Lucic/By S. Bradley
BOSTON — It didn’t seem to bother David Krejci and Milan Lucic in Game 4 when the Bruins rotated a few different players on their right wing during a 4-0 win.
So it was a bit curious that when asked how his line could be better in tonight’s Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final than it was in the 1-0 Game 5 loss, Krejci used that right-wing rotation as an excuse.
“Well as a line, me and Looch have basically played every time with a different guy and it’s hard to get the chemistry going,” said the center after his team’s morning skate at TD Garden. “But now we are at home and we have last change advantage so it should be fine tonight.”
Well, the Bruins were at home in Game 4, their first full game without Nathan Horton, and Rich Peverley scored twice in the victory. Michael Ryder got shifts in that spot too. Then in Game 5, with the Bruins desperate for offense, and in a game dominated by special-teams play, head coach Claude Julien used Tyler Seguin in that spot too in addition to Peverley and Ryder.
That’s not likely to change tonight, as Julien explained that his rotation of forward is done by design based on the situation. So the Bruins’ top-line forwards should just get used to it and play like they did in Game 5. Lucic tried to downplay the difficulty of the situation.
“It’s tough because we’re so used to, obviously, Nathan being there on our right side. And then in the same game you have Peverley and Ryder and Seguin on the right side,” said Lucic. “But you don’t want to make excuses. Everyone has to do their part. Whoever we’re out there with, we have to still play the way that we always do and not much is going to change tonight, so we have to find a way either way.”
While top lines are tighter checked in the Cup Final, Lucic and Krejci have proven they can create the necessary space and scoring chances when they assert themselves. So regardless of who their third man is, they have to play tonight as though it’s the most important game of their lives.
Thanks a lot for that detailed answer! You Know, I never actually played hockey nor did I grow up with it, so I have no clue about the practical stuff.
Hen – most players want their sticks to be pointing towards the closest set of boards, so they are facing up-ice when digging in the corners or on the side. Also helps to have the stick up-ice and butts to the boards to collect breakout passes on the forehand with speed. Otherwise, they collect those passes on their backhand and then have to turn up ice, usually just in time to get crushed. Also, it allows each player to carry the puck on the outside of the ice heading into the O zone, where they can shieled the puck from poke checks and then have the puck on their forehand to zip passes across. A left-handed shot on the RW would have to open up their body (or use the backhand) to float a pass to center ice, which is less accurate, weaker and requires turning the skates slightly east-west as opposed to continuing north-south.
You’re right about shooting lanes, though. Being a left shot on the LW cuts down on the ability for a one-timer, but then again it’s easy to open up the body for a tip-in or deflection at the post. Since one-timers are rare and most plays happen in motion, perhaps the only value to play on an off-wing would be on the PP.
Each has pros and cons, but there are more pros when a left-handed skater is on LW and right-handed on RW. I played center and have a left-hand shot, but I can tell you I was waaaay more comfortable skating up the left side, knowing I had open ice to pass and a protected puck.
I get nervous when Lucic is on the ice. His passing is horrendous, too many mental errors. He needs to focus & quickly analyze how the play is developing.
Lucic is a big disappointment in this series.
Claude inserted Seguin in the 3rd period after Vancouver scored. That was almost a panic move since Seggy did not practice with Kreji. And Seggy has yet to practice with Kreji to get a feel for how Kreji likes to play. Why doesn’t the coach prepare for alternatives?? We’ve been asking this all post -season????
Ok, i’ve got a dumb question. Why does Lucic play lw when he shoots left and horton rw when he shoots right? Wouldnt both have a better shooting angle if they switched sides?