Connect with us

Published

on

The Boston Bruins set an NHL record for wins with their 63rd victory of the season Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers. With two games remaining, the Bruins need just one more point to tie the record for most points in a season (132 by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens) and two to break it.

What has been the key to the Bruins’ amazing season? Can they finish off their record-breaking run with a Stanley Cup? Where do they rank among all-time great teams? Our reporters and analysts are here to answer those very questions:

Biggest key to the Bruins record setting season?

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Nearly every decision that has been made has worked. There are too many to list and there’s not enough space. But the Pavel Zacha trade is an example of maybe what has made the Bruins different. The New Jersey Devils needed to clear cap space in their attempt to get Johnny Gaudreau. So they traded Zacha to the Bruins. It’s a trade that has seen him set career highs across the board, strengthen their top-nine forward group, provide them with flexibility down the middle and helped whenever there have been injuries or the need to rest Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci. It has made Zacha the sort of player who can be used in several situations.

Arda Ocal, NHL analyst: Sometimes a change does wonders, so I’ll go with Jim Montgomery being the catalyst, putting the systems in place to let the players excel and succeed. It feels like every player on the team is rejuvenated, the depth is being deployed and utilized optimally and the vibes are immaculate in the locker room and around the team. The coach certainly has a role in that. Obviously at the end for the day the players are the ones that are getting it done on the ice, but the coach is bringing it all together and tweaking where necessary. Monty deserves a ton of credit and I’m sure the players would also say as much.

Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Boston’s unbelievable season can’t be boiled down to a single, successful factor. It’s been a perfect storm of basically everything going right. General manage Don Sweeney added the right pieces in Hampus Lindholm last season and then Zacha this offseason. David Pastrnak picked a contract year to have his best offensive showing ever. Linus Ullmark exploded into a Vezina Trophy-worthy goaltender. Bergeron and Krejci came back. Boston’s penalty kill has been outstanding. Jim Montgomery was the perfect voice to pull the most out of this group from behind the bench. It all mattered. It’s all been significant.


Prediction time: Do you think the Bruins will be able to finish it off and win the Stanley Cup?

play

1:20

Patrice Bergeron: Reaching 62 wins is special

Captain Patrice Bergeron reflects on the Bruins’ 62-win milestone and how they’re approaching their final three games.

Clark: Maybe. But those reasons have less to do with the Bruins and more to do with the circumstances around what they want to achieve. We know the statistics about the President’s Trophy winners and the Stanley Cup. We also remember what happened the last time we saw a team this good — the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning — and how they were eliminated in the first round.

We also know that even though the Bruins are this good, it still did not stop the rest of the East from getting stronger at the deadline. And that’s not even taking into account the Florida Panthers, who look like they could take on anyone at the moment.

Ocal: If they play how they have in the regular season, yes. What happens if they get punched in the face in the playoffs? Will they bounce back or roll over? If they go down 2-0 in their first-round serie,s can they bounce back and win? If they do, they will seem unstoppable. That’s the big question everyone likely has.

Hard to bet against them in that regard given what they’ve done this year. They’ve certainly earned the benefit of the doubt.

Shilton: After watching Boston dominate the regular season, it feels silly to say “no.” Of course the Bruins should be a top contender to win the Stanley Cup. It’s just that the postseason is its own beast. The obstacles are different. It’s not about what you can do over months but over days. A couple bad games and you’re out of it.

The Bruins haven’t weathered much adversity this season; teams they face in the playoffs will have. Forget about the past track record of Presidents Trophy winners. Winning in the postseason often requires a certain level of desperation. If Boston can tap into some of that and show they’re a bit battle-scarred too, there’s a good chance they go all the way.


Where do the 2022-23 Bruins rank among all-time teams?

Clark: That may not be something we can answer until after the playoffs are over. Sure, there is a discussion to be had about the Bruins being an all-time regular-season team. That’s not even a question. But when it comes to all-time teams? It all depends upon what they do in the playoffs and whether or not they can win the Stanley Cup.

Ocal: Wysh and I did a ranking on The Drop, and we put them second behind the 96 Red Wings — I like that placement — we are witnessing history. The best part is, absolutely nobody predicted this. We were talking wild card for this team at the start of the season. Now we’re saying “all-time great.” Incredible.

Shilton: The great thing is, we’re still figuring this one out. When Tampa went 62-16-4 in 2018-19 we might have said after the regular season they were one of the best teams ever. And then the playoffs began. Boston is writing its history on a nightly basis and where they ultimately rank — up there with the great Red Wings’ and Edmonton Oilers’ teams of the 1980s and 90s? — is to be determined. It could be a disservice to Boston’s potential, even, to try and assess that now. Who knows what lies ahead for the Bruins?

Continue Reading

Sports

M’s Robles ejected for throwing bat at AAA pitcher

Published

on

By

M's Robles ejected for throwing bat at AAA pitcher

LAS VEGAS — Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles was ejected from a minor league game during a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday after he was nearly hit by an inside pitch and tossed his bat at the pitcher.

Las Vegas starter Joey Estes’ first pitch to Robles in the third inning was inside and Robles whacked at it to avoid getting hit. After taking a few steps behind the plate and dropping his bat, Robles picked up the bat and threw it in Estes’ direction and was immediately ejected from the game by plate umpire Joe McCarthy.

Robles, who was hit by a pitch three times in his previous four games with Tacoma, took some steps toward the mound while yelling at the pitcher but was held back by McCarthy and Las Vegas teammates.

After going into the dugout, Robles threw a box of snacks toward the field before heading to the clubhouse.

Continue Reading

Sports

Sources: DFA’d by Nats, Lowe set to join Red Sox

Published

on

By

Sources: DFA'd by Nats, Lowe set to join Red Sox

First baseman Nathaniel Lowe and the Boston Red Sox are finalizing a deal, sources told ESPN, paving the way for him to join one of the strongest lineups in baseball.

The deal, which will be for a prorated portion of the major league minimum after Lowe was designated for assignment by Washington earlier this month and went unclaimed on waivers, adds a veteran bat to a first-base mix that has been uncertain since Triston Casas‘ season-ending knee injury in May.

Lowe, 30, had been a consistent presence for the Texas Rangers for the past four seasons, including their World Series championship run in 2023. But after an offseason trade to the Nationals, Lowe posted career lows in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

Nevertheless, Boston was thrilled to bring him in, hopeful he can find a resurgence at Fenway Park, where he could fit nicely on the left side of a platoon. Lowe has hit 14 home runs in 337 plate appearances against right-handed pitching this season, posting an OPS+ 20% better than league average.

The Red Sox have split time at first between veterans Abraham Toro against right-handed starters and Romy Gonzalez against left-handers. In 109 plate appearances against lefties, Gonzalez is punishing them, hitting .354/.404/.667. After a strong start to the season, Toro’s performance has faltered over the past five weeks, leaving a potential opportunity for Lowe.

Despite the questions at first, Boston ranks fourth in runs scored in the major leagues with 626 in 125 games, just 14 behind the big league-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox have got potential fortification waiting at Triple-A as well, with rookie Kristian Campbell righting his swing, Vaughn Grissom still playing well enough for an opportunity and top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia slugging 17 home runs in 65 games.

With Lowe going unclaimed on waivers, the Nationals will owe him most of the remainder of his $10.3 million salary. Lowe will be arbitration-eligible next offseason, offering the possibility Boston could bring him back in 2026.

At 68-57 this season, the Red Sox are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the top wild-card spot, a half-game ahead of the New York Yankees. The next-closest team in the AL wild-card race is Cleveland, which is 3½ games behind New York.

Continue Reading

Sports

Giants’ Lee corrals ball with knees for wild catch

Published

on

By

Giants' Lee corrals ball with knees for wild catch

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee might have made the catch of the year — at least.

Tampa Bay’s Yandy Díaz drove a pitch to deep right-center, known as Triples Alley at Oracle Park, and Lee made a play that created a buzz Sunday on social media as San Francisco beat the Rays 7-1.

Lee ran to his left and while sliding on his left leg, the baseball bounced out of his glove. The ball deflected to his his left thigh and rolled down to his left calf before it popped up and he pinned it between his knees and snagged it with his glove.

The speedy, 26-year-old South Korean has become a fan favorite in San Francisco since signing a sixth-year deal worth $113 million before the 2024 season.

He’s about to be even more popular.

Lee has been perhaps the best player on the middle-of-the-pack Giants this season, playing regularly after his rookie season was shortened to 26 games because of injury. He has bounced back from season-ending surgery on his dislocated left shoulder after being injured crashing into an outfield wall.

Continue Reading

Trending