RALEIGH, N.C. — When it comes to prepping for the opposition in between the pipes, the Bruins have to be counting their blessings that the players themselves aren’t conducting any scout work.
“Probably in every meeting, everyone is gonna say, Get bodies and pucks to the net. Because that’s the cliche we use in hockey,” Chris Wagner said of the team’s approach on the ice when it comes to capitalizing against netminders.
It’s not a surprising response, given the split-second nature of the action on the ice — where heat maps, shot charts and other metrics can go out the window in the mind of a skater if a goalie is caught out of position or bites hard on a deke.
“I think players, in the heat of the moment, are going to shoot where they see net,” Bruce Cassidy said. “Where they feel is the best chance to score.”
Luckily for the Bruins, Bob Essensa’s scouting meetings are from the same ol’ cliche mantras when it comes to firing pucks into twine. When it comes to getting his message across, Boston’s goaltending coach opts for a bit more of a dramatic approach — at least when it comes to his video presentations.
“They’re engaged with it because it’s an entertaining production. He has the whole title, music in the background, it’s like the start of a movie,” Cassidy joked. “So right away, he grabs your attention.”
Essensa could have a gig mapped out for himself in Hollywood down the road, but the NHL veteran has held his current coaching post in Boston for the last 15 years thanks to his track record of both developing talent within the organization — while exposing the weaknesses of the netminders on the other bench.
His scouting report on Petr Mrazek, the aggressive goaltender for the Hurricanes, has paid dividends on the scoresheet so far in the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Bruins have managed to pot 10 goals past him on 52 shots — equaling out to an .808 save percentage for the Carolina netminder.
Even if some of Essensa’s messages can get lost in the shuffle during a game, his efforts toward identifying Mrazek’s tendencies in net have made the difference between a pad save and a back-breaking goal — with Wagner managing to tuck a puck through the ‘Canes goalie’s five-hole during a Game 1 win on Thursday night.
“Saw Mrazek was aggressive,” Wagner noted. “I’ll credit Goalie Bob for my breakaway move a couple games ago, that you can open him up five-hole.”
The Bruins might hold a 2-0 edge in their best-of-seven series with Carolina, but Essensa hasn’t had much time for a break from the video room. Rather, he’s been double shifting — with the Hurricanes’ goaltending structure offering plenty of uncertainty as to what Boston might face in Game 3 on Tuesday night.
Mrazek might have helped Carolina outlast the Capitals over a seven-game series in the first round, but the Czech native’s overall body of work during this Cup run has left a bit to be desired. Now 5-5 over 11 playoff matchups with an .894 save percentage, Mrazek’s goals saved above average mark has now plummeted to -2.503, the fourth-worst mark among goalies this postseason.
In other words, he’s allowing 2.5 more goals than the average netminder would relinquish so far this postseason — when factoring in shot quantity, quality and other metrics.
(
Your daily
Tuukka Rask
update — he’s still leading all goalies in GSAA with a mark of 4.934. Ho hum.)
Add in an .845 save percentage on high-danger shots, and Mrazek could very well find himself watching Game 3 from Carolina’s bench. Shortcomings in net usually spell the end of a promising playoff run, but ‘Canes coach
Rod Brind’Amour
could have an ace up his sleeve in the form of 35-year-old
Curtis McElhinney
.
Pressed into starting duties during the Eastern Conference Semifinals after Mrazek went down with an injury, McElhinney shined, posting a .947 save percentage over three games against the Islanders, while stopping all 18 high-danger shots he faced. Add in a GSAA of 2.029 — good for fourth place among goalies this postseason — and McElhinney is a more than suitable backup plan for the Hurricanes.
For now, though, Brind’Amour isn’t showing his hand when it comes to which goalie will get the call on Tuesday night at PNC Arena.
“
Actually, it's an easy decision," Brind'Amour said. "I know we talk about it a lot, and I know it would be easy if I just said, '
Here is who we're starting
, but we're confident in any way we go.' Do we make a change? We might. But that might be for different reasons than you guys think. We'll know (Tuesday).”
Both Mrazek and
McElhinney are battled-tested NHL regulars, but their playing styles are far from similar — forcing Essensa to work overtime in an effort to determine the various tells both netminders have in their games.
“I think we’d see Part 2 of the movie, to be honest with ya,” Cassidy said if McElhinney gets the call. “(Essensa’s) done it for
(Frederik) Andersen
, he did it for
(Sergei) Bobrovsky
. He wasn’t sure going in (against Carolina), so he was doing homework for two goalies.
