Kaberle & the PP need to show life/By S. Bradley
BOSTON — It’s a daily talking point around the Bruins whether you’re chatting with players, head coach Claude Julien or general manager Peter Chiarelli.
Today was Chiarelli’s turn to give his thoughts on the power play during a press conference at TD Garden on his team’s off day between playoff series.
“I was just thinking about this last night. Trust me, this is a topic that we’ve addressed all year, every day,” said Chiarelli, whose team became the first team in NHL history to win a seven-game playoff series without a power-play goal (0-for-21). “And I see a group of guys that we’ve been on them so much to succeed and have different looks. And you reach a point where you’re at diminishing returns as far as trying to make changes. So it’s been a frustrating exercise. Last night, the giveaway, we tried to change the entry, a delayed entry, it didn’t work [and Montreal scored shorthanded]. We’re having trouble getting set up.
“It’s frustrating for me to watch. I know these guys want to succeed at it. I know the coaching staff, that’s been at the top of their list. … We’re going to figure it out. I know Tomas [Kaberle’s] been under some heat too. And it’s not his fault. He’s in the mix with everybody and we’re trying to figure it out.
“Part of it, I think is nerves. Part of it is that they’re squeezing their stick too much. It’s not fluid. And these players, if you go player to player, they have some fluidity to their game as far as making plays. We have to figure it out and it’s going to be an important component again in this next series.”
The Bruins made a couple tweaks to their forward alignment earlier in the series. Last night, they broke up Kaberle and Zdeno Chara as point partners, instead pairing Chara with Dennis Seidenberg and Kaberle with Johnny Boychuk. It still didn’t work, as the power play went 0-for-2.
If it’s any consolation, Philadelphia’s penalty kill was as mediocre in the regular season as Boston’s and hasn’t fared all that well (24-for-31) in the playoffs so far. Maybe the Bruins will be able to find the holes in the Flyers’ kill.
Kaberle has never been much of a puck carrier. So getting the puck in the zone is not his task. He likes to pass it to guys flying on the wings, mostly right wingers. Him and Lafleur would have been a riot.
Once the puck is in the offensive zone and that things start circling, if one of his teamates skates towards him, then Zedno should skate towards the net and the puck carrier should shoot it without further delay. I find Zedno too clumsy to venture any nifty, crafty plays. Giroux, Brière, Betts… they all know Zedno is a threat for his own team when in puck possession at the blue line. I know he’s got a big shot but that’s about it offensively. I wonder if Zedno should just rest during PP, but then he could be getting mad at me for just thinking about it so…
I’m no hockey coach but I know Montreal has a better power play than Boston. I’m not gloating, cause we’re out. I’m just going to point out what I observe.
Montreal always has a skill player controlling the puck on the left or right wing boards. Back in the day, it was Kovalev’s spot and he killed Thomas cycling up and down that board. He’s basically biding his time until there’s a cross ice opening through the middle of the PK box for a one-timer in the faceoff circle. Gomez, Plekaneks are also very good at this. Camalleri scores his goals when that pass comes cross ice right into a one timer from the faceoff circle. Subban is finding more and more success from there (remember the tying goal? What a rocket).
Boston always plays the puck back to the blue line and it seems like the shot gets blocked. They need to use some angles like Montreal does. Also, you need better puck handling D. How many times do your guys pee their pants when they are rushed at the point?
@Scott…after his skate on Gionta’s 1st goal and being on ice for Gionta’s 2nd goal in the 1st game, his confidence and D-play seems to have vanished. Now that the pressure of the hab series is over hopefully he’ll improve his D and PP play performance?
Umbrella works much better if you establish control with an overload first, then roll into the umbrella.
Dress Neely to stand in front of the net. He would look much better doing that then giving weak hi fives in a suit.
read where chia said it’s not worth changing the pp citing diminishing returns. how much more diminished is zero!!!
pp #1
kabby & boychuk (points)
pev, kelly & chara (in front of the net)
pp #2
af & sides (points)
bergy line
Am I the only one missing Kampfer at this point? Seems we were better off with him than with Kaberle.
How about putting Chara down low in front of the net creating some traffic in front of the net. Teams know it is going to him on the point and over play him now.
I think they used to do that in Ottawa with him.
I think the fact that the B’s are runnin the pp from the point is an issue
Not having to shoot against Price next round will help the power play. Not being the favourite will help as well. There’s plenty of guys that can make their sub par play from last round vanish. I hope they do.
I know Kabs was brought here to work the PP, but he looks so lost its not even laughable anymore. And I know its do-or-die time, but maybe for the sake of the scoreboard they should rotate him in & out of the 2nd squad with Bergy or Peverley manning the point instead. Kaberle is so cautious to shoot the puck that the opposition can cheat and simply play the pass, stifling any shred of creativity and movement the B’s might have. All that being said, it is not solely his fault – their PP sucked before he got here and Krejci’s ineffectiveness is nearly as much to blame.
And for the record, the Umbrella is NOT working. Nor is their occasional “Large Box” formation where they stay absolutely stationary and keep as far to the perimeter as they possibly can (can’t go and challenge the other team’s pretty defensive shape, can we?). Maybe we should work the puck down low a bit, eh?
Glad Chiarelli doesn’t think it’s Kaberle’s fault the PP is an embarrassment. Probably not his fault that he’s unwilling to bodycheck anybody, or play defense, or skate worth a lick.
Poor Kaberle. Not his fault!
I like @Kevins idea.
Just get Marchand with Bergy and something good is gonna happen.
Time to try something different how about kelly peverley and marchand with johnny b and Ference on the point what have we got to lose?
We’re -1/21 on the power play. We need a wide open net and the flyers standing by their bench to score at this point.
And we can’t let Krejci have the shot, he missed a gaping net at least 5 times last round.
Lucic neither, he will just stand around and stare at the puck.
If we give it to Horton, it will be an amazing game winner.
Give it Horton. It’s a plan.