Goals Under Review 3-12-23

Taking a look at the Eastern Conference today with some Western Conference cameos. Not to worry, if you’re looking for Western Conference scouting reports, those days will happen, today, we are looking most at Eastern teams, starting with…..

Boston Bruins @ Detroit Red Wings

Goal Detroit by Chaisson PPG: I think I just witnessed my first misplay from the Bruins in the handful of games I’ve watched. Detroit cycled the puck well on the Power Play. They are rewarded for their good passing with the puck making it to the slot player. Weirdly, none of the Boston Penalty Killers moved toward Larkin. Larking gets a shot off then the play gets ugly. Chaisson is there to get the ugly goal and this one had everything. Nice passes, missed defense, and an ugly finish. One Penalty Kill miss is not a trend, but this is something to look for during the rest of the season, and how well the bumper gets defended when Boston is on the PK. Detroit 1-0

Goal Detroit by Seider SHG: A great individual effort on the Penalty kill by Seider. Boston was trying to make a zone entry on the Power Play and Seider got his stick in the play and poked it out of the zone, then followed up the poke check by gaining control and rushing down the ice on his own. Even if he doesn’t score, this is a great moment with 50 seconds left in the Power Play. This play will kill another 10-12 seconds before Boston can get set up, but what’s better than wasted time on the PK, a goal. Not just any goal, but a really nice backhand shot, counter to his movement across the goalie’s face, off the post, and in. Either Detroit has Boston’s number or there are some things being put on tape where teams can try to get an edge over Boston in the playoffs. Detroit 2-0

Goal Detroit by Larkin PPG: Well, we may have found a weak spot in the Boston Penalty Kill. Granted, the middle is a soft spot for any team but for the second time in this game, Detroit was about to get a nice-looking passing play into Larkin. There was no close on Larkin by the defenders. Larkin gets the shot off and what a nice shot it was. Top corner no-doubter. Being that the middle is the soft spot for everyone, I will be looking to see how other teams handle the Power Play when they are playing Boston for the rest of the season. Detroit 3-0

Goal Detroit by Erne: Is there such a thing as a pretty version of an ugly goal? No, that’s not fair, this was good hockey, being prepared for the rebound and converting your chance. Berggren gets the assist but he deserves credit for a shot that found its way to the post. Erne was well-positioned to get the puck over the goalie’s pad and into the net. I see that and wonder where the Boston steady fundamental play has gone. They are on a back-to-back, but they are playing a home-at-home so the teams are basically even in tired. Maybe you could argue the Bruins are the team that had to travel for the second game. Detroit 4-0

Goal Boston by Grzelcyk: Back-side passes to the open part of the ice are pretty and high danger. Pasternak got the puck on the sideboards then, eyes up sees the lane across the slot and hits Grzelcyk who follows that with a sick shot into the top corner. This is the high-level brand of hockey I expect Boston to be playing and making look easy. Defense needs to play their spots, but this was a rush up the ice, and getting set up can be difficult in the chaos. It was a good play that led to a good goal. Detroit 4-1

Goal Boston by DeBrusk: NO NO NO, that was awful. That looked lazy, Seider reached for the bouncing puck, Boston gets the poke check that pushes the puck behind the defense then it is off to the races. The shot was lovely, top corner, yada yada. If I’m a Red Wings fan I’m so frustrated at the casual nature I see on ice, with a reach and a rush given to a team that is already hard to beat. Keep your head in the game. The level-headed in-game commentary for this goal is, will this give Boston the momentum they need to close the gap by one more before the last two minutes of the period? There are 16 minutes let on the clock, there is a long way to go. This is where a young Detroit team can set themselves up for future success. Learn what winning feels like or get another lesson in losing with the lead. Detroit 4-2

Goal Boston by Pastrnak: That answers that question, yes, Boston scored again not too long thereafter and the lead is down to one. Detroit got caught in a line change and the forwards hung the defense out to dry. If the puck doesn’t get down the ice, change faster or don’t change at all. The change I saw was sloppy and gave the defense no good options. Pastrnak had the option to shoot or pass. The defense can’t commit to either without leaving the goalie exposed. Great play by Boston that could have been mitigated. Boston has no quit and Detroit hasn’t learned how to put teams away. I know Boston is a historically paced team this season but there is a point where the caveats become moral victories and there is no cup to lift for most moral points scored. Detroit 4-3

Goal Detroit by Copp ENG: All is well in the lands of Detroit. They held on for the win and experienced the struggle. I’d be pleased but secretly annoyed about the DeBrusk goal for the rest of the day.

New York Rangers @ Pittsburgh Penguins

Goal Pittsburgh by Rakell PPG: Not just a Power Play, but a 5-on-3 Power Play. There isn’t a lot to learn in this case. The team on the Power Play really should score on the 5-on-3. The shot was nice, but I’m not going to use a 2-man advantage as a time to start making notes. Stay out of the box, that’s the lesson. Penguins 1-0

Goal New York by Goodrow: Just a great fourth line goal from the Rangers. Get the puck down low, keep your stick on the ice, make a pass, and put the puck where the goalie isn’t. The Rangers were able to slip under the defense and wrestle their way to a relatively clean opportunity. Not complicated and when the fourth line adds to the team’s score for the day, you are happy all-round. Tied 1-1

Goal Pittsburgh by Zucker: This one is tough to take for the Rangers. The Penguins play a good low-to-high pass and get a shot from the point. Not particularly dangerous but there was a lane and a Penguins player in front for the deflection. Unfortunately, and this is the tough part, the deflection went off a Rangers player and in the next. It was a perfect deflection too. All you can do as a fan from either said is tip your cap to the hockey gawds and get ready for the center ice faceoff. Penguins 2-1

Goal New York by Kreider: A huge hit leads to a 3-on-2 and the defense leaves Kreider wide open. The rush developed so fast and the Penguins had to see their teammate flat on the ice, things are moving fast, it would be easy to lose track of one of the forwards. Rangers ran the run well and found the wide-open Kreider in the slot. All credit to them. Tied 2-2

Goal Pittsburgh by Letang PPG: OT goal, well done, good game. Penguins 3-2

Carolina Hurricanes @ New Jersey Devils

Goal New Jersey by Hughes: Is Hughes a forechecker? That was a great individual effort to put pressure on the puck. It was him vs two Hurricane players in the Hurricanes zone. Hughes stole the puck away and got the goal. I’ve not really watched Jack Hughes since he joined the league but I like the introduction I’m getting to him this game. Devils 1-0

Goal New Jersey by Bratt: A turnover by the Hurricanes leads to Hughes bringing the puck down the ice and making a great pass to Bratt on the wing. One thing is clear, there is talent in the Devils forward corp. I’m not sure yet how deep that talent runs but the top line is something that needs to be given proper attention. Devils 2-0

Goal New Jersey by Bratt: Well, answer that question, yes Hughes is a forechecking monster. I’m not sure how the Hurricanes allow that to happen. Talented players will get theirs. A great individual effort disrupts the play and Hughes creates a mess in front of the net where Bratt is able to clean up and get the goal. I’m very impressed with what I’m seeing so far and if the Devils are going to play like this in the playoff, they have a conference championship appearance written on the ice. Devils 3-0

The Devils did an excellent job of closing this game out. I’d be excited for the future, both near and mid-length for this team.

Winnipeg Jets @ Tampa Bay Lightning

Goal Tampa Bay by Killorn: This looked like a total breakdown by the Jets. They had all their players in one half of their zone. The Lightning made the cross-ice pass to the open support on the wing and sure, the puck dribbled over the line, but the score sheet doesn’t say “barely crossed”. A goal that you don’t want to see your team give up. I saw some lazy defensive moments in the last Jets game and they are still present. BUT, this is a SEGABABA, so I’m sympathetic to the tired, but that kind of breakdown seems like it is more than a tired thing. Lightning 1-0

Goal Winnipeg by Schmidt: I’ve watched this replay several times and I’m not sure what happened. On the surface, it looks like it was a “throw the puck at the net and see what happens” situation. This is always a great strategy if you have the players down low or in front of the goalie to help. In this case, it looks like the shot just found the five-hole for the goal. I’m not sure what the lesson is there other than get the puck to the net because you never know. Tied 1-1

Goal Winnipeg by Niederreiter: A theme we have seen on the Power Play today is teams getting the puck to the bumper, on a nice passing play, and the goal being completed on the next pass or on the shot. In this case, it was a pass, well looked like a pass, that Niederreiter was able to get past the goalie. I really wonder at this point if the Lightning are phoning it in the rest of the season. Players don’t tank, so no, they are trying but this version of the Lightning does not give me the same scaries I felt last year going into the playoffs. Jets 2-1

Goal Winnipeg by Barron: The dump and chase was great, the pass to the crashing player was great, and the goalie contact was less than great but the hard work and being in the right position led to the Jets getting an open shot at the goal. Winnipeg knows how to be positioned for rebounds and passes when they are on offense. The question seems to be, can they outscore the mistakes they make on the defensive end? So far in this game, they have done so. Jets 3-1

Goal Tampa Bay by Cirelli SHG: That was a great Penalty Kill goal. Cirelli flew the zone when he knew they had control of the puck and the pass that led to a scoring breakaway. A great play by a team that was making me question what they are bringing to the playoff party. That said, they aren’t exactly playing inspired hockey at even strength, which IS playoff hockey. Jets 3-2