Tag Archives: Tim Schaller

Stempniak

Lee Stempniak Impressing In Camp

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When the Bruins invited Lee Stempniak to camp it was a surprise a move. With opening night only four days away Stempniak still remains on the Bruins roster. On a roster filled with young talent the thirteen year veteran has played with renewed injury this preseason. Whether or not that leads to a roster spot remains to be seen. With opening night fast approaching the Bruins will soon have to decide on what they will do with the veteran winger.

Stempniak’s Value

Last season Stempniak appeared in 37 games for the Hurricanes scoring three goals and recording nine assists. It was the first time in his career that he appeared in less than fifty games in a season. His three goals were his lowest total since 2012-2013 hen he had nine with Calgary. This preseason he has not looked like a veteran who has lost his scoring touch. Stempniak has looked re-energized by the Bruins youth even though that could be a reason he does not end up with a roster spot.

Stempniak

Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Furthermore, he is not a twenty goal scorer but still has value. He is a steady veteran presence who can score between 10 and 15 goals. In the preseason Stempniak has six points while only averaging 11 minutes of ice time a game. He has shown that he can produce in a depth role and on the powerplay. His scoring touch is needed but his veteran leadership is also important.

Veteran Presence

This off-season the Bruins have lost veterans Rick Nash, Riley Nash, and Tim Schaller in free agency. Stempniak has been in the league for over a decade and been in many different locker rooms. He can provide perspective for the younger Bruins players who are still adjusting to the NHL. This is a key quality and contribution that does not show up on the stat sheet.

stempniak

Photo Credit: Couch Guy Sports

Although Stempniak is a well-traveled veteran he will not end up on the Bruins top line. He would most likely end up on the Bruins third or fourth-line. He could provide scoring depth while adding a unique perspective in the locker room and has outplayed some of the players still in camp. It is these type of signings that sometimes work out to be the best moves. Stempniak will know his fate soon but he has made a compelling case in his second stint with the Bruins.

Fourth line

Bruins Fourth Line: A Memorable Run

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Last season, the Bruins had one of the best fourth lines in recent memory. The trio of Sean Kuraly, Tim Schaller, and Noel Acciari drew comparisons to the Bruins 2011 fourth line. That trio of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell, and Shawn Thornton was key in the Bruins championship run. Last season didn’t end in a Stanley Cup for the Bruins, but the fourth line was valuable in many ways. Schaller signed with Vancouver in free agency, but Kuraly and Acciari will look to make the same impact next season.

Comparisons to The Merlot Line

The line’s value was not just measured in statistics, but also in how they affected the game . Whenever the Bruins needed a momentum shift, Bruce Cassidy called on them. All three players were vital on the Bruins penalty kill, which was the third best in the NHL. The trio combined for five shorthanded points. They had a “defense first” attitude, which allowed for offensive counter opportunities. They grinded on every shift. The trio was not as physical as the “Merlot Line,” but they were still willing to throw their bodies around. Their play set a new standard for the fourth line.

Fourth line

Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images

By The Numbers

Last season, the trio combined for 30 goals. Kuraly was the only one of the three to not score at least ten goals. Since the departure of the “Merlot Line,” the Bruins had struggled to get production from their fourth line. As the NHL has become faster, the Bruins had struggled to adapt. These three were not just willing to throw their bodies around, but also could fly up and down the ice. Through their first 23 games together, they allowed just four goals, including two on 5-5 action. They were trusted against other team’s top lines, which allowed the Bruins forwards more rest. All three were undrafted and played with a chip on their shoulder.

Fourth line

Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/ NHLI

Expectations For Next Season

In the playoffs, this line was just as good. Through the first six games of the first round, the trio were in the top three in terms of points per minutes amongst the Bruins forwards. Next year, the line will look different with the departure of Schaller in free agency. Kuraly and Acciari will bring the same energy and improve as they gain more experience. Even though one-third of the trio is gone, they reminded Bruins fans just how valuable the fourth line can be.

Bruins Exit Weekend With Two of Four Points

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The Bruins looked solid on Saturday night in the desert with a 6-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes. The same can’t be said for the Bruins on Sunday as the Boston fell to the Golden Knights 3-1. The Bruins are off until Thursday when they take the ice in Boston to host the Vancouver Canucks.

Saturday in Arizona

The Bruins really impressed on Saturday night skating to a 6-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Rookie Anders Bjork recorded his first career NHL goal.  Jake DeBrusk scored his second of the season and added an assist in the game. Some more noticeable Bruins on Saturday included Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Tim Schaller, and Danton Heinen.  The most outstanding Bruin on the night was captain Zdeno Chara.  Registering his first goal of the season in the second period, Chara added two helpers. Marchand scored a nifty backhand goal off a slick pass from David Pastrnak., who also added an assist in the game. Tim Schaller scored for the second straight game for the Bruins. Recent call up Danton Heinen got credit for two assists.

Dobby impresses

Bruins goaltender Anton Khudobin got the start on Saturday night and played well enough to earn his first win of the season. Khudobin stopped 29 of 31 shots he faced against the struggling Coyotes. The Bruins needed Khudobin to step up for them with starter Tuukka Rask struggling, and he certainly did. With the Bruins wanting to rest Rask longer more this season, Khudobin will have to win some games.  He has proven he is the man for the job after watching him this preseason, and in this game.

”The ‘W’ is always great. No matter what the score, whether it’s 8-6 or 9-7. If you win then you win. Nobody talks about losers. Everybody talks about winners, right?” said Khudobin. “If you win, then you’re on the horse, and if you don’t then you’re under it. It’s great to get one at the start of the season, and so now hopefully it’s not going to roll like it did last year.”

Sunday in Vegas

The Bruins had a disappointing game on Sunday as they fell to the leagues newest team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Bruins managed to get only 23 shots on their old teammate Malcolm Subban. If the Bruins want to win games they will need to generate more shots on net. They must stop being so fancy all the time and just keep it simple to get those greasy goals. If the Bruins focus more on this, they will score more goals and win more hockey games. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask played fairly well in the game by stopping 23 of 25 shots that he faced.

The Bruins lone goal scorer on Sunday was David Pastrnak, who banked the puck off the Vegas defender in the final minute of the game. Brad Marchand who continues to put up points assisted Pastrnak’s goal. Rookie Charlie McAvoy also got an assist on the goal as well which now gives him assists in the last two games.

Injuries

The Bruins lost Ryan Spooner and Adam Mcquaid on Sunday due to injuries. I am unsure what happened to Spooner, but he is out with a lower body injury. Mcquaid, took a slap shot from ex-eammate Colin Miller off the side of his leg which didn’t look pretty.

Whats next?

The Bruins get four days off before their next match up at home against the Vancouver Canucks. If the Bruins want to make it to the postseason again this year, they have to improve — fast. They won’t make the playoffs as a 500 team. They need to put up points and do it now.  Boston may get a boost to their lineup on Thursday with Patrice Bergeron close to returning. I really hope Bergy gets back on the ice soon as a very important player on this team.

Bruins Fall to Avalanche Again Wednesday

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Bruins fail to bounce back

The Bruins fell once again to the Avalanche on Wednesday night in Colorado. If the Bruins want to win hockey games, it will take a much better effort. They need to play the same way they did against the Predators last Thursday.

Tuukka Rask was pulled from the game after giving up four goals on 26 shots in the first two periods. Rask has allowed 10 goals through the first three games played so far this season. Bruins backup goaltender Anton Khudobin was between the pipes to start the third period.  Khudobin came into the game when the score was 4-1, stopping all nine shots he faced in the third period. Khudobin looks to start this season the way he ended last season.

However, there are a few good things to take away from the game, The Bruins did have a strong third period by almost completing the comeback. The Bruins scored two goals in the third. Fourth-line winger Tim Schaller scored 11 minutes and 30 seconds into the period. Only a few moments later, Torey Krug scored for the Bruins to make it 4-3. There was plenty of time for Boston to score again and tie the game up. Unfortunately, the Bruins were unable to complete the comeback. The Avs went on to win the game 6-3 after scoring two empty net goals in the final minutes.

Bruins rookies struggle for second straight game

Bruins’ rookies Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk, and Anders Bjork were all held off the score sheet for the second straight game. Both DeBrusk and Bjork are a -5 in the last two games. McAvoy is -3 over the last two games. The Bruins rely heavily on these three rookies in the absence of Patrice Bergeron and David Backes. With Bergy an Backes out, the younger guys on the team have to step up and help carry the Bruins until they are fully healthy. With Bergeron looking to return sometime this weekend, one young forward will have to be replaced. At this point I think it’s safe to say that Bjork and DeBrusk’s roster spots are secured for now. So the Bruins will likely send a player from their third or fourth lines down to Providence.

Good signs

Other positive signs in the game included Brad Marchand beginning to look more and more like he did last season. Marchand scored the Bruins’ first goal of the game with a sick shot that beat Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov’s blocker side. Torey Krug also cashed in for the Bruins by scoring his first goal of the season. Krug’s goal came just one game after his return from the broken jaw that he suffered in the preseason.

Bruins need points this weekend

The Bruins will get their next shot in Arizona on Saturday night when they are in town to take on the Arizona Coyotes. Boston will be in action again on Sunday, taking on the Las Vegas Golden Knights for the first time

. The Bruins need these points now if they want to be in the postseason again this spring.