Bruins Blow Out Canadiens As Offense Continues To Surge | The Skate Pod, Ep. 267

Bruins Blow Out Canadiens As Offense Continues To Surge | The Skate Pod, Ep. 267

Welcome into episode 267 of thecate podcast I’m Brian D Feliz joined by Scott mclin Scott every time we do one of these without Bridget my initial reaction instinct is to is to say joined by Bridget PR and Scott McGloin because it’s just so repetitive but there’s no Bridget today she’s broadcasting she’s

Broadcasting duties for college hockey this weekend yeah she’s she’s here in spirit but yeah Bri Bridget’s in the middle of like her busiest stretch of the year I think she had three Providence games this weekend between Providence College games between men and women’s and then she has the uh the

Women’s Bean poot final the first one ever at TD Garden on Tuesday so where we probably won’t have her for our next episode as well so all the all the Bridget fans who tune in only for Bridget uh we’re very sorry yeah and then she also has the

Pwhl uh obligations too that that will be picking up up as well but yeah I was going to do one of those those lights that she has behind her just to you know in in memory of her but she’ll be back as soon as she can probably midweek um

So last night Scott the Bruins defeated the Canadians nine to4 at the Garden what one would call a route of Swords despite being a oneg goal game for the majority of it or back and forth at least let’s get right into the opening shifts because it’s appropriate on a on

A day after they score nine goals for what you’re about to talk about here yeah the Bruins are suddenly an offensive Juggernaut uh since Christmas they’re the highest scoring team in the in the NHL and that was true when they got to five goals last night so the next four

Were were all gravy um but yeah obvious like nine goals you never expect that but even jont gy said after the game he kind of felt like this had been building because they had a lot of good offensive habits they’ve been getting more offensive zone time generating more

Chances having more bodies at the net more guys taking the puck to the net um and yeah they they’ve only been held under to three goals once in their last 13 games they’ve scored five or more in six of those games so they’re you know I

Know we’re going to get into like the balance of the lineup and and individuals who stood out but they’ve got a top line that’s rolling with Marian Co posano which I know going to get into more they’ve got depth you know Danon Heinen starts that game as the

Fourth line right wing and ends up with his first career hattrick um defenseman getting more involved and you know it’s just it’s impressive to see because I don’t think any of us really thought you know they were gonna be the best offensive team in the league for any

Stretch of of games um and it’s now going on almost a full month that they’ve outscored everyone else yeah just a quick glance at at the standings in the goals four column I think I think they’re tied for fifth in in goals four throughout the league with

With Toronto uh that because it’s a quick glance I I could have missed somebody on the bottom of the standings but generally the further down you are that you’re not scoring more goals in the top of the league but um yeah the balance scoring is is something that

Yeah we’ll get into as well and and yeah and and you mentioned the top line and that’s my opening sh which is which is Coyle Pak and Martian and you know I mean pak’s been on fire all year depending no matter who he’s playing with uh CO’s been steady Marian’s been

You know steady obviously for for for both of their standards um Coy elevating his game offensively this year but since the three of them have been together they’ve been lights out as the line the last the last handful of games all three of those guys again Pac always is

Scoring but they’re they’re they’re clicking and there just seems I know we’ve talked about maybe splitting up Martian and Pak for balance but to your to your point that offensively they have been a juggernaut uh in the last in the last month and um and and and and balance balance

Doesn’t seem to be an issue with those guys on the same line so it’s it’s weird Scott I feel like I feel like every every other week this year with this Bruins team it’s like we’ll talk about what their deficiencies are on and can it hold up in the postseason but

And then every step of the way aside from that you know three three we stretch in December where they were kind of up and down like I don’t know they just they’re just spitting in our face and and they’re just like and again I’m I’m I’m glad but I mean Charlie Coyle’s

Playing like a you know he’s he he’s on Pace for probably high 60s in points this year is that an elite number one Center no but when you’re part of a when you’re a cog in a wheel of a machine that just keeps rolling I I don’t I

I I in in all sincerity I can’t sit here and point out flaws of this team when they’re playing this well and and and and their Top Line um with Martian and pasnak back together Coyle has been a better fixture between them than zaka

Was at times and if the rest of the of the roster is going to to pull their weight like this I I’m kind of speechless like like let’s see what happens with this team yeah like I think we we all kind of felt like you know the reasoning behind

Splitting up Martian poock is you didn’t you might not really have a real second line if you don’t do that you know if you load them up Are You Gonna Get Enough from from another line and right now they are with that second line of van rdik zaka and de Brusque and you

Know Jake debrusk is has just completely turned his season around and has been a point per game player for the last month 13 points in his last 13 games just a force offensively um you know you’d see him score score a great goal taking the puck right to the front out of the

Corner and jamming it past monmo Puck protection Wheeling Around the Net to set up zaka for a goal uh you know zaka you wonder how he does away from poster knock I think he’s the points haven’t been there as much recently but I think he’s been playing

Pretty well and it was nice to see him get that goal because I think he’s had a couple chances recently that that haven’t gone in um you know thinking of like a couple one-timers or Snappers from the high slot in particular um van Reams keeps playing well especially when

It comes to playmaking he continues to just rack up assists he almost scored a great goal in the power play uh dragging the puck through his legs shooting through his legs um he you know the the moves he has in tight spaces down low or the way he consistently is able to get

To his forehand and get shots off is is pretty impressive um yeah and then the the bottom six like they’ve Mon’s clearly kind of changed how he approaches that group where you know he maybe isn’t looking for a fourth line with a particular Identity or toughness

Or or whatever now he’s kind of just looking for more balance there and you look at what he rolled out for Saturday night you he keeps loo on the third line with geeki and Frederick Potter comes back into the lineup and he’s on you know again like a quote unquote fourth

Line with boquist and Hein in um potra ended up being one of only two skaters who didn’t have a point 16 out of 18 Brun skaters had a point in that game but I thought ptra played pretty well especially you know first game back from injury he was involved in a couple

Chances he was the one driving the net on on Heinen’s two on one um you know Heinen made the right call obviously sticking with the shot and finishing but P was was right there and a part of that so uh yeah suddenly it just looks like a like a really balanced lineup where

Earli in the season you know if you load up Martian and Pastak I think you sit there and say wow it’s a really topheavy lineup where’s the rest of the offense coming from yeah and and you mentioned that fourth line and yeah I mean Denton

Hining gets his hatrick as as an NHL Pro um over 400 games and he he does so in a fourth line role I mean obviously his hatrick goal came in the power play and that was probably a bit of a a way to try to get him that

Hat-trick but yeah it’s a line that you mentioned ptra hinen and and boquist which ironically last episode I had mentioned like I would kind of like to see that because I was looking at the you know based on the roster and and and and the way that the lines were

Constructed as of late I just saw an opportunity to see what that line could be as a fourth line again like I I love the idea historically of a of of of a big strong fourth line that can be well um defensively but can also impose their will physically on opponents especially

In a seven game playoff series but those days are quickly kind of they’re they’re starting to vanish and and I think that the Bruins nowadays can check with their feet um as well as checking with with the body just because it’s it might not be the game I you know

You love to watch all the time but it’s it’s the reality the game’s changing a bit and like boquist and Heinen and ptra can certainly that’s a fast line that’s a real it’s a really fast line you want to call him a fourth line or whatever I

Don’t just that’s a fast hockey line and and I think that’s again this Bruin team I’m not concerned with labels like obviously P Coy and Martian is a first line but beyond that it’s like whoever’s playing is playing um taking away Pastak from zako was something that I was

Starting to wonder why the Bruins were so reluctant to do so we all love the idea of them playing together because they’re countrymen and they played with so well with CI last year but they they had kind of plateaued at times this year and and and why everybody including us were so reluctant

To even consider splitting them up I don’t really know but now that they have been split up to your point zaka is playing really well with Van reek and Jake debrusk and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that in the last month when Jake de Brusque is a point per game guy

Not that he has to be over the course of the whole season but Jake debrusk starts scoring the way he can score and now we’re talking about a team that has the most the highest offense in the last month it’s not a coincidence you need players on this team not named David

Pastak um to carry their weight offensively if not Elevate their game and you’re starting to see that now um it’s what makes a difference between a team that’s going to have a guy a superstar burnout and having a team that’s a well-oiled machine and um it’s not just that we’re happy for

Jake debrusk for for for scoring personally they need him and that’s why I was so frustrated with him earlier in the year up until a month ago because I’m glad that he was playing well for the analytic Darlings out there but the team needed him to score and we all knew

That you like we all knew that but now that he is it’s just it’s vital to this team success and and there’s only so many guys on the Bruins roster that are capable of doing that he’s one of them now he’s doing it and here we go yeah

He’s he’s playing like a second liner and now your second line looks like a second line like that exactly um yeah I think the concern with taking Zach away from poso was just what is zaka away from P just because we haven’t seen it a whole lot in Boston like he’s just been

With him so much that you’re like okay yeah he had a career year last year he’s you know producing at a decent rate this year but so much of it is with Pono so if you take them away does that go down do you you know you worri do you maybe

Start to see New Jersey level production from zaka which isn’t really top six production um and we’ll see you know it’s going to take a little longer before we know that answer for sure I would just say like I think he’s playing like a top six forward still even though

The the points have been a little down um you know and I think some of those same concerns are there for de brus because when he really started going it was when he was on a line with Coy and marshan and then you move those two up

With poster knock and you wonder okay does the bruss kind of get left behind or can he keep it going and to his credit he’s just kept playing the same way if not gotten even better since since leaving those two so that’s you know that’s what you need to see is you

Need to see guys not have to be carried by one of pakro marand on their line um and right now debrus certainly producing away from them I think Vin Reams dikes produced Rel somewhat consistently no matter where he’s been he’s made things happen so he’s up there on the second

Line now and you know zaka for now a good fit there and um you know I think if if some more points start to come for him then it’s it’s really going to look good and and you’re going to have you know very few questions about that

Second line yeah and and also another combination that the Bruins might try at some point I know I just talked about how I like the boquist Patra hinen look but I I was actually on YouTube recently and I was I was looking at uh boquist in New Jersey and there

Was a video of his like 20 21 22 highlights or something like that and virtually every goal and assist that he was a part of you know who else is a part of that play was paavo zaka um and I I I think it’s flying under the radar

A little bit that those two played together in New Jersey and and played pretty well I think both those players were underwhelming if you ask New Jersey fans but there’s a there’s a history there of of them playing together and producing at the NHL level and um you

Know prior to this iteration of Bruins forward lines playing so well they’re playing so well right now you don’t want to really touch anything but but the the thought did cross my mind of like maybe they try you know boquist zaka and pasnak at some point um which that they

They actually did try in training camp and maybe even a preseason game or two um but he definitely took some shifts there and then didn’t quite stick and obviously didn’t even make the team out of camp but right they they did have that in mind at one point or at least

Wanted to see it yeah and and he’s a different he’s a different player right now than he was in training camp you know there’s probably a lot going on there new system um nerves I don’t know but he seems to be you know he’s he he has surpassed Johnny beer on the death

Chart and and that you know beer we’ll get to beer and Lura they they got sent down to Providence um so yeah but you know overall this Bruins team offensively they’re they’re top five team in the NHL um and the last month as you mentioned they they’re the top

Offensive team in the NHL and if you want to ask yourself why how is that possible when they have Charlie Coyle and Pavo Zak as your number one number two centers when they could probably ideally be you know a two and three on a on a championship team well first of all

Don’t tell them that because they’re just going to keep trying to prove us all wrong um and that hockey is the ultimate team sport but look up and down the lineup the Bruins I I I I looked this up quickly before we started recording I believe there’s only one

Team in the the NHL with more 20 point scores um so far this season and it’s Vancouver with 11 but the Bruins have 11 uh I’m sorry nine players on their roster right now with at least 20 points in the season and that’s more than teams like Colorado Toronto Florida now sure

Colorado’s top three or four players might have more than 50 points but if we’re illustrating depth for 20 plus points at least the Bruins I think are second in the NH with nine 20 point scores uh through at the Midway Point here and you know certain names that might surprise you

Could be Morgan geeky with 22 points um Trent Frederick 24 points but I think we all kind of expected Frederick to still be a good play this year but and then just be you know so David pasnak Marian Coyle makoy V rdik zaka Frederick debrus

Geeki all 20 points or more Heinen 17 ly Holmes 16 potra 15 and you know so on but it’s just if if you want to know how simply put you have a lot of guys contributing yeah and and during this most recent stretch like I just pulled

Up Point totals over the last 13 games and it’s like those are all the guys leading it I mean obviously P’s just been ridiculous All Season he has 22 points in these last 13 games um four straight multi-point games and stat that I looked up last night that’s just crazy

Is he now has multiple points in more than half of the brunes games this season 23 out of 45 um just just silly stuff he’s up to 66 points 30 goals already so third in the NHL in both of those he’s on Pace for 120 points he had 113 last year and

That was something we hadn’t seen from a bruin since Adam Oats in the 90s um but by the way Saturday night was the New Blood New Beginnings era which covered I don’t I don’t know if that’s the official name I don’t know that anyone’s really calling it that but uh

1986 to 2000 um so celebrating uh those Bor Neely teams that they highlighted the 88 team that ended the Montreal Jinx the Bruins had gone I think it was 45 years without beating the Canadians in the playoffs um something like that so that that pretty cool once again they

Just continue to do a really good job with these erors Knights um but yeah then after poso like Martian has 15 points in 13 games Cole 15 debrus I mentioned a point per game Charlie mckoy remember how we were talking about he’s playing okay but not really Norris caliber level

Well he’s got 12 points in the last 13 games and he’s a plus 16 like that’s pretty crazy Frederick 10 points geeky 10 points hamus lolm has nine in the last 13 games now after um you know obviously a very quiet start offensively to the season for him so you’re seeing

Some defenseman get more involved too grizzli had a nice assist on Saturday he has six points in the last 11 games um you know so it’s just it it all just seems to be clicking right now of of just everyone getting involved and chipping in and doing their part and you

Know and they’ve done it without being completely healthy during this stretch like you know poch has missed time Carlos time forward obviously just returned after not that he’s you know contributing a ton offensively but he he returns for the first time in a you know a month and a

Half look I mean 68 points between Vin rdik geeky and Danton Heinen halfway through the season I mean I’m wearing a winter hat right now so Scott maybe you can do a little tip of the cap to Don Sweeney but that is that is some serious uh bargain that’s some serious bargain

Shopping in the off season um and I think I I think right now is an appropriate time to talk about Dan Heinen he gets his first hatrick as an nhlr uh we all know his story this year just kind of his second sit with the Bruins um sandwich sandwiched around um

You know brief Stinson Anaheim and Pittsburgh for a little bit but you know he comes he comes to Boston on a PTO this off season Dan Heinen is an NHL he’s he’s he’s he’s a he’s an he’s a straight up middle six NHL player you know middle six fourth liner you know

He’s a Swiss arm he’s he’s an NHL player the fact he did not have a contract going to the uh um training camp or even the regular season for that matter um is very very peculiar and the Bruins capitalized but you know for him to

Stick with it and and know that he is that that that that kind of player doesn’t have a contract at the drop of the regular season Puck despite having a good training camp and and lucky he just gets he gets a hatrick last night he’s got 17 points in 37

Games um Scott what what do what do you think of Heen story it just it’s it’s uh you know I don’t think there’s going to be a Disney movie about him but it’s it’s an inspirational story about sticking with it and believing in yourself yeah it it is crazy that like

He didn’t have a single contract offer during the offseason like he’s still you know he’s late 20s like 27 maybe 28 now now um and you know two years ago in Pittsburgh scored I think 18 goals it’s it’s it’s wild like yeah he had a little bit of a Down year last

Year but he was playing down in the lineup in Pittsburgh um and you know just just didn’t put up as many goals as the year before but to your point it like he’s he’s just such a steady two-way player consistently making makes Smart plays um he can make things happen with

The pug and a stick he wins battles uh he’s smart defensively like you would think I I keep thinking back someone tweeted that that I mean I apologize for not remember who who it is but that they’re like every team’s looking for a dant and Heinen but they don’t realize it’s actually Danton

Heinen like like everyone wants that kind of Swiss army knife player who can move up and down the lineup play either Wing smart 200 foot player but then like you see Danon hen’s name and it’s like it’s just not sexy enough and for some teams decide they have to they try to

Look everywhere else for it um but yeah credit credit to him for you know obviously taking advantage of the opportunity coming in on PTO there’s absolutely nothing guaranteed and you know I think I’m sure Jim Montgomery as his former college coach wanted him to

Win a job like he wanted to see him do well in training camp in preseason excuse me but he wasn’t going to give him a you know wasn’t going to give him a job if he didn’t earn it like he can like him personally as as much as

Possible um but Heinen had to go and earn that and he did and we all saw it like we were saying by what halfway through the preseason schedule that hey it looks like Danon Heinen should probably make this team um and he just never never really let up and obviously

Then had to deal with the delayed starts of the regular season where he doesn’t get a contract right away for you know for whatever reasons for cap reasons because the Bruns wanted to figure other things out on the roster um and he did get off to you know a little bit of a

Slow star once he finally got going which again had to be expected because everyone else was nine games into the season and he’s starting at game one um but yeah he’s he’s been incredibly valuable like the fact that he’s any line he’s been on he’s fit in and when

You drop him down to that fourth line it it’s a such a clear upgrade in terms of what that line can do offensively because we we’ve talked about it plenty you know when it was loo beater Steen for for a long stretch of time it was

Like you’d like some of the things those guys were doing but they just weren’t scoring and at some point a fourth line does have to contribute offensively yeah and they weren’t scoring and they also weren’t great defensively either right so I mean all those guys had minuses on

The season uh significant is for the most part um and yeah I mean boquist Heinen in particular those two if you want to put ptra with them or somebody else that’s fine but like that’s that’s that that’s going to be a responsible NHL you know line with speed and you

Know when the Bruins traded away Danton Heinen for Nick Richie at the time I honestly like I was hand up kind of in the good riddens type Camp because I I remember and we started this podcast shortly after the Bruins got rid of hin and I think it was maybe like yeah maybe

The Following season but when the Bruins lost to St Louis they lost to St Louis in part because they they they lost the physical Battle of attrition over seven games I felt as though St Louis they imposed their will more in the four check and they just I I thought

They w a lot more battles around the ice I thought I thought Danton Heinen along with others were one of the Bruins that lost those battles um I remember watching game seven against St Louis and and it’s well docu everybody will sit there and say oh the Bruins blitzed them

Bennington stood on his head he’s the reason that they want n not really the Bruins had a the Bruins out shot St Louis for like the first 12 minutes of the game fine and then St Louis took over and I remember watching that game and the Bruin were so sticking to their

System they they were waiting for St Louis to make a mistake on four checks as opposed to going in and taking things from them and for some reason hinen stuck out in my head as one of those forwards who just like was too busy worrying about where he was supposed to

Be from the X’s and O’s perspective as opposed to just making happen and and I I don’t think I was wrong at that time with that assessment I think he was one of many Bruins that they lost a physical battle and they were they were they they weren’t a

Soft team by any means that year but they they weren’t tougher than the team that won the cup and I guess it’s a long-winded way of me saying I don’t think I was wrong back then but I also think that Dan hind is a different player now and he seems to me

Like he’s just more mature and he is more physical not so much in like a I’m going to run you over type of way but he just he goes to tougher areas and he’s he just seems like a stronger player on the puck and he and he plays on the inside more

And that’s a credit to him yeah and and he I remember early I don’t remember if it was preseason or maybe early in the regular season um possibly like right after he signed the contract he was asked like how how do you think your games changed since the

Last time you were there and that was the very first thing he said was I think I’ve gotten a lot better at winning battles um and he talked about learning learning how to use his body learning how to take better angles get get position on guys get leverage um and use

A stick to take the puck away so he’s clearly focused on that since the last time he was here and you’re right you do you do see the Improvement and you know I think back to it was probably a few weeks ago at this point but Montgomery every now and then will

Will drop in some of their internal stats that they track and at the time he had said like Heinen um was one of their top guys in terms of winning one-on-one battles I’m going to assume you know a few weeks later that’s still true because certainly to the eye test I haven’t seen

Anything that would suggest that’s gone downhill um but yeah it’s you know what like you’re making a good point though about being physical without necessarily having to throw a ton of hits um because ultimately if you win a one-on-one battle with leverage body position good stick work it accomplishes

The same thing as winning it by just straight up knocking the guy off the puck with a hit like yeah it’s sexier to do it with the hit and in in a playoff series there is value to that because you can physically wear teams down you

Not that you want to sit here and say like you’re trying to injure guys but you potentially beat some guys up and cause some injuries or some bumps and bruises that you know can cause someone’s play to decline the rest of the series so there is value ude in the

Playoffs and I think we’re going to be talking about whether or not this ruin schem team can do that in the playoffs that’s going to be a fair conversation to have but in the meantime though if you’re you can do it other ways you don’t always have to be the most

Physical team obviously you know Bruins fans are scarred by that blue series and it leads to a lot of thinking that you have to be the most The More Physical team to win but there’s also been teams that have won with without being the most physical

I don’t I don’t think Vegas was the most physical team in the playoffs last year I don’t think they’re the most physical team in the Stanley Cup finals I think Florida was um but Vegas won I don’t think Colorado was the most physical team the year they won the cups so there

Are other ways to do it it it is actually possible you don’t just have to hit your way to a championship well and and but there’s an important distinction there because I agree with you um there is a difference between there’s a fine line right there’s a bit of a difference between

The teams that win the championship and the teams that beat the Bruins sure yeah you know like it does seem like St Louis out physical the Bruins uh the Islanders out physical the Bruins the Panthers out physical the Bruins um Carolina you know 5050 but you

Know a big team so it’s yes it’s you’re right you don’t have to out hit your way to a championship but there does seem to be a pattern that kind of gives the gives the Bruins trouble in there’s a commonality between teams that eliminate the Bruin from the playoffs um at least

That’s what it appears to me from the outside looking in yeah and I I also think that’s where you know Montgomery’s made it such a focus to win netfront battles and win battles down low um you know I think the Bruns will look at and

Say yes they they got out hit by Florida last year but you know you’re probably not completely changing that in one off season Florida’s still going to be a really physical team but can you win more battles at your own net front against their guys can you get more

Pucks and bodies to their net front and that’s something that the Bruins for the most part have been doing this season um they have been pretty good at both net fronts and especially this recent stretch like they’re getting a lot of goals by going to those areas and

Winning those those battles and you know scoring kind of greasy goals I mean how how many of those nine goals last night were scored like almost right at the net front it’s you know de brusk right across the crease to zaka um Coy right in front to Marian hen tipping in a shot

From grizzli with two bodies at the front I think it was geeky was also at the net front there like yeah th those are the kind of goals you have to score in the playoffs and I do think they’re doing the work to score more of those

This year than last year when they scored more goals in general but so many of them were just they’re just straight up more skilled and more talented than than the team they’re facing and they can almost score you know however they want yeah and you know that’s what was

So infuriating last spring was it wasn’t just that the Bruins had more skill than the Panthers and most other teams they also had the personnel to be a very physical team as well like it blew my mind how much the Bruins are out physical last year when you have a team

That has Garnet Hathaway and Tyler bruzi and Trent Frederick and Nick Felino and Charlie McAvoy and I mean just Dimitri orof Demitri orof AJ Greer who actually I don’t think played a game um you know they just the Bruins were not they weren’t a push over last year physically

I just think like Personnel wise the Bruins they had a tough team on paper they had a skilled team on paper I think what happened was yes there were injuries but they also were up three games to one with berson and Cree out um I think what happened was the Bruins

Just they ultimately they just weren’t they weren’t tested enough game in and game out last year in the regular season they weren’t playing meaningful games for real the only meaningful games they had was like can we break a record um and I think this year they they have

To they they’re not on Pace to surpass their point total from last year but the Bruins are still accumulating points at a at a at at a at an NHL best just about but they’re earning those points in a much more Blue Collar fashion because they can’t just rely on pure skill so

You might look at the standings between this year and last year and the story might say based on the standings and the points all the Bruins they’re not facing aversity this year either but they are because the points are being earned in such a different um variety this year

That it’s it’s just it’s different they have to rely on a little bit more on on uh on meat and potatoes hockey and that’s better off for them in the long run that’s what happened with Florida last year Florida was not the most talented team in the playoffs certainly

Beyond m you could chuck and Sasha barov but they found a way to play till June yeah and just to touch on the standings Bruins are now seven points clear of the rest of the Eastern Conference seven points ahead of both Florida and the Rangers and it’s funny I

Feel like it was only what last week maybe a week and a half ago that Florida had pulled within a point or two points of them and I said I’m here I was like Florida might might pull ahead of them and kind of run away in the second half

Like they they might just be a team that’s rolling I think they had w nine in a row at that point um now it’s gone the other way like now it’s the brunes that have won four in a row Florida slipped up a little bit here and all a

Sudden the brunes have have that Gap again um and you know goal different obviously 94 win HS but goal differential they’re like pulling away from the pack they’re plus 38 now Florida’s next in the east at plus 22 uh Only Vancouver and Winnipeg are better

In the whole NHL and by the way this should be a great game coming up Monday night Bruins Jets set at the Garden um obviously the Bruins got you know they were in Winnipeg just before Christmas and got embarrassed there so I think you know we all agree they’re playing a lot

Better now so this will be a kind of an interesting measuring stick game for them on Monday totally yeah especially after Yeah you mentioned the the first loss they had against against them but one of their worst games of the season but when you mentioned that about

Florida Scott uh at the time you said that because I remember looking at the standings as you mentioned that uh the Bruins were ahead of the Panthers in the standings by a point they had the same games played but the Bruins were ahead by a point but Florida at that time had

Three more wins than the Bruins and the only reason the Bruins were ahead by a point was because they ulated so many overtime losses but now as you mentioned the four-game win streak by the Bruins and Florida slipped a little bit now they have the same games played still

But the Bruns have one more win than Florida so even though that they were still ahead of Florida the whole time they were they were ahead of them with three less wins now they have one more win and it just speaks to um the direction of not so much Florida is

Going but the way that the Bruins just keep getting better and better and and the Bruins wins Scott they’re coming and they were winning earlier this year but but they weren’t convincing they were winning games that I that they were getting outshot in a lot and games that I think territorially

They were getting outplayed but right now they’re winning games on the scoreboard and they’re winning games um you know between the boards too yeah so I know we got to we have to wrap up here in a few minutes but want to make sure we talk about the defense

Um Brandon Carlo and Derek forbert both returned to the lineup on Saturday we found out Saturday morning Carlo revealed that it was another concussion for him which obviously it’s concerning it’s the sixth documented concussion of his career um he did say you know this one wasn’t as serious as some other ones

He wind up missing five games total um but he comes back in scores a nice goal actually driving driving the net and finishing off a pass from Trent Frederick um forber back in after you know a long time spent on on ltir and the corresponding moves where Mason

Lorai gets sent to Providence and Johnny beer also gets sent to Providence so even though the Bruins are now one short of a full 23 man roster because forbert makes three million and was on ltir they actually had to send two players down in order to

To activate them so what uh what we’re kind of what was your reaction to those you know those guys coming back but also uh beer and lorai being the ones to get sent down yeah beer I think you know he’s been the fourth line has looked better with boquist

And can you put beer on a wing sure but I have I guess to answer your question in short I have no issue with beer going down for now because you have to continue to earn your spot especially as a rookie and don’t forget boquist is a NHL caliber player start of

The year in obviously but you know he’s he has games under his belt at the NHL level and he has Point production under his belt at the NHL level um I would look it up right now but I I don’t want to waste time but I’m sure boquist might

Have a 15 20 point season under his belt at some point um Lura I did not like I you know I I I I hate the idea of him going down to Providence if it’s just purely transactional and it’s short term whatever but I think he’s been a a solid

Fixture and a very important player um to the Bruins back end this year he he’s very much been a part of their success and what what disappoints me most is that we all know that skill and and offensive creativity is lorai strengths ironically as a defenseman but he but

Physically and defensively he was improving with every game and I don’t like the idea of sending down a player while they’re on an incline and improving and to make room for Derek forber I get it I know I I understand there’s probably reasons contractually

And cap wise why it just has to be done but I also think it comes to the expensive Parker wspoon who we talked about last episode too and you know I’m looking at two guys in grizzli and forbert and two guys in lurine wspoon and I’d rather the the wspoon and lorai

In the lineup right now over forbert and grizzli so that’s kind of how I feel about it yeah on on beer uh yeah I think he was kind of the Natural Choice up front um he can go down without waivers so even though I think maybe he might bring you know as I

Think he does bring more to the table than Oscar Steen steam would have had to clear waivers my guess is he probably would have I don’t think he would have gotten claimed but it’s so close and you might be talking about the 13th forward that you know you might as well play it

Safe and send down the guy who doesn’t need waivers and who needs to play more like being a 13 forward up in Boston I don’t think would be all that valuable for beer like send him down to Providence let him keep playing let him work on the on really this allaround

Game I mean I keep you kind of said this earlier and like I almost have to keep correcting myself like yes the offensive part of it but there were things to be desired in his defensive game as well like you love the face offs he he’s been

Their best or second best Faceoff man all year um but that alone doesn’t keep you in the lineup so he he has stuff he can work on that’s fine steam’s 25 he he’s a little bit more at a point where he kind of is what he is you don’t

Necessarily need him playing every day for developmental purposes um on the blue line I said this last episode like I didn’t no one no one deserve to come out of the lineup no one deserve to get sent down so it it is kind of just a tough situation where you know you

Can’t like you can’t keep forbo on ltir if he’s healthy and clear to play You’re you know a player might play the game with you for a little bit where it’s like hey can you be patient we’re gonna really play it safe we have some things

We have to work out you know I think this happened a little bit with Taylor Hall last year if you remember like at one point there’s that leak through Darren Dreger that Taylor Hall had been cleared but was still on ltir like at some point you’re going to run into

Nhlpa issues if you just try to stash a guy on ltir um because no one wants like Derrick forward doesn’t want to sit there and be like okay I’m ready to play but what I have to stay on LTI so Mason Lura can keep playing like no thanks I’m

Ready to play um so some someone had to go and I think it I think grizz’s been playing better so he’s going to stay in the lineup he’s on the roster maybe there’s a trade coming at some point but I don’t think there’s anything imminent

There so it had to be either Lori or or wspoon and uh lorri can go back and forth without waivers W spoon because he he was technically an emergency recall this whole time um actually could have been sent back down but then the next time he got

Called up he would have needed waivers so no matter what you’d eventually run into a waiver situation with him and the way he’s playing I you know I think he deserves to be here like he’s played really well I think he’s kind of an ideal six seven defenseman who can

Fit in anywhere can play either side U defensively responsible and you know I guess similar to beer like you do want lorai playing every game you want him playing every night that’s ultimately what’s going to be best so if he was going to be in and

Out of the line up or not playing every day um you know you probably have to send him down but but yeah I I’m with you though like he he was playing better I think you did see so it’s unfortunate uh yeah Scott you kind of

Broke up there at the end but um yeah I mean I think what you were saying was that yeah he like it’s unfortunate because everybody involved was playing well um I mean do you think that do you think their best top six right now is uh Personnel wise is linol makoy Carlo

Lorai wspoon and shaton Kirk that’s how I again injuries happen it’s not a big deal for halfway through this season um but I I do think that’s kind of their it’s not their most experienced but so I don’t want to discredit grizzli and for birs NHL 10 years that’s

Disrespectful because they have proven to be solid NHL players um but right now I kind of like that that that six defenseman Personnel but again it’s not the end of the world it is what it is and a lot of its gamesmanship and semantics and hurdles you have to jump

Over as an NHL GM yeah I it’s so close that like I don’t but if I’m being honest I think over the last maybe week and a half two weeks I do think grizz’s probably played a little bit better of an all-around game than than Lori but it’s really close and

Like that’s a it’s a credit to both of them honestly because grizzli had really been struggling the first half of the season and I think has started to find his game again um I thought him and him and M now look it’s it’s a 94 game it’s

Montreal they’re not a playoff team but him and makoy were dominant when they were on the ice Saturday um um they were a plus three and the lindol Carlo pairing was also a plus three as a pairing um I I it’s tough like I I do think woon’s probably playing I’m gonna say

He’s playing better than forber right now like forbo looks Rusty but it’s also his first game in a month and a half um you’re gonna give him a chance to shake off the rust and try to get going here so wspoon would probably be in for me

And then lorai versus Grizzly would be very close um and that’s where like Lura loses out just because he’s he’s younger and he can go down without waivers and that’s unfortunate but it’s part of the business and he’s not it’s not the first time it’s happened with him this year

And it’s not the first time it’s happened with a young player in general yeah I mean ultimately you know barring any sort of trade that we don’t know about um One Way or Another these guys are all going to have their their fingerprints on what happens to the

Bruins this year good good bad or indiff um before we go Scott also worth mentioning Brad Martian’s 11th consecutive 20 goal season as a bruin is that correct and that’s a it’s a team record yep broke a three-way tie he berson and Johnny buus also had 10 in a

Row so he broke that tie and of course he gets asked about it after the game and the first thing he says is it’s too bad we had that lockout year or it would be my whole career which is true he he would have hit 20 that year too um so

Yeah a little unfortunately he’s got 13 total now but uh 11 straight so just an impressive feat just you know not to to his consistency year year after year and obviously he’s had quite a few seasons that have gone well above 20 and this will be another you know he’s got 20

Through 45 games um but yeah it’s it’s that’s an impressive run yeah I mean especially especially in a year like this for them it’s their Centennial season a season of honoring and and celebrating the last 100 years of the franchise and to do so in this year is

Really is really special and you know another another feather in his cap as an all-time Bruin you know obviously a top 100 player um think he made the all Bruins team as well right yeah so I mean just between him and Pastak you know witnessing we we get to watch some of

The greatest bruts ever do it um but okay so yeah so Scott you mentioned that they got the Jets on Monday that’s a great game um and yeah uh I think that probably wraps it up right yeah I think so uh only League note this is just GNA be fun to watch

How this goes is Patrick W is the new head coach of the New York Islanders Lou Lam Morello with classic you know Big L midseason bomb toss just firing his coach and bringing in Patrick W so um yeah that that’s going to be fascinating that’s a team that obviously has really

Been struggling recently and quickly falling out of the playoff race trying to uh trying to save their season and I guess you know obviously hoping this does it but they got to they got to screw and bolt down those those middle glass stes between benches down over

There in Long Island um I’m sure Patrick W will have a wonderful time and have no headaches at all trying to coach an offensively challenge Islanders team historically but yeah yeah I mean this year defense has been their problem that that team has awful defensively like if

You look at the analytics it’s so yeah I don’t I don’t know if he can save them but going to be fascinating to watch him try absolutely and what the very last note from me people watch uh Bridget on the bean poot final call Tuesday night women’s women’s Bean poot be versus nor

Eastern so go Terriers yeah yeah I mean it’s is a great great couple weeks of hockey coming up um Scott has his Terriers playing the Eagles and some backto backs before the bean poot um the men’s bean pot um that’ll be fun to watch and yeah just January February is

A great time for for hockey and uh in the in the Massachusetts in New England area so um yeah that wraps it up for Scott and I thanks for listening have a wonderful work week and we will talk to you guys on Wednesday all right

We react to the Bruins’ 9-4 win over the Canadiens and discuss the suddenly red-hot Boston offense. They break down the Bruins’ newfound offensive depth, the play of Jake DeBrusk, and Danton Heinen’s first career hat trick. Plus, was sending Johnny Beecher and Mason Lohrei down to Providence the right move?

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