Series: Boston leads 1-0
Location: TD Garden
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET; (NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS)
The Boston Bruins won 4-2 in Game 1 on Monday night, extending their win streak to eight games. They hadn’t lost since April 30, when they played the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Tonight they hope to take a 2-0 lead and extend their win streak before heading away to St. Louis for Game 3. Since the NHL went to the best-of-7 format, teams that lead the series 2-0 of the Finals won the Stanley Cup 90.2% of the time.
Being Able To Adjust The Game Plan
The Bruins came back after trailing two goals in Game 1. In the last two periods, they only allowed 12 shots from the Blues, including three in the second period. The Bruins did a great job figuring out the tough Blues forecheck. They could make clean breakouts and manage the puck through the neutral zone. Head coach Bruce Cassidy had his players focused on the breakout for this upcoming matchup for the series. He knew the Blues relied on their strong forecheck to create more offense.
#NHLNow and @drosennhl look at Bruce Cassidy’s in-game adjustments in Game 1. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/ntltyJpTPv
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) May 29, 2019
Top Line Adjustments
The Blues could shut down the Bruins top forward line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. The first line of Jaden Schwartz, Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko could cause trouble and turnovers towards Boston’s first line. Boston made some changes when Pastrnak turnover led to Tarasenko’s goal at the beginning of the second period.
Cassidy could make changes and have the fourth line of Sean Kuraly, Joakim Nordstrom and Noel Acciari to matchup the Blue’s first line.
“When the @NHLBruins needed a boost, this line showed up in a big way.” – @brianlawton9 #StanleyCup #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/RDjcibVrIa
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) May 28, 2019
Game 1 was a big test for the Blues. They faced a Boston team that had 10 days of rest heading into the series. Boston could figure out their strong forecheck and outskated them. The Blues aren’t worried about being down 2-0. Head coach Craig Berube got his players in the right mindset. He can have his players to focus on the present, not the future or past. The Blues were the worst team in the NHL on Jan. 3. Now they are in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Tarasenko to reporter asking about teams that take Game 1 going on to win the Stanley Cup 77.2% of time: “That’s why you guys do the stats and we play on the ice … cool stats but it’s not in our heads.” #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) May 28, 2019
Dunn, Thomas Out For Game 2
Berube confirms both Thomas and Dunn out tonight. #stlblues
— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) May 29, 2019
Berube confirmed to the media that both Robert Thomas and Vince Dunn will be out for Game 2. According to the head coach, Thomas injury was not from the heavy hit from Torey Krug in the third period. Thomas has six points (one goal, five assists) in 20 postseason games. Forward Robby Fabbri is expected to fill in Thomas’s spot for Game 2.
.@ToreyKrug: closet linebacker.#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/AzbOowmCur
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 28, 2019
Dunn has not played since Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Sharks. He has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 16 games this postseason. Berube and the Blues expect him to return sometime this series.
Jordan Binnington’s Presence
Binnington made 34 saves out of 37 shots in Game 1. He allowed some shaky goals, but the loss isn’t because of his mistakes. In this year’s playoffs, Binnington is 5-2 with a 1.84 goals-against average and .937 save percentage after a loss. He was also 2-0n the Western Conference Finals against the San Jose Sharks. Binnington proved doubters wrong about being able to bounce back. Can he bounce back in the Stanley Cup Final?
Jordan Binnington remains unfazed. pic.twitter.com/PJeGzTgZJP
— #StanleyCup on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 29, 2019
Blue’s Discipline
The Blues gave Boston five power-play opportunities. Some of these penalties could’ve been avoided in the first place. The most pivotal moment of the game was when Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy scored on the power-play to tie the game 2-2 in the second period. Things went downhill, and the Bruins could limit the Blues strong forecheck and offense. The Bruins are 40 percent on the power-play in the last five games. It’s obvious that the Blues need to stay out of the box.
Forwards
Jaden Schwartz — Brayden Schenn — Vladimir Tarasenko
Sammy Blais — Ryan O’Reilly — David Perron
Patrick Maroon — Tyler Bozak — Robby Fabbri
Ivan Barbashev — Oskar Sundqvist — Alexander Steen
Defense
Joel Edmundson — Alex Pietrangelo
Jay Bouwmeester — Colton Parayko
Carl Gunnarsson — Robert Bortuzzo
Starting Goalie
Forwards
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk — David Krejci — David Backes
Marcus Johansson — Charlie Coyle — Danton Heinen
Joakim Nordstrom — Sean Kuraly — Noel Acciari
Defense
Zdeno Chara — Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug — Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk — Connor Clifton
Starting Goalie
Tuukka Rask
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