Bruins vs Lightning Instant Reaction: Boston Loses First Game of Year | Bruins Beat

Bruins vs Lightning Instant Reaction: Boston Loses First Game of Year | Bruins Beat

And here we are. Live Bruins beat after a uh 43 loss to Tampa. I’m Evan Marinowski joined by Mark Diver. We’re presented by Prize Picks. Go use that promo code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. And of course, remember to go uh subs, you know, subscribe to Burns Ringside on YouTube. We’re going to be doing more of these, which the reaction after uh the home opener or the season opener was great, which was great. Uh so we’ll have more of these. And make sure if you don’t like watching us, you can go subscribe wherever you get your podcast from. Bruins Speed, Poke the Bear, Pucks with the Hags, on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get them. And uh there’s lots of other great on stuff, too. Celtics all access, Patriots Press Pass, they are in full swing. I’m Marinowski, Mark Diver. Mark, what’ you think? Well, you know, they’re three and one after four games. I think uh any you know, a lot of uh a lot of us uh you know would take that will take that after four games. I think there’s been uh there’s been a lot of positives. I think today uh you know that first period wasn’t good. It looked like it might get away from them, but it didn’t. And I think that’s uh not that there’s any moral victories here, but the fact that they were able to battle back and make a game of it uh right down to the end is uh is a good sign because last year what you know we saw games like this get away from them a number of times and that didn’t happen. So that was one of my big takeaways too was like if this was last year they lose that game 7-2 that’s an easy seven to2 loss. pack it in. And that’s what it felt like, especially with those early goals. And then they give one up the second the um second period starts, too. And it’s like, all right, well, this is this is the way it’s going to go today. And they were due for one of these. And they claw back. They clawed back. They had a lot of chances. They had chances early, too. They just, you know, couldn’t get sticks on pucks, things like that. Um, I think the first thing, you know, we can talk about those are those turnovers early. I mean, Makavoy doesn’t sense the pressure behind him, gets his pocket picked, leads to a goal. A door off, blatant turnover, leads straight to a goal. He’s running around the zone. And then Peak also sort of turned the puck over, kind of flung off his stick and up the boards. They immediately capitalized on that. Um, again, I think it just shows the margin for error with this team is so thin that, you know, defense is supposed to be a strong suit for them. It wasn’t in the first, you know, two periods of this game. And they got fortunate at the other end, too. I mean, Tampa’s defense wasn’t great. Their goalending certainly wasn’t great, but it just I think it goes to show the the margin of error uh that they have is very very very thin this year, especially your D can’t be turning pucks over like that. No, you can’t. Uh you can’t at all. And uh they um you know, obviously those things are correctable. They’re fixable. Um it’s just a question of getting it right. And uh you know the guys making those errors, you know, let’s face it, they’re they’re guys making big money and you don’t expect that from them, but you know, it’s the NHL and uh you know, things like that happen. And when it’s a a team with uh the offensive firepower of Tampa Bay, then there’s a lot of times they’re going to make it pay. And and they did. They did. And Makavoy a rough one today. I mean, I don’t think that’s I’m not saying anything new. Makavoy had a bad one. Um, played a lot of minutes obviously there at the end, but defensively, pucks, all that stuff. I thought he had a uh he had a rough one. And I mean, again, I I do give them credit. Like Michael just said, safe to say they’re not going to tank this year. Down three and 4-1. Came back to make a game of it. I agree they don’t. They don’t look like a tanking team. And I don’t think either of us, Mark, thought that they were going to be a tanking team, but I think if there was any doubt, I know it’s only four games in, but they don’t look like a team that’s that’s tanking. I mean, right now, they’re getting production from everywhere. Geeky scores one today. Middlestat scores one. Jordan Harris jumps in on a twoon-one. Props to Jordan Harris, by the way, as like a as a, you know, he’s kind of a six, seventh defenseman stepping up there in a twoon one. Most of most guys are like, you know what, I got to pass this off. I can’t, you know, this is a primary scoring chance. I can’t be the one taking this shot. He shoots it and clearly I don’t know if it was a pre-cout on Johansson, but low blocker seemed to be the move uh on him, but props to Jordan Harris. He’s played well in the two games and you know, he shot from distance. It wasn’t like he went in right on top of the goalie and fired it. He he was out there and uh you know got the shot off and that may have fooled you know or caught the goalie a little bit you know unhawares not expecting a shot at that point but uh yeah he’s he you know he he didn’t look like a seventh defenseman today. That’s what he is. But you know at this point I don’t know how uh you could expect more from the guy you know two games in. He’s uh he’s played well. He’s he’s done everything they want him to do. Two games, two points. When His Lindhols comes back, which I want to talk about in a bit, it’s like who’s coming out? You know, Harris is kind of playing his way in. I think that he’s probably the one out, but we’ll talk about I want to talk about Hind in a bit because I think there’s more there um than I mean, it’s been two games now, but I think this, you know, in general getting the scoring that they have and, you know, look, it’s not pretty scoring. I mean, you look at, you know, Geeki’s goal was a snipe off a, you know, set play off a draw. That was cool. Harris’s is a twoon-one. You’re not expecting that. Um, Middle stat was also a shot from out high, too. I mean, it was a nice play, but again, that’s just a shot from borderline high danger area, but it was, you know, memory serves, that was kind of the outer part of the slot. They’re just shooting the puck. I mean, even against Buffalo on uh on Saturday night, Castellic just turns and chucks one on net. And I think you’re seeing them reap the benefits of just just chuck it on net. They’re not skilled enough to dity do with it and do what the Lightning did on that power play late in the game where it was like bing bang boom and point has a chance in front. They don’t have that skill. So I do like that they’ve switched to a shot first mentality. Yeah, the I I agree. The volume of shots is uh is the way to go for them. uh given that uh you know they don’t have the guys who can uh who can dangle around and uh and make tic-tac-toe plays. I think just throwing it on the net and you know getting in there for for any rebounds that might be there that’s uh that’s the way to to go and uh it’s been working so far. So uh credit to them if uh I’m guessing that’s the game plan and it’s it’s working. And I think that’s also why you see a guy like Jordan Harris come down. And I think in his mind in that split second, he’s thinking, well, if I pass it over and it gets picked off, what a what a waste. And if I get too close to the net and the defender knocks the puck away, what a waste. Let me just shoot this thing. And maybe there’s a rebound, maybe it’s an offensive zone faceoff, whatever it is. Yeah. Just get the puck on net. Sterm’s talked about this a number of times where it’s like he’s talked about how he gets annoyed when they fall into bad habits. And by bad habits, he means passing the puck around and trying, you know, to get the best possible chance. Um, and you’re seeing more and more even like, you know, Victor Arvdson kind of coming down the wing. He’s throwing pucks to the middle and trying to get rebounds and rebounds were plenty today on Hansen. So like I think that was the the smart move there. I mean, I think when you look back at this game, like I I I feel this way. I mean, obviously with the Bruins, it’s different because they’re 82 games, but like with the Patriots, I look back at that Steelers game and go my god, they had those five turnovers. If they have three instead of five, they win that football game. I think you can look at this game. Obviously, the turnovers are bad. Makavoy needs to be better. Zadorov certainly needs to be better with the puck in his own zone. I think that’s all true, but you limit two of those, you’re in a better spot. Like, you have a you might be the winner in this game. Like, they’re those are very correctable mistakes. They still weren’t great defensively in the first half of the game. I thought I thought they were missing a lot of assignments. Corposalo bailed them out a couple of times, but I don’t know. I don’t think this is a, you know, oh my god, the Lightning were so much better. They’re more skilled than you. I mean, that’s like every team, but they like I I I give them credit. Today could have been a a big letdown and it and it wasn’t. Yeah. And you know, the Lightning Stamos obviously has been gone for over a year now. Cucharov didn’t didn’t have one of his vintage games today. you know, he he certainly was noticeable. He always is, but uh he you know, some of the guys who scored are, you know, not household names in uh in the Tampa Bay lineup, but uh you know, they got enough to uh to get through. Um and the, you know, that depth scoring, you know, is important on any team. The Bruins, that’s what the Bruins are hoping for and uh what every team is hoping for. Not not everyone gets it, but so far Boston Boston has. It’s been uh it’s been pretty decent so far. I think Middlestat he’s got two goals now, right? Two goals in four games, you know. I mean, I’m not the world’s biggest Middle fan, but he’s played well. He The goal he got the other night was uh I forget which game it was. Was it uh against the Blackhawks? You know, he’s right in there in the blue paint. That’s where you got to be, you know, to to pick up a goal like that. And and then today, you know, a nice shot from a from a good distance. Uh, you know, he’s looked good. He’s looked good. He has. And I think what what makes you kind of like rip your hair out with him is when he has those mid ice turnovers or kind of lacadasical turnovers, you know, high in the offensive zone. And the last couple games those haven’t really been there. And I think what you’ve seen is, as Michael alludes to, he’s got a little bit of speed. Arvitzson certainly has it. And it’s kind of it’s forcing defenders low in zones. And then Zaka’s kind of open higher in the zone I’ve noticed is like sort of the third guy high. Um but Middlestat’s vision is good. I mean you saw it on the I think it was the power play. Um connect trying to connect with Arvidson at the far post. Arvdson you know almost knocks it in. Like I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Middle so far. Um I’m with you. Like I I I was also with you in like kind of being skeptical and during camp when they had him on the third line with not super offensive guys. I was kind like what’s your plan here? I see it now on that second line. I see like I think that he’s in the right spot. He’s with the right kind of guys. You got speed naron. You got skill and zach. I think that’s a good mix for him. He has to be with guys who can finish at least a he can’t be with guys who are, you know, chopping the puck up when they get it. He He’s got to be uh he’s got to be with guys that at least have a little bit of offense uh in their game. And uh you know, we’ve uh we’ve seen that I so far and you know whether he uh whether he keeps that up. I think coming out of uh when he was younger and drafted in the first round I think his vision was one of his uh was one of his the things scouts looked at and said yeah this guy this guy sees it and we’ve seen some of that and uh we need to continue to see it and more of it if possible uh here going forward from him. It’s funny like you look at some of these guys who started off hot like Elias Lindholm has looked good so far. Middlestat and it’s funny because last year I remember Middle had like five points in the first three games and remember thinking like oh my god like he they’re cooking like the Bruins are in a good spot with him and then he completely fell off a cliff for most of the rest of the year. I think the most important thing is this upcoming trip keeping that going. Um and I I don’t think Sturm’s going to move off any of these lines. Um, I think we saw Carali with Jano and Acimont very late in the game. Um, but I I I I don’t feel the need to change any lines right now. I don’t know how you feel. Well, I wonder if uh getting a guy like V in the lineup at some point in the next couple games might be uh might be an idea. Uh, you know, you don’t want him sitting out too long. It’s been it’s been like two weeks since he played a game. Uh I I believe uh you know if the plan is uh is for him to just be there and throw him in the lineup when they face somebody where there might be a fight then then that’s one thing. But putting him in there uh in the next game, I don’t know if there’s uh I mean, who would uh who would come out? I I I don’t know uh who that would be. But uh I don’t I don’t know either because I get the idea from like a perspective of they play, you know, th those bottom those bottom two lines play a really physical game. You can’t play 82 games like that. If you got to give a guy a night off, you have VL in the system. Yeah. Would it be you’re not going to take uh Jano out of there? Uh you know, and he’s he’s on the third line, I believe, now. Uh so I don’t know who who uh who sits. ACmont’s been good, you know. I I don’t know about his consistency, you know. Maybe uh maybe they might decide he needs a night off. I don’t know. I don’t know who it would be. Maybe maybe uh maybe it’s not time for that yet. Maybe they should just roll into the next game with what with what they have and uh and go from there. If somebody kind of drops the ball a little bit in the next game, then maybe it’s time for V. Or maybe they, you know, maybe the plan all along was to get him start the season with him, see what happens, and uh at some point send him down to Providence where uh let’s face it, you know, I think a lot of us thought that’s where he would be and maybe where he belongs. Uh so maybe that’s I mean, it kind of would be not great to have him make the team, work hard enough to make the team out of camp and then not even get a game. So, I’d be surprised if that was if that were the case, but uh you know, I don’t know. I don’t know what the right spot is to to plug him in there. And it’s not Houston Deanoff either because Houston’s on that second power play unit. I do love this comment from Aiden. What a blessing there isn’t a guy we all want out of the lineup yet. I I’ll hand up. I thought four games in going out west I’d be like, “Yep, change all the lines.” Like, this isn’t working. I thought the middle six being a blender. It hasn’t been. I mean, like third line has been effective. Mitten’s been effective and good and second line as we just talked about like Zaka and Arvdson and Middlestat like they’ve clicked. Fourth line’s been effective. Like I that’s why like I I agree you want to get guys in but I don’t know. Lines are kind of working right now. I don’t I don’t know. No, nobody’s nobody’s played their way out of the lineup at this point. Nobody. So I guess you just roll with it until uh until somebody does. If that happens, it’ll happen some point. It’ll happen. There are some comments in here about the team’s character and just sort of about like there was a I want to get into the Postronox empty net save and then they hit on Cooer off and I want to get into sort of just big picture stuff. Uh but first our friends of course over at Prize Pix. This episode’s brought to you by Prize Pix. You and I make decisions every day. But on Prize Pick, being right can get you paid. Don’t miss any of the excitement this season on Prize Pix where it’s good to be right. David Posnock is cooking right now. I like him. I I I like him for points. more points, especially going out west. Same with Morgan Geeky. This was a guy I liked a lot last year for goals. I think he’s just sort of starting to heat up. And then wasn’t really the case today, but I would assume out west, especially against Vegas. They’re going to be a lot of, you know, high shot volume. So Jeremy Swayman, more saves against Vegas. I like that. Prize pick simple to play. Just pick more or less on two to six player stat projections. And if you get your picks right, you can cash in. Prize picks invented the flex play, which means you can still cash out if your lineup isn’t perfect. You can double your money even if one of your picks doesn’t hit. So download the app today and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That’s code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup prize picks. It’s good to be right. It’s good to be right. Um some interesting comments here. Um you know the most we’ve learned about the team’s character so far this year. Um Joe Magician says I don’t think last year Pasta goes down for save on an empty netter. Then he put uh you know then he puts Cuch through the ice on a check. Uh and then Mike Powers says last year they would have quit 15 minutes into the first period promising stuff from a loss. I you know Posternok I I you know I think there is a real desire for that captaincy. They’ve put that up for grabs. Now when Postock goes to block a shot like that is he thinking I want to be captain? No. I I don’t think that’s in his head. I think he wants to keep the puck out and keep the game alive. But does show character. team’s best player getting down doing the like the awkward skater trying to be a goalie make the save and then put Cutro through the ice like the it’s a high character team. It’s a high character team. Well, Pasta is playing like a captain even though he’s not, you know, but uh the stuff he’s doing that that performance on opening night was uh you know, I think we’ll be referring to that for a good part of the year. how good he was, how dominant he was, how he did everything to uh to help them uh pull out that win. Uh but yeah, the character of the team, you got to like it. It’s uh you know, the old uh the old PNV as Cam Neely uh puts it. Uh, you know, I think they started today without that and then they they worked that into the mix, you know, in the first late in the first and into the second and they played like they played to that identity the rest of the way. And that’s uh, you know, they’ve been talking about building that, rebuilding that ident, that classic Bruins identity. And, uh, they’re they’re off to a good start with it. They really did play with a lot of uh a lot of uh you know character and heart today for sure. It’s interesting because I thought, you know, this team was going to be boring. They’re not going to be skilled. The offense will be limited. And through the first period or so, I felt like, all right, starting to see that. Starting to see a little bit of that that and I didn’t know that, you know, we’re starting to see what I I thought would happen. And then they’re physical, they’re effective, they keep games close, they do find ways to get offense. Their offense is very, you know, ground and pound, chip and chase. You see it, especially with that bottom six where it’s, you know, you saw Castella come out as the extra skater for a second there. Uh, and this whole thing was just beat the crap out of Tampa D and they do almost score from it. Like they’re a likable team. They’re a likable team. And maybe it’s because they were so unlikable and so bad last year, but I’m watching through four games and I’m like, I get why fans like this team. I like you want to get behind this group. Like, and again, it’s four games, but they are a the way they play, sort of the the underdog mentality they have. I can see fans getting behind this team in a way that they definitely weren’t last year, and I don’t think that they were expecting to this year. Well, I wouldn’t compare them to the uh you know the the famous uh lunch pale team of Don Cherry back in the day. Uh which I know uh you’re not that familiar with since it was like thousand years before you were born, but uh I was negative 15 maybe. Uh so I wouldn’t exactly compare them to that, but they are a they do have a lunch pale mentality. They’re a blueco collar group with a couple of stars sprinkled in and uh it takes everybody to pull on the rope if they’re going to get anywhere and and that’s what they’re getting so far. And you know I think you got to you got to I was skeptical and you know it’s only been a a handful of games. I was skeptical that Marco Sturm was the right guy but so far every button he’s pushed has uh has has produced something positive. So uh good on him. I think one thing that we cuz you and I sat in rinks all summer and would be like, “Man, it’s going to be a long winter.” Like, “This is not going to be good.” It still could be, by the way. Like, we’ll get an expectation. I I’m not off of my like I haven’t really changed my uh take on where this team’s headed, but I think we maybe we under I think it was underappreciated the new head coach bounce that teams get. Like I I think Ty Anderson tweeted the other day that Cassidy and Montgomery starting out as coaches were 3 and 0. Now, Montgomery started from the beginning, but Cassidy came in mid-season. That was a true like new head coach bounce. Yeah. But I I think, you know, they they play a style that it’s, as Sturm said, it’s black and white. It’s ground and pound. It, you know, they they are they they they play the perfect style for their roster. They are not they’re not trying to be anything that they are not. They are not skilled. They’re big. They’re kind of slow, but they play a style of game that fits that. And I think fans can get behind that. Not to mention the fact, as you said, and you you know this better than I do, like this city loves those teams. This city loves that identity. Like that you there was a scrum I think at the end of the second period. There’s a guy on the glass in the stairs, meaning he like ran most likely ran from his seat in a luchich jersey just banging on the like that’s what the average fan likes. And I think they they cater to that. Like you know, Aiden says, “Doesn’t this team remind you of the Red Sox one to two years ago?” I think I assume you’re meaning 2021 when they were that likable like little engine that could team that went to the ALCS. I I h I agree. The team though that I like I know we’re going we’re crossing sports here, God forbid, but like remember that 2013 Red Sox team? Remember that 2013 team that was all vets and they went on to win the World Series? That’s not them. Like I don’t think the Bruins I don’t think the Bruins are making the playoffs, but like they have a lot of veterans. They went out and signed a lot of, you know, gritty veterans in the offseason. They’re high character. Like that’s kind of the same vibe. Like I that’s the one I get of like a a likable team to fans. And I think that’s what they desperately needed this year. They do. They did. And they do. Uh and you know after last year when it was it was not a likable team down the stretch uh it was a team where you know you uh you know you had to think twice maybe sometimes about even turning the game on uh in some on some nights. Uh so yeah, it’s it’s a different it’s a different thing and I I think I wonder how much does uh it’s a proud franchise, right? the the people the people in charge are proud of what the Bruins, you know, have uh have been over the last hundred years. And the top players like uh like Pasta and and guys like that are are proud too of, you know, what the Bruins have been able to do. And I think that pride helps to drive the character part a little bit. You know, gets gets uh some of those guys going. Uh, you know, I would 100%. I I think it does. And I think we, you know, not just the new head coach bounce, but I think you also get Makavoy was out for most of the end of LA, you know, was out for the end of last year. Hampus Lindol, who we’ll get to in a second, he was out for most of the year. Zadorov had a bad year. Like Elias Lindholm had a bad year. Jeremy Swayman had a really bad year. Like you have all these different things. And it’s why like you know looking at this year they’re things are pointing up and like that I think that’s you know I’m not I’m not ready to say they’re play they’re going to make the playoffs but they’re competitive team and I think that’s more than we expected. Yeah, you know pride is a is part of it too. I think these guys are proud proud of uh of what they are and and what they do and and a year like last year takes a little bit of the shine off that. So naturally, they want to uh they want to get get it back to where it was. Uh you know, kind of baby steps here to to to do that. But uh they’re they’re definitely off to the to a good start on the right foot. Yeah. And this is an interesting one. I mean, we’ll talk Lindholm now. I hope campus is healthy for the road trip even though Harris has been good. I I mean, I agree. And I think the broadcast mentioned that Lindholm is likely to go uh on the trip um before or at least to go on the trip out west. Um you just hope this isn’t something serious. You hope this isn’t something that lingers either that you know can’t just be like oh fixed with rest cuz they need him. They absolutely need him. Um but Harris has been good. So, it’s like you haven’t I don’t think you’ve noticed Lindolm being out as much as you did last year. And again, it’s been two games. So, like you’re going to play Vegas, you’re going to play Colorado, you’re going to play Utah who’s much improved. Like, it will show if Hampus Lindholm is not in the lineup. So, it will you do better hope that this this isn’t a long-term thing. Well, they made a point of saying that it’s not related to the injury from last year. So, that’s uh taking them at their word. That’s a That’s a good uh that’s a good development. Uh, you know, I I think um I would guess I would guess that they’ll take a another an extra defenseman along on the trip just just to be sure so that they don’t have to fly a guy in, you know, like on the day of the game if somebody, you know, comes down the, you know, one of the one of the six healthy gets sick or something happens to them, they don’t have to fly a guy in at the last second. So, I would guess that they’d bring someone from Providence, but uh yeah, I mean, the sooner you get Hampus back in there and and as close to 100% as he can be, the better off you’ll be. Uh so, you know, that’s uh that’s something to watch. Obviously, everybody’s everybody’s going to be keeping their eye on that situation. Yeah. And it’s funny because like Mike brings up an interesting point here. I’d sit Yoki Haru before Harris if Lindholm is ready. Um I I think goes back to like no one’s played their way out of the lineup. I mean you know Zidorov had the terrible giveaway today. He’s not coming out. Obviously Makavoy is not coming out. Peak isn’t coming out. Um I mean Yoki Haru does give you a third guy on the right side. Maybe it comes down to matchups. Um Harris Yoki Haru they have had with Lindol out I think in practice at least as the second defenseman on that second power play unit. I I just I I I think they’d be more inclined to sit Harris. What do you think when Hampus comes back? Yes. You know, I think Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it’ll be Harris. I mean, has Has Lorai played so well at the beginning here that he’s untouchable? Uh, you know, and making lineup decisions? I I don’t know if I would go that far. He’s had some good moments, but you know, I I uh you know, I don’t think it would be out of the realm of possibility to to if Harris has another good game or two to uh to keep Harris in there. And maybe maybe someone like Lorai does take a seat for a game. It’s tough with Lai because you have the power play and he he is good on that second unit to the point where like I was sitting there when when the first unit was struggling to get in the zone midway through the game and then you see Lori go out there and he’s successful getting shots through and he hits he hits the crossbar midway through that game. You wonder like should he be quarterbacking that first unit? Um are you there yet or no? Uh, I wouldn’t say I’m there yet, but I’m getting closer. And is it uh, you know, is it Lori stepping up or is it Charlie? You know, I you know, I I I’m just not sure Charlie’s that’s him the best place for him running that power play, you know? I I don’t know. I don’t know. I mean, he had today. He had a bad one today. I was just a bad game. But but you make a good point. Lorai does uh give them something on the power play that Harris probably doesn’t. You know, I think he could be maybe competent on the power play, but I don’t think he gives you that offensive zone uh thing that Lurai is capable of uh when he’s at his best. you know, he’s also capable of of stuff that makes you uh you know, makes you uh you know, wonder. But, uh you know, so far he’s been uh I’m not I’m not trashing him. I’m not saying he’s playing poorly, but uh you know, he’s he’s had his moments so far. Uh you know, good and bad. So, I don’t know. I guess guess a straight swap of Hampus for uh for Harris would uh you know maybe we’re overthinking this, right? That’s pro probably the case that uh you just make that switch and uh and be done with it. See what happens going forward. I would assume that’s what they do. Lefty for lefty, second pair for second pair. I think that’s the cleanest. It’s just it is tough. Harris has been productive. Two points in two games. He’s been responsible. Like he’s done everything and more that you’ve asked. So, it’s like and and he will draw back in. Like, there will be injuries. There will be guys who are sick. Um, like he can draw right back in. And look, I I sound really cliche and I hate when people say this, but it’s a good problem to have. Not a bad problem to have, though. Yeah. Um, yes. Uh, before we get into expectations and big picture stuff, I I do want to mention, make sure to subscribe to Bruins Ringside if you’re not on YouTube. We have stuff all the time. Dibs is always on one of the podcasts, Bruins Beat, Poke the Bear, Pucks with Hags. We have stuff all the time throughout the offseason. We’re going to do more of these, too. Let us know if you like these. Um, and then if you don’t like watching and you just like listening, well, of course you can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from. Apple, Spotify, Podbean, wherever. Uh, and then lots of other great stuff at CNS. Celtics Access, Patriots Press Pass, Patriots looking pretty good. Oh my god. Mark Drake May. Holy crap. Um, go subscribe over there. Um, are they a playoff team? Are the Bruins? No, I It sound like I was saying the Patriots. Are the Patriots a playoff team? The answer is yes, absolutely they’re a playoff team. I am fully bought in to the Pats being a playoff team. Um, but are the Bruins a playoff team? Have you have you changed or were you I I don’t think I got your opinion on the record before the season. Were you playoffs or no playoffs? And has that changed after four games? My thinking is that if they can stay in the race uh in the playoff race, the the wild card race, whatever, uh until say the trade deadline, then uh I’ll uh I’ll declare it a successful season. Um I expect them to make the playoffs, but they can they can it’s up to them. They can change change my mind uh you know going forward here. Um, you know, I I just don’t think they the scoring thing is a is a is an issue obviously. Um, the scoring by committee so far has worked. Will that work long long term? I I don’t know. Uh, so like I said, I think if they can hang in the race for a while, it will be uh it will be a successful season. and uh anything, you know, making the playoffs, I think, would would be uh a pretty good accomplishment for this group. No, no question about it. If they ma if they make the playoffs and I I’ve said this before I think one of Sturm or Makavoy or Posternok or Swayman will have like a you know an alltime year and you know Sturm either is a Jack Adams guy or Makavoy is a Norris candidate or Swayman Vzna Posternok MVP like that to me and and I’m with you like I think they’re competitive all year. I think they’re in and around it. I think they are fluctuating in and out of the wild card or right now I mean they’re in you know they’re fully in but it’s it’s four games so come on. Um but I think you know for the crux of the season they’ll be you know kind of in that bubble and you know they’re a competitive team. That’s the way they play. Like I don’t think they’re going to be getting blown out. The scoring by committee is not always going to work. Uh I don’t think that that middle six is proven enough that where you’re going to get consistent scoring out of them all the time. Um, I think that’s kind of what’s going to do them in. But again, like look at a game like today, I said it earlier, but like, you know, they had horrible defensive zone turnovers. Maka doesn’t usually do that. You know, Andrew Peak usually can corral a puck along the wall. So, Doro does typically have a mistake like that. So, we’ll give them that. That all right, that’s that’s probably going to continue happening. But, um, the other stuff like then there’s that, too. So, it I think it just es and flows and they’re a competitive team and they’re watchable. Like I think people have seen through the first four games and we’ve said it a couple times here like they’re an interesting product. Like I I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Yeah. And as they’re going on the road here with some late games, they’re worth uh they’re worth staying late up late. That’s right. That’s right. on a week night, you know, you got work the next day, like, you know, do I want to stay up until, you know, 1:00 a.m. on a Thursday, you know, Friday morning. Maybe now you do. Maybe. And Vegas is also nasty enough that like I think you want to see that anyway. Um, I like this comment. Pasta deserves an instant C on his jersey for its final shift. It was crazy. He was gassed. Pos was absolutely gassed in that final shift. And he still made a point to make that save and he still made a point to drill Cooerov. And um I mean, you know, I he’s you said it earlier, he’s playing like a captain. He is. I wonder when that happens. I noticed him in the in the second half of the Chicago game. He looked really tired. You know, it was the night after. It was the second game of uh you know, back to back. He looked really tired in that in against Chicago. And I he didn’t have a particularly good game, but uh you know, laying it all laying it all out there every night. That’s uh you know that’s job one for the captain, right? So um the fact that he’s uh he’s doing that on a regular basis. That’s uh that’s a vote in his corner for the captaincy. Agreed. And they double shifted him I think on that one of the last power plays. They had him go to that second unit and they kept Yihar you off. So there was that as well. Um I’m going to do a separate show on the upcoming trip because that’s you know obviously that’s a big one coming up. But um for me, how many points do you expect on the road trip, I think if you can come away with four of six, however that comes, you know, a win and two shootout losses, two wins and a loss, like I think you take that, you know, like and and the way they’re playing kind of gritty style. And I also think you wonder like it’s a good team bonding thing, you know, that improves the character. So, what do you think? What would be a good what’s a successful road trip? I’ I’d take three points, a win, you know, a a point either way, you know, from a an o an OT loss. Three straight shootout losses. That’s what you think. I think three out of six would uh would be good. Um, anything more than that, I think uh, you know, would uh would really be a a terrific way to start. Uh, you know, it’s tough opponents. Let’s face it. You know, a team like Boston that isn’t isn’t fast. Uh, Vegas flies, Colorado flies, Utah, I haven’t really watched much. I I don’t know. Uh, I bet I’ll bet they’re faster than Boston, but uh, you know, those first two team those first two teams really really get up and down the ice. So, it’s going to be challenging. I’m fascinated to see what how they defend and how they keep up with Colorado in Vegas. Those are the two because like they play like in the uh in the neutral zone, not to get too technical and Carl’s not here to pull out his whiteboard, but they play like a 14 and so they let I mean the Bruins completely let teams, you know, come up to them, but they try to force dumpins. And how’s that going to work against Nathan McKinnon? How’s that working against Kale Mar? I’m very curious to see how they adjust or how they fare um against those guys cuz those are going to be like that ain’t going to be easy. That will not be easy whatsoever. So, I’m curious to see what it’s like these games coming up. But I think we’ve hit on everything, haven’t we? I don’t Is there anything we’ve missed? I don’t think we’ve missed anything. So yeah, Div I think is I hope Div isn’t frozen. I hope I’m not frozen. But yeah, well that’s Bruins beat. That’s live Bruins beat. We’ll end it there. Um,

On this LIVE episode of Bruins Beat, Evan Marinofsky and Mark Divver recap the Bruins vs Lighting game, that saw the Bruins lose the game 4-3. The guys also look ahead to the Bruins upcoming West Coast trip.

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