Power play's unplugged
BOSTON — The Bruins’ power play might wind up as the biggest villain in this entire playoff run should Boston fail to get the job done in Game 6 or a potential Game 7 against Vancouver in the Stanley Cup Final.
Heading into tomorrow night’s Game 6, the power play has scored just eight times in 82 opportunities, including just three times in 21 chances in the Cup Final.
That 3-for-21 was actually a somewhat respectable 3-for-17 before Boston wasted all four of its man-advantage chances in the 1-0 Game 5 loss. That’s really been the story of not just the postseason but the entire season for the Bruins’ power play — cameo appearances by what could be a Boston weapon, but mostly a lot of ineptitude.
Now there’s just one game, or maybe two, for the Bruins’ power play to not make this summer miserable.
Today the Bruins finished their practice with some power play work, minus Gregory Campbell, whose time on the power play in Game 5 was ill-fated for numerous reasons. Zdeno Chara and Andrew Ference manned the points on one group with Michael Ryder and Tyler Seguin rotating on one wing and Mark Recchi and Rich Peverley filling the other forward spots.
The other quintet featured Tomas Kaberle, Dennis Seidenberg, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci and Milan Lucic.
“It comes down to moving your feet. If you’re stationary, you’re easy to knock off the puck, you’re easy to defend against,” explained Peverley about what the Bruins do best in the brief moments their power play is working. “I think if you’re moving the puck quick and you’re moving your feet, you’re hard for them to defend against.”
As for why the power play can’t do that more consistently, Peverley was left without much of an answer — much like the rest of his teammates and his coaches.
“I can’t really figure that out. I think maybe it comes out of we have to stay with what we’re doing and I think most power plays are shooting power plays, most good power plays in the league,” he said. “I think if we have that mentality to shoot first and then maybe get rebounds, maybe that’ll be our first option.”
Anything they try that they haven’t already might be their only hope.
Gregory Campbell, as much as i like him on the 4th line, does not belong on the power play. (duh Julien)
Sequin & Krecji are the most important cogs, why Sequin is not being used more on the P.P. only Julien can answer, I certainly can’t. Marchand, Peverly, Ryder, Lucic would round out the forwards on my two units. Defence would be Chara, Boychuk, Kaberle & Ference. Bergeron would be a floater, could be used at forward or defence & especially face-offs. Obviously Horton & Savard would in this equation if not unavailable due to injury.
Satan at this point would help more than any Saint. Miro that is.
See you next year PP.
Might as well go for a soda rather than trying to think that one out.
For some reason, I think focusing on the PP makes the wrong vibe resonate much too loud. Let’s not count on it.
Is there a PP Saint we could address a prayer to prior to season’s end?
Quit thinking about it boys. Just do it.
They need to put their heads down and shoot the f’n puck. This tippy-tap, be fancy stuff ain’t working. Put bodies in front and let’em rip from any and every angle.
If it comes down to moving your feet, Marchand should be on the p.p. The pp has trouble getting set up, so why not let Seguin try and carry it in. And the soft passing soft hitting defenseman is unable to connect when it counts.
Claude finally figured out your not supposed to kill a power play!