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Stanley Cup Finals: Boston Bruins (A2) vs. St. Louis Blues (C3)


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Stanley Cup Finals: Boston Bruins (A2) vs. St. Louis Blues (C3)  

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  1. 1. Who wins he 2018-19 Stanley Cup?

    • Bruins sweep
      0
    • Bruins in 5
      3
    • Bruins in 6
      8
    • Bruins in 7
      2
    • Blues sweep
      2
    • Blues in 5
      1
    • Blues in 6
      7
    • Blues in 7
      4


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1 hour ago, BlueAero said:

 

Looks like these concerns are coming to fruition.  "Lethal" is exactly what the Bruins PP has been so far.  The Blues have to find a way to stay out of the box or this series is over.  Binnington being off is less of a concern....he's been money all year so I expect him to bounce back in game #4.

 

We've been in this spot in all three playoff series' so far (being handed a sound beating that is) and we've come back strong every time and on to win.  This Boston team presents perhaps a greater challenge than the Jets, Stars or Sharks but we've already shown we know how to beat them.  Now we need to just go out and do it but that won't happen unless we can stay out of the penalty box.    

Not only to stay out of penalty box, but they need to produce more goals also. In three games Blues were able to put practically 2 goals per game, which is not enough against Bruins. They just won once in OT by putting the 3rd goal in that game. And Bruins were able to put 11 goals in 3 games respectively.

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6 hours ago, Alexandron said:

Not only to stay out of penalty box, but they need to produce more goals also. In three games Blues were able to put practically 2 goals per game, which is not enough against Bruins. They just won once in OT by putting the 3rd goal in that game. And Bruins were able to put 11 goals in 3 games respectively.

 

True.  However, I'm willing to bet we're not scoring seven goals tonight no matter what.  Gotta stay out of the box to have a chance to win.  

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The fact that Zdeno Chara suffered a broken jaw on a fluke play (in much the same fashion that Vince Dunn did in the San Jose series) only serves to underscore the hard-core physicality of the game that the Blues bring to the ice.  Their jarring forecheck game (when it's on) absolutely wears the opposition out.  There were times in game #4 where the Bruins looked totally gassed.  In the second period, St. Louis had the puck on a string in the Boston zone and peppered Tuuka Rask with shot after shot for over three solid minutes.  Even though they didn't score, it was nonetheless impressive.

 

It portends very well for St. Louis that this series is going at least six games.  In their three prior playoff series' this post-season, the Blues are a perfect 6-0 in the final two games and have outscored their opponents by a combined 22-7 tally.   It's no coincidence.  By the time these late-series games arrive, they have knocked most of the fight out of their opponents.

 

Now I'm not necessarily saying that the same thing will happen against Boston but it sure is tracking that direction.  If Chara can't go (and I don't see how he can), the Bruins will be down to four regular D-men.  Without Z, they are woefully undersized against the big bruising Blues forwards.  The Blues fourth line is totally frustrating the Bruins top line of Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak.  Their down-low forecheck draws the play below the goal line and enables their defensemen to jump up into the attack.  At five-on-five, the Blues have been the dominant team without question.  

 

To quote Alex Steen, "We're not a fun team to play against".  

 

Two more wins.   

Edited by BlueAero
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2 hours ago, BlueAero said:

The fact that Zdeno Chara suffered a broken jaw on a fluke play (in much the same fashion that Vince Dunn did in the San Jose series) only serves to underscore the hard-core physicality of the game that the Blues bring to the ice.  Their jarring forecheck game (when it's on) absolutely wears the opposition out.  There were times in game #4 where the Bruins looked totally gassed.  In the second period, St. Louis had the puck on a string in the Boston zone and peppered Tuuka Rask with shot after shot for over three solid minutes.  Even though they didn't score, it was nonetheless impressive.

 

It portends very well for St. Louis that this series is going at least six games.  In their three prior playoff series' this post-season, the Blues are a perfect 6-0 in the final two games and have outscored their opponents by a combined 22-7 tally.   It's no coincidence.  By the time these late-series games arrive, they have knocked most of the fight out of their opponents.

 

Now I'm not necessarily saying that the same thing will happen against Boston but it sure is tracking that direction.  If Chara can't go (and I don't see how he can), the Bruins will be down to four regular D-men.  Without Z, they are woefully undersized against the big bruising Blues forwards.  The Blues fourth line is totally frustrating the Bruins top line of Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak.  Their down-low forecheck draws the play below the goal line and enables their defensemen to jump up into the attack.  At five-on-five, the Blues have been the dominant team without question.  

 

To quote Alex Steen, "We're not a fun team to play against".  

 

Two more wins.   

 

I'm a lifelong Flyer fan, and I don't think I've ever seen an entire team so totally committing to hitting everything in sight: every player, every zone, every shift, every opportunity. Especially in Game 4. It was something to behold. The Bruins D who are "healthy" can't be feeling great. At least whoever comes in for Chara will be "fresh". Not for long mind you.

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20 hours ago, Podein25 said:

 

I'm a lifelong Flyer fan, and I don't think I've ever seen an entire team so totally committing to hitting everything in sight: every player, every zone, every shift, every opportunity. Especially in Game 4. It was something to behold. The Bruins D who are "healthy" can't be feeling great. At least whoever comes in for Chara will be "fresh". Not for long mind you.

 

That's quite a statement considering the Flyers had perhaps the most physical team in NHL history in the 1970s.

 

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For both teams there are 0 passengers.

Everyone is buying in and selling out.

This has been an entertaining series, lots of hitting, lots of action in the areas where the men play the game.

 

Berube has to be given some credit for getting all those guys to buy in to playing a hard game.

It's like watching a whole team of 2017 Nick Boninos. Everyone is playing hard and making hard on the puck plays, it is instructive for what's needed to win in the NHL.

I still like the Tampa formula, speed and skill everywhere, and that may be what eventually wins out. Both the Bruins and the Blues are fast enough and suck to play against, lots of big strong dudes playing at a high skill level and bringing the heavy sack.

 

Colton Parayko is one of my new favorite players, that dude is bad-ass.

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On 6/6/2019 at 7:59 AM, BlueAero said:

 

That's quite a statement considering the Flyers had perhaps the most physical team in NHL history in the 1970s.

 

 

It is indeed. Impressive.  

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I love how this comment from Berube can't be twisted on him which he clearly didn't think through.

 

Yeah Berube have ever thought it be what helped you get to the finals in the first place?

 

I'm just saying it goes both ways.

 

"We were the least penalized team in the league in the first three rounds, now all of a sudden we've taken 14 penalties in one series. So, I don't know. I don't buy into all of that, to be honest with you," Berube said. "I think that we could definitely be more composed after the whistle. I think we've let some frustration get in there where we maybe do too much after the whistle. So we'll clean that up, for sure. But like I said, we were the least penalized team in the league coming into this series. I don't agree with all of the calls."

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1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

I love how this comment from Berube can't be twisted on him which he clearly didn't think through.

 

Yeah Berube have ever thought it be what helped you get to the finals in the first place?

 

I'm just saying it goes both ways.

 

"We were the least penalized team in the league in the first three rounds, now all of a sudden we've taken 14 penalties in one series. So, I don't know. I don't buy into all of that, to be honest with you," Berube said. "I think that we could definitely be more composed after the whistle. I think we've let some frustration get in there where we maybe do too much after the whistle. So we'll clean that up, for sure. But like I said, we were the least penalized team in the league coming into this series. I don't agree with all of the calls."

 

He was trying to say that nothing has changed regarding the way the team has played (but you know that).  I don't see that there has been any discrimination one way or the other when it comes to the refs dishing out bad calls or not making calls that should have been made and it has been that way in every series of the playoffs so far. 

 

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If anyone thinks the missed call cost the Bruins the game last night they weren't watching the same game I was.  The Bruins emptied the tank, threw everything they had at us and all they could muster was a single goal?  Where is their vaunted "Pefection Line" at 5-on-5?  What happened to their unstoppable power play?  Why did Rask go to sleep on Perron's goal?  I mean, you don't get a call to go your way so you just stop playing? 

 

Was it a foul?  Sure it was.  However, it's not the only call that was missed last night by a longshot and the non-calls went both ways.  Unfortunately, that's part of playoff hockey.  Cassidy didn't do his team any favors by playing the conspiracy card either.  If you are using bad calls as a justification for the fact that you are losing the series, you're probably going to lose the series.  C'mon, Bruce.  The NHL has the fix in for the Blues to win the Cup?  Sure they do.  It just took them 52 years to reveal it. 

 

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7 minutes ago, BlueAero said:

I don't see that there has been any discrimination one way or the other when it comes to the refs dishing out bad calls or not making calls that should have been made and it has been that way in every series of the playoffs so far.

 

Yup, just brutal across the board. The only pattern it makes is a sh!t-splatter of incompetence.

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20 hours ago, Podein25 said:

 

Yup, just brutal across the board. The only pattern it makes is a sh!t-splatter of incompetence.

Time to add another ref somehow, some way. Whether it be in the press box or on ice, something needs to change. They are making NFL refs look good.

Edited by FD19372
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34 minutes ago, FD19372 said:

Time to add another ref somehow, some way. Whether it be in the press box or on ice, something needs to change. They are making NFL refs look good.

 

Oh no, not the press box, let's put another ref on the ice where they belong. Hell, let's put two. It's not like 6 additional bodies on the ice matters - there's room for everyone!

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On 6/7/2019 at 12:56 PM, OccamsRazor said:

I love how this comment from Berube can't be twisted on him which he clearly didn't think through.

 

Yeah Berube have ever thought it be what helped you get to the finals in the first place?

 

I'm just saying it goes both ways.

 

"We were the least penalized team in the league in the first three rounds, now all of a sudden we've taken 14 penalties in one series. So, I don't know. I don't buy into all of that, to be honest with you," Berube said. "I think that we could definitely be more composed after the whistle. I think we've let some frustration get in there where we maybe do too much after the whistle. So we'll clean that up, for sure. But like I said, we were the least penalized team in the league coming into this series. I don't agree with all of the calls."

 

 

@Hockey Junkie

 

Here above is your coaching whining so you're ok with that it seems.

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Perhaps today is a final game for the Stanley Cup title and hope for the Blues first one on their home ice. Interesting that yesterday Carolina organization celebrated its first Calder Cup title, when their minor club Charlotte Checkers made a tremendous success as a #1 team this regular AHL season (51 wins;110 points in 76 games) as well as in a playoffs 2018-2019 season, which is for me a very rare event. Interesting rare fact for me was too, that both teams (Charlotte Checkers and Chicago Wolves) in a final game had ZERO penalties. I do not remember that for a long period of time.

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The Blues spit the bit last night and Boston was razor sharp.  Rask was awesome, Binnington not so much.  Blues pathetic PP is killing them.  Time is running out.

 

Still, anything can happen in a game seven so let's throw the dice and see what happens.  At this point, I won't be surprised either way how it turns out.  BLues have been great on the road so maybe they can do it again. 

 

One thing for sure: It's been a classic series, helluva battle between two great teams.  I just hope it doesn't end in a controversial manner no matter what happens.

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4 hours ago, Tomdog said:

Yea hopefully the refs, trying to not influence the game, don’t end up influencing the game by not making calls that need to be made. 

 

There's almost zero chance the refs won't find a way to be horrible. Their instincts will be to "let them play" and not call anything ticky tacky. Until, of course, they do. And then they make the make up call and it all goes to sh!t. It's as predictable as Gritty's bowel movements.

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21 hours ago, Podein25 said:

 

There's almost zero chance the refs won't find a way to be horrible. Their instincts will be to "let them play" and not call anything ticky tacky. Until, of course, they do. And then they make the make up call and it all goes to sh!t. It's as predictable as Gritty's bowel movements.

 

Didn't really need that visual reference but I totally concur with this sentiment.  Aside from perhaps the NBA, the NHL officiating is the absolute worst.  At some point tonight there will almost certainly be a critical call that will either be made or not made that will influence the outcome of the game.  I get the challenge the refs have but, in a game like this one, I really hope they let these players decide the game unless there is something extreme that takes place.  Problem is, defining what "extreme" means becomes the issue.  Here's to a great game and, hopefully, the first Stanley Cup championship in the history of the St. Louis Blues.  It's right there.  Go get it, boys.

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