Boston Bruins Playoff Pressure Rises | Ep. 135

0:00 Speaker 1: Can you start a podcast with me? Please? I need something to do all Jack, send it out and talk about to say thanks time watch today. Here's a chance pop fa right down the goalie scars, Oh my one a move by the rookie to on one plaster not moving in marsh get on oil dances in podcast. Wait at home right away corner poster Chester.

0:40 Speaker 2: What is that for? Most?

0:50 Speaker 1: Welcome in, everyone to another episode of Bruins Tape to tape. I will be your host today, Maria from Watertown. We are recording today's episode on Monday, March twenty third, after another busy slate of games for the Boston Bruins that will take a little bit of a dive into. But before we get down to the business of talking hockey, I'd like to welcome in my lovely co host Caroline with a K. Welcome in and congratulations on your hockey season being completed.

1:22 Speaker 2: For a much needed time to catch your breath. Yes, finally, the youth hockey season is done and over with and I have free time. My time is my own for the most part, for at least a couple more months.

1:37 Speaker 1: Until the next until the next slate of activities that your daughter brings home to you exactly. But anyways, the Bruins again, they've had a busy week, which we touched upon in our last episode. This is definitely a sprint to the finish. We are going to talk about the Bruins grinding things out for themselves and hopefully taking charge of their own destiny for a change. We'll talk about Lucas Reichel's debut. And also we are officially now on James Hagen's watch. I know because the Boston College Eagles were defeated in the Hockey East tournament over the weekend, so it should be interesting to see what transpires with that player in the coming days.

2:33 Speaker 1: Yes, yep, we've heard that he's giving it some thought.

2:39 Speaker 2: I think we all kind of know what the ultimate conclusion is going to be. It's whether or not he wants to start right now or next week or whatever. I can't imagine someone of his caliber is going to sit on the bed for terribly long on that shelf.

3:02 Speaker 1: So well, I would yeah, and I would like to think. I mean, it is, it is a really big jump, it is. So I'm wondering that, you know, even if he does make the decision to say, you know, what I do want to play up with the big boys, whether they'll be time and providence before he makes any kind of appearance with the Boston Bruins. Yeah, well, and you have to also consider the needs of the Boston Bruins at this point in time. You know, we're going to be talking about the playoff.

3:30 Speaker 2: Race and what they need to be doing, how they need to be focused going into those final few games.

3:38 Speaker 1: And while we are all very very excited to see Hagen's play in Boston, is his arrival something that we can squeeze in. I mean, certainly we've seen in the past once playoff, the playoff picture becomes a little bit clearer, they'll start to give, especially some of the older guys some load management and then they'll bring up the young folks. But it's kind of hard to say if that's gonna happen this time around, because I think that the Bruins are really gonna be fighting for that spot down right down the stretch.

4:13 Speaker 1: So is there a time is it appropriate to throw him in for a game or two? Maybe, because look at Richel. But on the other hand, didn't they do that with Tory Krug? Yeah?

4:26 Speaker 2: And I think I mean the same similar thing happened with Charlie McAvoy. He came in, Jeremy Swayman came in at the very end, but I think playoff pictures were a little bit more clear. The other thing is Hagen's really, I'm sure is considering the fact that he's in peak physical conditioning to play at a high level. Now, whether it's he goes to Providence or gets a call up for a handful of games in Boston, one would also have to imagine that the transition would be moderately easier going immediately in, as opposed to an entire summer where you're just doing your usual conditioning thing and you don't know necessarily if that's what you should be doing because you've never experienced what they need from you.

5:17 Speaker 2: So I'm sure there's a lot.

5:18 Speaker 1: To be considered. I mean, he's also still very young, and this is a very important point in his career, in his life and his development. Right. I just want to caution people. The people that you know are just chomping at the bit to have this player join the team. Yes, we're all excited about seeing how he'll be able to contribute, but if he comes in the lineup, that means somebody else is coming out of the lineup, and when the Bruins are in the thick of what they're doing right now and every point matters, I'm not sure.

5:52 Speaker 1: I don't want to call it a distraction, but that is another added layer that has to be looked at by management and more so the coaching staff. It'll be interesting to see what develops over the course of days and maybe even you know, a week or so, to see where that young man lands. The other bit of Bruin's news is that we had the debut of Lucas Reichel, and I think it was a very successful debut. And honestly, my viewpoint on that was when you encirc sometimes a new member of your team or you know, bring someone up and they're trying to make the most of their opportunity and they come in with an energy level that you think is sometimes been a little bit lacking, it becomes contagious.

6:49 Speaker 1: And I thought his energy level on Thursday in his debut against the Winnipeg Jet, I think it filtered down to everybody else because I thought that game was really fast paced.

7:05 Speaker 2: Yeah, yes, that was definitely a shot in the arm. We see when there are various kinds of changes that happen. Whether it's GM changes or coaching changes or player changes, all of those things can result in these little bumps, a little boost. Sometimes change is good and in this case, exactly, You've got a kid who he was an immediate impact.

7:30 Speaker 1: I mean immediate. He scored on his first day.

7:34 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've enjoyed watching him that first game. That night, I had actually started listening to the game because I was in the car, and my very first question to the Discord group when I got home was what's up with him? Because I keep hearing his name, And then shortly after I asked how he was doing, he scored his first goal. He's very noticeable, and I hope it keeps going that way.

8:00 Speaker 1: So for his sake, I think it's incumbent upon these players that are given the opportunity to make the most of the opportunity you are given, make it hard for the coaching staff that have to take you out of the lineup. Yes, exactly, exactly. Let's right now, before we dive into the week that was for the Bruins, let's take our usual spin around the rank and we're going to start with some really sad and tragic news in that Jesse Pearce, who is a writer for NHL dot com and was also very heavily involved in the Minnesota Wild Flaky community, she and her three children tragically passed away in a house fire on Saturday.

8:49 Speaker 1: And you know, there are absolutely no words and anybody can say that can speak to the devastation of something like that occurring. I just I can't even you can't even fathom it. I can't even imagine it. You know, you feel heartbroken for family and friends who are left behind in a situation such as this. So our condolences to Jesse's family and friends. Yeah, horrible, horrible news. Anyways, so yeah, we we we move on. We have two teams that have officially clinched playoff spots, no big surprise, the Colorado Avalanche.

9:28 Speaker 1: They've pretty much been a bit of a wagon for most of the season. They've had some ups and downs. They kind of bring them back to earth on occasion. The other team that has also clinched a spot despite a loss on the night that they did clinch with the Dallas Stars.

9:44 Speaker 2: Well, and I do have to say, you know, all right, yes, well done Colorado, Well done Dallas.

9:52 Speaker 1: However, it's a heck of a lot easier to do that in the West. Yeah. Well, and you know, we talked a little bit about this off air before we started recording, and we'll touch upon it now. But that Pacific Division is a bit of a joke. There are teams in the Eastern Conference who are boasting better records than some of the teams in the Pacific, who are not going to make the playoffs. They're chasing like wild cart spots. Yet some teams in the Pacific Division are likely going to make the playoffs with less than ninety points under their belts.

10:32 Speaker 1: I mean, they're likely not going to get to one hundred point mark.

10:36 Speaker 2: No, at this point, the last I heard, to make the playoffs in the East, teams are going to have to get one hundred points, and it's something like eighty is the threshold to make it in the West. And part of that is the significant drop off in points in the Pacific. So, to put some context again, it's March twenty third when we're recording this, so might change a tiny bit by the time you hear this. In the Pacific, you have Anaheim, they have eighty two points, eighty two points, eighty two points, which is less than every team already in.

11:25 Speaker 1: The playoff structure in the right, that's your division leader, right, Okay, Vegas with seventy eight, Edmonton with seventy seven, the Kings with seventy three, and so I mean Vancouver only has fifty points this season. Fifty points. And I know we've talked a little bit back and forth about this in the East, where you know, is is it parody? Is it mediocrity? But I guess I have to lean more towards because I've said, you know, a little bit of mediocrity, but now looking at this, I have to say it's more there's more parody in the East.

12:04 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think we're just spoiled, Maria in that the competition is that much tighter and that much better in the East. There's always been a tighter competition in the East. It's been like that for a very very long time. But this seems to me like a very stark contrast in comparison.

12:21 Speaker 1: That is what is gross about the playoff formatting right now. And there's been a lot of conversation about that recently, both during national broadcast games by their analysts on TNT and ESPN, and you know, you listen to guys like you know, Chris Chellios and Mark Messier, and no, I don't think that they Darren Pang was very vocal about it. They are not enamored with this formatting why soever, because you are going to have some really good elite teams who are going to wind up getting knocked out of the playoffs.

12:56 Speaker 1: And I think that's a disservice to the players in the franchises who have worked hard under a striped calf, because the cap is real in the NHL and it just doesn't seem to be a good system of rewards here, and I think it does a disservice to the fans. This is the Stanley Cup playoffs are the best professional sports playoffs by far of any of the four major sports. And then to potentially have it watered down because you're all too stubborn to make changes, it's nonsense and it's I think it's bullshit, but it is to us right well.

13:42 Speaker 1: And Gary Bettman recently just came out too saying he's like it's not changing, blah blah blah. It's like, okay, well, this is why we blew you no. Because they want some of these small market teams right to get playoff gates. Right, Well, whatever it takes to get Edmonton there, right, What is this? I just wonder if this will be a topic of conversation, you know, at potentially at owners meetings or the next GM meetings, because there's there's been a lot of chatter about it, especially this season because of what you're seeing.

14:16 Speaker 1: Now, can they justify it by saying, oh, well, it's just because Colorado and Dallas and Minnesota have just been beaten the piss out of all these chains in those divisions within their conference. I don't know, maybe there's some of that. They're that good because you're gonna be playing teams in your division the most, right, You're gonna have your four games there, then you're gonna have three games with the teams and the other division in your conference. Well, if the other division in your conference is terrible, you're going to rack up points.

14:48 Speaker 1: You are going to rack up those points. And I'm not saying that those three teams that you mentioned are not legitimately good and not a legitimate.

14:58 Speaker 2: Threat, like they absolutely are, but the hurdle is not nearly as high as it is for.

15:05 Speaker 1: Teams in the East, right, right, right, right right. I feel like that's just how it's going to be for a little while. So kind of a preview to the penalty box, the East versus the West situation, because again as a Bruins fan, I'm irritated as a hockey fan in the East, like I love this, this is this is fun, this is what it's all about. But it's not fair, Maria, It's not fair. No, but we all know life isn't fair. So it's just to me, like the resistance of even considering making a change, I think there is there is what pisses me off.

15:40 Speaker 1: And this is where I think there's a big difference between the NHL and the NFL. Say what you will about Roger Goodell and sometimes those owners, they do listen and they do make changes all the benefit of their league, of their players, and of fans. AnyWho, we digress. Next bit of news around the rink. AJ Greer was apparently suspended for three games for his actions during a game he boarded playing center Zari And that wasn't in person too, That was pretty that was a pretty well you know there's a suspension coming when they say in person, yes, yes.

16:23 Speaker 1: And then the final bit of news from around the rink is Alex Ovechkin. Yes, a thousand goals, a thousand goals. This guy is just an enigma. He's just unbelievable. He's certainly earned that, and he's it's kind of funny. He's a player who has evolved certainly over his career to the point where at this at this juncture, he's his one job is to stand in his spot and shoot the fuck and still can get it in. You know, he doesn't have to skate around the ring like crazy person anymore.

17:01 Speaker 2: At forty one years of age. He can just stand there and he gets it in. So that's all that matters. And he keeps racking it up and somehow nobody can stop him.

17:10 Speaker 1: No, it's just an amazing it's an amazing feat and I just wonder if it's going to be a feat that. I don't know i'll see it in my lifetime again. But it's crazy. Yeah, absolutely crazy. So congrats to the great eight. Yeah eight. All right, Now down to the business of the Boston Bruins. Since our last episode, the Bruins have played four games. They had two I guess I want to say kind of frustrating. I don't want to say heartbreaking but frustrating overtime losses, one to the New Jersey Devils by a score four to three and the other to the Montreal Canadians by a score I know three, that one, That one pisses me off more than the Devil's one did.

17:58 Speaker 1: But it's mostly just because it's the Halves, right, yes, just because it's always about beating the halves. But they did secure two points, but their level of play was okay. You see instances of good play and then instances of what are you guys doing? Like how are you letting these guys basically have the run of the front of your net where you're you know, solely relying on your goaltender. And Jeremy Swayman has been so, so, so good. Even if Marco Stern gave him credit for that huge win against the Red Ones on Saturday eight night, if it wasn't for Swaymen, not only did he keep them in the game, but he pretty much won that game for him.

18:49 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was an interesting week because the Devil's game that game was insane.

18:57 Speaker 1: The Bruins came out, they were doing.

19:00 Speaker 2: Fine, and the Devils came back and they made their push and they couldn't do it, and so they decided to not play hockey anymore.

19:11 Speaker 1: And it turned into a circus. On one hand, highly entertaining because you just kept thinking, like, what what are we doing here? It was a little.

19:20 Speaker 2: Bit frustrating that the Bruins lost that, like in the very final couple of seconds, seconds of Oh my god.

19:30 Speaker 1: I hate those type of goals, I really really do, because and I hate the fact that you attitude to nothing lead and you came out the second period and you weren't ready for the push from the Devils. Simply weren't right.

19:45 Speaker 2: But then the Devils had this complete collapse of discipline and the Bruins did a pretty good job of staying the course. It was just irritating because we've seen how many times they've had those games and then they became they became the undisciplined ones, and they blew the game because of their lack of discipline.

20:10 Speaker 1: And yet here's a game where the opponent.

20:12 Speaker 2: Did what they have done in the past and the Bruins didn't get rewarded.

20:19 Speaker 1: So that was a little bit frustrating. And then of course in Montreal, I mean and just just at least, you know, Pasta Pasta Nemo was sent and received by Pasta about the need for him to shoot more, shoot more and try to score goals. And so he did have a goal and Pavel Zaka's continuing his teir as well thankfully, right another HATI watch, I'm curious about Pasta. So they interviewed him during I think the Detroit game, and he kind of would reference something to the fact that he's like, oh, yeah, I changed sticks whatever.

20:58 Speaker 1: Okay, maybe that's a thing. However, I wonder if he was maybe trying to take on too much responsibility in trying to feed and support other players to get them to, you know, score goals. And because we've certainly seen that, like his points this season are primarily in assists. He got his five hundredth career assists the other night. Something happened in the last week or so where I don't know, like you said, Memo received the decision was it's been nice that you're trying to help others and trying to get depth scoring with your playmaking.

21:43 Speaker 1: However, however, you are our lead scorer. That's your job.

21:49 Speaker 2: Yeah, we just need the goals, right, so sometimes you're trying to It's like you've got, you know, kids, and you're trying to teach them how to do things like we're gonna fold the laundry together, or we're gonna cook a meal together, so you can learn how to do that. But sometimes you only have five minutes and you're like, you're not I'm doing it. I'm gonna do it because I can do it faster, and we're gonna so we can get the thing done. And so I kind of wonder if there's a little bit of that going on, right because he certainly has taken charge.

22:17 Speaker 1: Well, and he needs to because he is our elite scorer, and I can appreciate we have him for a reason what he's been doing. But now it's it's crunch time. David. Yes, I was worried going into that Detroit game because of how similar the two teams were going into it with their stat lines, with the stat lines of individual players. I was concerned that once again, as we have seen this Bruin's team do time and time again, that they were going to make Gibson the Detroit goalie, look like a right right and I think Pasta's actions on the ice really obviously helped prevent that from happening.

23:06 Speaker 1: So that was a big relief that that didn't happen. And there was some depth to that game in terms of scoring as well. So I'm happy. I'm happy.

23:14 Speaker 2: It was a messy start to the week, but they finished strong and that's all that we can hope for at this point because of the remaining schedule.

23:26 Speaker 1: And that Winnipeg game game, we need to touch upon that because you know that saw Hunter hellibuck in't it? And boy, oh boy, he looked a little bit lost and out of sorts. The Bruins end up ended up winning that game six to one, with a variety of different scores, but goals by I think six different players. Yeah, well the Bruins. Yeah. Which when when is the last time that flippant happened? It's been a minute, It's been a minute. The ones that did not score, who would have been a continuing source of concern in that game, Yes, or Morgan Geeky and Elias Lindholl Yes, although one of them did score a goal in Detroit.

24:13 Speaker 1: He did, And let me tell you a funny story about that, because true to form, for me, I call morning brew up and this is what happens when I call out a player. How many times has this happened? Oh my god, call him out during my phone call? What is wrong with him? Is there a lingering issue? Does he have a malaise? How long are we going to wait for this guy to get going and lo and beholds he answers the call.

24:39 Speaker 2: So now you just got to call in and complain about Morgan geeky and we should be good.

24:43 Speaker 1: I guess you will be my next target for next sea if he doesn't get off the schneg here with these upcoming games. And I think those two guys not going too have had a detrimental impact on the power play as well. Yes, like the Bruins entries on the power plays are just on belief and not in a good way, and not in a good way.

25:03 Speaker 2: Well, and I feel like it's Bruin's tradition over the last five years that it's this time of the season when the power play just ceases to exist.

25:13 Speaker 1: That's the three years at a row bread we have been giving, you know, Steve Potts so much, so much credit or the change is made to the power play.

25:23 Speaker 2: But we've got one, two, three, four, five divisional games left. We also have games against two games against Columbus. They have actually finally made the jump into their the third spot for their division. However, it's all still super close, so that game's gonna matter. We want to see them do well against Toronto just because it's Toronto anyways.

25:53 Speaker 1: But important we've got Buffalo and that's that Buffalo game. Pay attention to that because I think Buffalo's going to want to make a statement. Yes, I agree, yeah.

26:06 Speaker 2: Because it's been have they I can't remembers have the Bruins played Buffalo since they got good.

26:12 Speaker 1: I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't think so. So this is gonna be the first time that they've played against each other since their meteoric rise. The Bruins have probably one of the hardest remaining schedules of yes, any team in the league. They need to have their head on swivel and they need to be focused, and they need to play complete sixteen minute games. Here. You cannot take your foot off the gas against any of these opponents. Who is getting stiff taps this week from us So.

26:40 Speaker 2: Obviously Pasta for his five hundred assists, that's absolutely massive. It puts him at number nine. I mean, he's still been at number nine in assists, but he's closing in pretty quickly on Wayne Cashman, who has five hundred and sixteen. So I think that it's still very much so a possibbility for him to put himself into eighth place overall in Bruin's history. But then also just the fact that he's really stepped it up and it's been again that bumpy ride since the Olympic break, and his leadership has been outstanding, absolutely standing.

27:21 Speaker 2: And you know, speaking of leadership, the other team leader, Charlie McAvoy, I mean, he's been with the exception of maybe one or two games, he's been that powerhouse workhorse that we love to see that we always want to see more of. He's been having those kind of games, So that's been fantastic to see and we just we want to keep seeing more of that. So that's another stick tap for me as well as of course the debut for Riichel and Jeremy Swayman. Ami Swayman has been pretty damn good, pretty damn good, and he needs to keep being pretty damn good if this team is going to have any chance.

28:00 Speaker 1: Absolutely absolutely, he cannot take his foot off. Nope, nope, no, no, no, no, nope, I agree agree penalty box, who's in the box?

28:12 Speaker 2: Well, power Play continues to be just absolutely atrocious, although on the flip side, I forgot one other stick tap than the penalty kill.

28:21 Speaker 1: We can only have one, apparently at any given time we're gonna have one. So power Play. As much as I have always enjoyed Boston having a very strong pqu, it was nice when they had a really good power Play, and the fact that it stinks is terrible. Elias Linnholm, we need more from him. That was nice, but he needs to build on that, right, and both in the power Play and five v five it is imperative that he and Geeky get going again. Yeah, figure it out, guys, figure it out sooner rather than later, please.

28:59 Speaker 1: And then of course my complaints about playoffs. Yeah, we touched upon that. You know what, it's heer, No, it's not right, but no one's going to listen to us. So that's going to wrap up this week's episode. We touched upon the Bruins have another busy slate of games, all with significance and implications to their playoff positioning, so we will follow up with another episode next week in the hope that we have nothing but good things. Yes say after this series of games, but in the meantime, please make sure that you like and subscribe to find more content, and please be sure to leave a rating for us that helps other Bruins fans find us.

29:46 Speaker 1: You can also support our little podcast by joining our Patreon or by following us on our socials. You can find us at tape to tape MP and on substack at tape to tate, n K dot substeck dot com. Any closing thoughts, go bees Gobs