I remember leaving game 1 in 2016 knowing the Sharks would win the series. I don’t have as bad of a feeling about this one but the Blues have to stop playing like jackasses.
It’s obviously not a great sign for the blues but I would take solace in the fact that they did not make these mistakes for a serious while. It’s one bad game in your system, learn from it but mostly just throw this out and move on. You are on the road so it’s still alright. I am sure that it’s their mindset, they will look at some things the sharks are doing that maybe caused a few mistakes but ultimately you still play how you play and just do it quicker and stop questioning too much.
Marchand did his job there. Take away the instigator And let someone knock him the fuck out and see if he keeps doing it
Plenty of players would take the instigator penalty to take a run at Marchand. He won’t ever pay because he would turtle the second a bigger player grabbed him.
Then why don't they? Williams has some size on Marchand, I wouldn't say he turtled there. I get the hate for Marchand. I hated the shit out of Shaw during the 'Hawks run. It is what it is, though. Dude gets under peoples' skin but also has some of the best hands in the league. He's super effective.
Chara is also a huge detriment to anybody taking a run at marchand. Marchand could not play like this if he played for Florida or another softer team,
Marchand won't fight unless it's someone like Lars Eller on the other end. He plays the bullshit NHL code as well as anyone but he's nothing but a fucking pussy.
Williams does his share of agitating too, just seems to be more popular than Marchand with players around the league. I don't blame Bruins fans for defending him, because there's not a guy on this board who wouldn't want Marchand in their line up. Especially since he's emerged into a top playmaker in the league. For a guy who got knocked unconscious a few weeks ago, Svechnikov sure spent some time picking at people yesterday too. He made me look back on that thing with Ovechkin with different eyes.
Chara is a shell of his former self. Every team in the league has someone that could take Chara in his current state.
I was annoyed that Williams didn't produce for us in the postseason but never saw him agitate anything. Didn't agitate a thing either in the extremely chippy Carolina-Washington series.
That's probably the first or second soft goal of the playoffs for Binnington. Not the best time to give it up