked almost like world beaters just a couple of weeks ago.
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Post by sandogbrewin on Jan 14, 2024 11:14:50 GMT
The trouble with the Bruins teams through this era was always depth and as we know now a team needs that to win, the B's teams in 88' & 90' didn't have that, they were over matched. The Oil had Messier, Anderson, Kurri, Gelinas, Graves, MacTavish, Tikkanen up front and Lowe, Gregg, Huddy, Ruotsalainen & Muni on the back end, Rannford in net. The B's had Bourque, Neely, Janney and a bunch of plumbers who worked hard. Harry did add Poulin & Propp but they were past their best due date although still serviceable. I was hopefull when it started as the Oil had traded Gretzky but as it unfolded i knew a B's win wasn't happening. If the Bruins had won the 1st game maybe the outcome would have been prolonged but in reality i don't think so. I agree with Book's opinion that the series takes a different turn after a Bruins win in game 1. But still, lack of depth. I remember reading an analysis about the Bruins roster and their general game plan, I think it was in the Sporting News hockey yearbook 1990-91, that read, "keep the score close and wait for a power play, a dangerous strategy". What do you do when your number 1 center gets totally eliminated by the other team's premier pest? Should they have tried to take Tikkanen out of the game (rough him up, get him to drop the gloves)?"Hey Harry you can't win with one line" Should have been the title of the article.
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Post by 50belowzero on Jan 15, 2024 18:04:24 GMT
Make that 8 losses in a row for the Kings, their schedule doesn't get any easier either. WTF happened? They looked almost like world beaters just a couple of weeks ago.Who knows, easy early schedule? Talbot playing over his head? Loss of depth over the PLD trade? I have no idea but they went from being a point out of the Pacific division lead and solidly in a playoff by 10 pts to being 1 pt out of 9th, still half a season to go.
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