Stanley Cup Game 4: Toothless Sharks. Now Clawless Bruins?
Published on June 3, 2019
- What happens now if both Zdeno Chara and Matt Grzelcyk can't play in games five, six and if needed, seven? The Blues wore down the Sharks, leaving them toothless. Are they taking the claws out of the Bruins?
- Ryan O'Reilly is a big-game player. That was his first-ever two-goal playoff game. It came at just the right time. He'd had one in his previous 17 playoff games.
- Chara is some kind of tough. He came back out to the bench after taking a puck to the mouth. Sure, he wore a shield and only opened the gate, but that's huge given his obvious pain level. And the likelihood of busted teeth (at best) or a busted jaw (at worst). Or both.
- The first-ever Stanley Cup win on home ice for St. Louis. First-ever. That's the best rendition of Gloria those fans have ever sung. But the crowd inside and out needs to pick up their game. Maybe I'm just spoiled by Jurassic Park and the Toronto Raptors...
- Tuukka Rask was exceptional, especially when the rest of his team failed to show up most of the game. If he wins the Conn Smythe, the Finn needs to buy Jaroslav Halak a handsome thank-you gift. More handsome than a Rolex. Halak's 37 starts this season gave Rask the rest and recovery to be this dialled in.
- The Blues are big and heavy. And punishing. That crazy pressure they showed late in the second just about broke the Bruins' back -- one of the B's was on the ice for more than 3:30! The injuries and frustration are mounting for the Bruins.
- Rebound -- HE SCORES! Full speed, stick on the ice. Puck in the net. Kids, there's a lesson here. A big one.
- Back to Rask and Halak. This could be the new goaltending model. Max 50 starts, even for the best, and supported by an excellent backup. It has huge fantasy implications. Huge. Goalie hoarding will be even worse and there will be a 20-25% premium on even middle-of-the-road guys.
- An entire arena singing a Jon Denver song (RIP)? Only in St. Loo. Then again, you can't even get the Leafs' crowd off their hands, so is it really that bad?
