That was the team we all know and love, it feels good to be able to administer that kind of beatdown.
First things first, obviously we come away with a very mixed bag. It will be absolutely devastating if Markstrom's injury is anything longer than a month on the shelf. Intellectually, I was well aware that we won't get any sort of real diagnosis or actual specific timeline (probably lower body, week-to-week) but emotionally I was investigating Orthopedic certifications from Caribbean Med Schools until about 3am, so I can let everyone know what we are looking at. But alas, it apparently takes an "MRI" and a "Doctor" to "actually evaluate him" so we are just going to have to be patient. Good thing he is a Viking.
I will say that Jake the Snake was excellent in relief, making a few key saves (especially a 2 on 1 at the end of the second) that really helped crush the hopes and dreams of the Big Bad Bruins. He wound up saving 16 of 16 with 1.39 GSAx. Tidy work. We really need this guy to step up obviously, and I would venture to say Nico Daws gets a call up.
We have 7 games (MTLx2, PHIx2, BUF, VGK, PIT) until 4 Nations, which may or may not be very fortuitous timing as a break for Markstrom's health. Of those games, we easily shoulllldddddd go 6-1, but MTL is the hottest team in the league, Philly plays us tough, and Vegas is a wagon. There is enough spacing between games to see Jake realistically get 6 of the 7 starts, but we will see how things shake out, remember I'm not a doctor. Or the coach.
Ok on to the game which started out a little bit rough. The new look lines were just a little off and it just looked like more of the same: good rush chances, limited O-zone time for us, giving up a lot of O-zone time to them, Swayman robbed Noesen, 1-0 them. Usual stuff. Our old whipping boy and noted enthusiast of shooting wide Pavel Zacha read Bratt like a book, luring him into an ill-advised cross-ice pass high in the defensive zone, a 101 no-no. Siges and Kova were left flat footed against a quick 3 on 2. Never turn the puck over at either blue line kids. Bing bang boom (gotta hand it to Pasta, that was a slick pass) and it's in the net. Maybe Siegs could've been tighter on Geekie, but this one is on Jesper.
We did get the better HD Chances in the 1st: Bratt tried his best to make up for that turnover leading to a glorious SH oppo for Jack, Luke had a nice little rush in-zone that got snuffed out last second, the aforementioned Noesen chance.. Contrary to the scoreboard, we were the better team, and came away from the 1st up 12-5 in shots. But we've seen this enough, BECAUSE IT JUST HAPPENED LAST GAME, to know this wasn't a good sign again.
We didn't collapse this time though and the 2nd was an offensive explosion, just an absolute federal prison treatment period and the boys got rewarded in spades. I won't get into each goal specifically but more focus on themes that led to each goal. Also, I'm sad because all four of my Goal Scorer bets didn't hit - so it's off to ditch digging school for the kiddos. (This is a joke, please gamble responsibly e.g. don't bet on Bastian goals).
First, I love to see the PP get back on track, it looked really girthy and veiny last night. It had looked a little better of late, and chances were there, but they weren't burying anything. Douglas Entertainment Hamilton got his 2nd in 3 games - almost as if putting him in places to shoot, and letting him swing away, is a successful strategy. Great patience by Bratt on the right flank to hold and find that seam. In the 3rd, our Swiss King Nico showed his beautiful tip, off of, wait for it... a Dougie shot on the PP. Thoughts and prayers to the league if some positive regression comes for the Professor. There was a ton of good motion, and Jack spent a lot of time flipped with Bratt (right flank, left flank/point) - not sure if this was by design or just gameflow, but with Jack being an adventure high in the zone of late, not a bad strategy Mr. Colliton, let's see how this plays out.
Noesen's goal on the PP really exemplified what happens when you simplify things, funnel pucks to the net - you get some puck luck. Almost as if you make your own luck. hmm. Mercer's first goal was similar as we got a great bounce after Timo threw a backhander to the net and Mercer spun and finished. That line of Mercer-Timo-Dowling was fucking nails last night and quite possibly the best game of the for each individual and collectively. The line registered a whopping 90.3% xGF share, controlled shots, play, zone time, and were just outstanding all night and put the Bruins in a blender all game.
And you know what else was cool? That line did all that without any real rush chances - it was largely derived by in-zone cycling - how they scored Dawson's 2nd of the night, on a filthy tic-tac-toe play. I still think a 3C upgrade is our biggest need to upgrade Dowling, but he has been an admirable fill in and we absolutely have something here with Mercer-Meier. If you look at some of their 22-23 numbers together they are bonkers: through 53 minutes, they had a 15-3 HD Chances advantage, and a 61-39 Corsi advantage. Last year was obviously down for everyone and with Timo hurt, and my agenda here, we don't look at those numbers. This year that pairing has come back to life this season over 287 minutes together, netting out at 16-5 goal advantage.
I really loved the effort last night, and I mentioned this last blog: drawing penalties is a sign of effort - and it was soo so so so so much better last night after drawing 7 penalties. We also had an insane sequence in the 2nd, just 4 minutes of absolute chaos, and in-zone possession. They managed to cycle through 2 full line changes and it was started by the MDM line and finished by the MDM line. Hats off to Swayman who was flailing about stopping everything. Simplify, pucks to the net, you get bounces, you control play, play through the body. Loved it.
So about those lines. Timo-Dowling-Mercer works, no notes. Nico-Bratt-Noesen was just ok, but were on the wrong side of chance generation: 39% Corsi and 46 xGF%. Jack-Cotter-Bastian did ok in terms of metrics, but really looked like 3 guys playing totally different games. Not sure if we get Haula or Palat back against Montreal, but I imagine we might see some more tinkering. I do know that MacDermind is not a viable NHL player, and really shouldn't see the ice. He should be going after Brazeau's family right now after throwing him into the Passaic, but if he's not going to fight, he can't be out there - and he took a lazy stick penalty to boot. To steal a joke (you know who you are if you're reading this), he looks like he has to actively think while he is skating: Left Right Left Right Left Right Penalty. We need to sort out our forward depth, and I hope Fitz is playing it thin to accumulate cap space.
I wanted to quickly shout out Siegs - we had been pining for a little more toughness and grit, and turns out we have had an assassin in our midst this whole time. He has been in the center of most of our scrums, and it's kinda funny how a quiet unassuming Swiss-Thai guy can make people so angry. Just a reminder that he is a pretty big boy, 6'2" 220 and has re-emerged as the best defensive D-man in the league. Hell Yeah Jonas.
It was wonderful to see Jacques get honored and man that brought back some memories. I wish some of the younger generation got to experience him - while he was a tough coach, he did it in a very human and positive way. Just too many words to describe an extraordinary man, and as you can see by the ex-player turnout and all of the stories that NHL Network showed some of - he was deeply admired.
The Quarter Century teams were announced, and I feel like Nico and Kovy were snubbed. Oh well, moving on.
Montreal is one of the best teams in the league since the holiday, so Saturday will be a real test - they play high event/high scoring hockey and the Bell Center will be bumping. We can take advantage of a leaky D Corps, but need to stay structured and focused as they certainly have some game breakers in Laine and Caulfield, and begrudgingly, Hutson. It would be extra funny if we called Nemec up just to say "you will NEVER EVER HAVE HIM" but Fitz doesn't have the balls to troll them.
Suck a dick Steve,
LGD
