Bruins-Canadiens Series Recap: Boston's Veterans, Leaders Didn't Come Through In Playoffs
BOSTON (CBS) -- The season is over for the Boston Bruins, ending with a 3-1 loss to the rival Montreal Canadiens Wednesday night in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal playoff series.
While the series went seven games, the Bruins never really showed up. They never played to their potential, and the Canadiens were in full control over the final two games.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Bruins Radio Network team of Dave Goucher and Bob Beers joined The Adam Jones Show after Wednesday night's loss to break down the series. While many will point to Boston's young and inexperienced defense as a big reason they lost, Beers said you can look at Boston's veterans who did not produce.
"The play of the young defensemen was part of it, but they needed better play from some of the veterans and the leadership," said Beers. "There were glimpses throughout but it wasn't where it needed to be. Whether they looked tired or injured, which has been speculated, their big guns -- some of the guys who were real good in the regular season -- didn't come through in the playoffs, especially this series.
"The Canadiens wanted it more. The Canadiens kept the Bruins from the front of the net, they boxed out in front and got down to block shots," said Beers. "They circled the wagons in front of Carey Price and when the puck got through, the Bruins either hit the post, missed the net or he made the save."
"David Krejci did not score in the playoffs. Brad Marchand didn't score in the playoffs," explained Goucher. "In Game 7, Milan Lucic had no shots on net and Zdeno Chara had no shots on net. Players who had come up for them in the past in the postseason, especially as this series wore on and into Game 7, they did not get it done."
"I dont want to take anything away from the Canadiens," added Beers. "But we kept hearing the Bruins haven't played their best, and they still haven't. That wasn't the team we saw during the regular season.... They didn't do what it took to win, and Montreal did.
"[The Bruins] chased this entire series. They trailed by at least two goals in five of the seven games and they never had the lead in Game 6 or 7 with a chance to win the series," said Goucher. "That's a hard way to win. They came back and had a big win in Game 2, but falling behind in Game 3, in Game 6, in Game 7 -- that's not the Bruins team we're used to seeing."
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