Bruins blank Rangers: 3 Stars - Bussi, Poitras, the fans!

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Your Lockdown Bruins, your daily podcast on the Boston Bruins, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. So what is up Bruins fans and welcome back to the Lockdown Boston Bruins Podcast. I'm your host, Ian McLaren, and this is a daily show where we discuss all things spoke to be. Today is Monday, September 25th, and I want to thank you so much for making Lockdown Bruins part of your day every single day. The podcast is free and available on your favorite podcast app, as well as on YouTube. We are part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your favorite team every single day. On today's podcast, like I mentioned off the top, we're going to discuss yesterday's pre-season opener against the New York Rangers, and I'm going to be recapping games a little differently this year. In the past, we had kind of talked about the major points from the game, awarded a big bear of the night. This season, going to do it in the form of three stars, so each segment will highlight a different star of the game, might not even be a member of the Boston Bruins. If they're pounded one night, and Connor McDavid scores five goals, we'll talk about what went wrong and who allowed that to happen with respect to the Bruins. Just a fun way of recapping games here on this season's version of the podcast. We're entering our fourth season for those of you who know me, don't know me. My name is Ian McLaren. I have been hosting this podcast since the beginning, lifelong Bruins fan, and I'm excited about a brand new season of Boston Bruins hockey, the Centennial season, in fact. I worked for five years as a news editor at the score, been writing about hockey for almost 20 years now, and I'm excited again, yes, to get going, and things kicked off yesterday with a preseason game against the New York Rangers, in which the Bruins shut out the blue shirts by a score of three, nothing, and it struck me during the game, and I tweeted this, or x did, or whatever you want to say, I haven't been this excited about the Bruins preseason in quite some time, usually I'm wanting to get through the preseason, just get the opening night, but there's a real sense of uncertainty asked who will make the opening night roster, and that actually makes the preseason kind of fun. And the first star of the game is going to a guy who won't be on the opening night roster, and that is Goldtender Brandon Bussey. We know he won't be, unless there is a significant injury suffered by either Linus Olmark or Jeremy Swaman. Those two guys defending Jennings Trophy winners, and they will be the tandem in net for the Boston Ruins this season, but Bussey sure showed that he is pretty darn close to being on an NHL roster. He's 25 years old, he posted a shut out victory over the Rangers, and posted some unreal saves, including a full extension lunge to snaggle one-timer, off the stick of Rangers forward, Johnny Brzynski. Now when we're talking about preseason, it's important to keep in mind quality of competition, right? If this was, say Chris Crider or Artemis Penaer and Mika Zabanajad, maybe that pup goes in, maybe there's a bit more juice on it, but you can't fault Bussey for the fact that it was Johnny Brzynski on the other end of it. He made that save, it was spectacular, perhaps the save of the year already in the preseason, and Bussey said, sometimes he's just got to compete and get a little luck, pretty fortunate I made that save, a lot of credit to the team for the defense in front of me, a great effort. Jim Montgomery said that save was unreal, honest to God, quote, it was a great play by them, but the fact he read it. I mean, that's a double slot line play, they go in at 75% because it's a yawning cage that someone's looking at, and they've put it three quarters of the way up the net. That wasn't low glove, he just went and snared it, that's a big time athletic ability, end quote. And you know, Bussey was eager to seize the opportunity to start the exhibition opener, to get all 60 minutes, kicking off his second pro season, knowing that competition and net is pretty stiff ahead of him. All Mark's coming off the Vesna, Jeremy Swamon could very well be a starter on most teams around the NHL. So Bussey, likely going back to the AHL, but if there's injury, if there's an injury, if maybe the Bruins, highly unlikely, but perhaps they make a move with one of their goal tenders, Bussey seems able and capable and ready to make the jump to the NHL. Of course, he had a strong 2022-23, start with the main mariners. He had a fantastic season down in Providence, 22-5-4 with a 9-24, save percentage, second in the AHL, was named to the all rookie team, played in the AHL All Star game, and Bussey, without question, the first star of yesterday's game against the New York Rangers. It's a tough spot for him, of course. You know, he, again, doesn't really have a shot at making the NHL roster, but he went out there, played his heart out, made some unreal saves, and we'll talk a bit later on in the podcast about, again, overreacting perhaps to preseason performance. I encourage you to keep in mind quality of competition in these games. Seceding in the preseason is a lot different than posting shutouts night in and night out during the NHL regular season and even more so in the playoffs, but a fantastic effort for Bussey and the Bruins and Bussey is the number one star of this preseason opener against the New York Rangers. Coming up after the break, we're going to award the second star of the night, and that goes to another youngster, even younger, who is looking to make a great first impression here in training camp and perhaps even crack the NHL roster. That's coming up here after the break. Everyone should be empowered to care for themselves and their loved ones during the unexpected. That's why Jace Medical offers the Jace case. The Jace case provides five life-saving antibiotics for emergency use and gives you peace of mind so that you're not just hoping that you have access to medication in an emergency. Jace Medical makes sure you have the medication on hand that you need. 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Once again, text the word advertising to 33777 or visit lockedonpodcast.com slash advertising. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much once again for making locked on Boston Bruins part of your day every single day free and available on your favorite podcast app and YouTube. On tomorrow's episode, we will begin our Atlantic division power rankings and I'm going to be making my predictions on where the teams will finish one through eight in the Atlantic. All right, let's award the second star and it goes to my boy here from Guelph, Matt Poitre. Strong night for the Bruins youngster as he centered a line with Jake Tabrasque and James Van Riemzig and he opened the scoring at 720 of the first period, taking a feed from Riley Walsh, sneaking a wrist or past Jonathan Quick on the power play. Poitre said just being able to get on the power play to feel the puck, gain a little put out confidence. Seeing that one go in definitely goes a long way to settling the nerves just to get going. He later made a second period feed to Jake Tabrasque and got the assist on that goal. Two points in his NHL preseason debut. Said he felt pretty good out there. It's a lot different than he's used to. It's faster, guys are bigger. Just felt better as the game went on and felt more confident with the puck. It was a plum line assignment. That's an NHL line right there with Van Riemzig and Tabrasque. You could argue and I saw it on Twitter that perhaps his shot wouldn't have gone in against top flight NHL defenses, but as far as Jonathan Quick is advanced in his career, he is a two-time silly cup champion and the score on him must have felt pretty good. Now, Jim Montgomery said, Poitre competes on draws, competes for those pucks, not timid at all in any areas. There's one play in the second where he dove down to win a battle and he got low and he won that battle, drove by someone to take a hit. He could have taken a hit. He took a glimpse of a hit and again a sign of an elusive player that didn't get a big piece of it. That they didn't get a big piece of it. Though it's kind of play show his competitive fire and that he wants the puck. Obviously the hits along the wall hurt a bit more. They drain your energy a bit more than compared to the OHL, but he felt good out there and he's been told by Bruins brass to focus on being more reliable in the defensive zone. That's of course a hallmark of Bruins centers. If you talk about replacing Patrice Bergeron, David Kreechi, that's it. You have to be solid defensively. He's trying to get hard on pucks, get body positioning, be in the right area for the D if they need him coming up the middle and just be a support out there. And you know what's a man's league? Jim Montgomery said, didn't quite see top flight NHL competition. So it's hard to truly evaluate until it's the NHL regular season, but it was a really good start for Portra. He did what he needed to do, played a really good game. It's going to get another game. Montgomery said, and if he keeps playing, he's going to get rewarded and continue to get rewarded for it. It would be a pleasant surprise if he was able to do it. And that is of course cracking the NHL roster. And there is space for him on the roster. They want to make the best possible team. And if Portra is going to play for the Bruins, it will be in top six. And one way it could work would be to have Pavel Zaka, perhaps go back to wing like he played last year with Kreechi and Postornaak. And maybe have a Brad Martian Charlie Coil jig to brusque with Zaka Postornaak as your second line. That would allow you to maybe go Frederick Geeky and Fanream's deck on your third line. And then figure out the fourth line from there. We'll talk about who looks to be in line to get fourth line center duties here in a moment. Ultimately, I do believe Postor will be back here in Guelph on 32 Thoughts, Jeff Merrick, Elliott Friedman this morning. They were talking about some prospects like Slikowski, Shane Wright, and how the NHL isn't a developmental league. There's no shame in young guys being sent to the AHL, being sent down to the OHL, especially when they're still teens in order to compete. Like Montgomery said, this is a man's league. And it's rare to find a teenager who can succeed in that kind of league, much less someone who is taking in the second route to come in at 19 and it'd be expected to be the second line center for the Bruins for full 82 games. I don't know. I could see Postor getting the nine games and then the Bruins ultimately decide to send him back here to Guelph. Let him cook in the OHL challenge for the scoring title here in Guelph. I think that's ultimately what's going to happen. They'll let him cook here in the OHL. Be very pleased with his progress. Be very encouraged about his future with the club. But I don't believe he will be with the Bruins for the full season and therefore burn the first year of his entry-level deal. They give him nine games, send him back to Guelph. His entry-level deal will slide. He'll still have three years for that and they can move on next season at. And one reason why they might be able to do that is because John Beacher looks pretty ready. He scored as well, sent my breakaway, five-hole shot on Jonathan Quick in the third period and he was proficient in the face-off circle. He is a big body out there and Jim Montgomery said Beacher had a great game. He needs to continue to show it through camp. And that's the thing. It's camp goes on and gets harder and the people that rise to the top are the ones that are going to make it. So it's really good start for several players and they're going to keep building on that. Beacher said looking throughout the game a lot of good things happened but a lot of little detail things that perhaps he made the wrong read or just kind of jump the zone a little bit. He's got to clean up those things and the rest should fall in place. So Beacher, you know, drafted two years before Matt Poitra or three years actually. He's got three years on him, 22 years old pro experience. If we're looking at center depth for the Bruins it's likely going to be Coil, Zaka, Geeky, Beacher. But it's quite possible that they'll give Poitra a look on the opening right night roster outside of camp, especially if he continues to play like this and is in our three stars here moving on through the rest of the exhibition season. All right, we have one more star to award and we're going to do that here after the break. Snap into NFL action this season with Fandual America's number one sports book. Right now new customers get $200 in bonus bets guaranteed when you place a $5 bet. That's $200 in bonus bets win or lose on a minimum $5 bet. Unreal. If you've been thinking about joining Fandual there's no better time to get in on the action. Their app is so easy to use. There's a wide range of betting options like spreads, player props, overunders and more. All you have to do is visit Fandual.com, slash Lockdown and get in on the action. This NFL season $5 bet gets you $200 in bonus bets today on Fandual the official partner of the NFL. Damien Lillard, Yannis and Tenekumbo are the Milwaukee Bucks now NBA title favorites. You can't be worrying about 2029 when you could win a Tato in 2024. Atlanta Brave Star Ronald Akunye Jr. continues to make history. It's it's unlike anything we've ever seen. And the Detroit Lions dominate the Green Bay Packers in Thursday nights of battle for the top spot in the NFC North. Lions are the best team in this division. It's not even close. For more on all these stories go check out Lockdown Bucks, Lockdown Braves and Lockdown Lions. Then listen to Lockdown's interview series Paving the Way. Each episode highlights a different voice from across the network. A Lockdown host who's journey in the industry has helped pave the way toward creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape. That's Paving the Way, presented by State Farm available now on the Lockdown Presents Podcast Feed. All right, third star of Boston's three nothing preseason win over the New York Rangers goes to you. You all right, Bruins Twitter, Bruins fans back in force, even Brandon Bussey said it. That a the atmosphere at TD Garden was unreal for a preseason game. Like so much energy didn't think he'd ever played it in front of a crowd. That excited. And it's only the preseason. It's a testament to how great the fans are. He said super exciting experience to do it at TD Garden for the first time. And look, I saw it over the summer following the playoff loss to the Florida Panthers. So easy to get down on this team. The wasted opportunity last season, record breaking regular season, out in the first round of the playoffs. And you know, podcast numbers were down over the summer. Wasn't much interest in the Bruins and the moves they made. There were the retirements from bourgeois and crazy players leaving, signing elsewhere, being traded. But once those centennial jerseys dropped, once the Bruins got back on the ice, you could see the energy level just come back up. And that's be real. When the Bruins are on the ice, we are paying attention. And we will love this team no matter what. Yeah, you can be critical of them. You can be down on them. There was a fair share of cynicism. And again, I'm cautioning people to keep in mind quality of competition. It's only the preseason. Don't get carried away. But I'm not going to lie. I jumped up off my couch when my portrait scored yesterday, when Jake DeBrusque Sally season came back when John Beatrice scored on the breakaway, when Brandon Bussey made that unreal save on top of other fantastic saves. To see these guys back in action, there's always ups. There's always downs. In my time following the Bruins, covering the Bruins, there's been more downs than ups. You know, there's only been one of the upest ups in my lifetime. And that was 2011. We've had 2013. We've had 2019. We've had 2023 playoffs. None of that matters right now on September 25th, 2023. I'm excited about this team. I'm excited about some of these younger guys making good impressions about some of these training camp battles, who's actually going to be on the opening night roster. I'm very interested to see. And again, that's not something that we're used to. We're used to having the roster pretty much set. Bergeron Kratje, guys around them, solid blue line, especially up front this year. It's pretty wide open. And it was great yesterday to log on social media and see so many people excited about the return of the Boston Bruins, excited about the preseason win over the New York Rangers. And looking forward to what's ahead with this team. I'm entering fourth season of the podcast. The first one was interrupted by COVID. The second one was the shortened season with the makeshift, metropolitan, last year, unreal, regular season, disappointing finish. Who knows what this season is going to bring. But the next chance to see some Boston Bruins on the ice will be tomorrow night, Tuesday, September 26th, as they take on the Buffalo Sabers in Buffalo in a preseason game. Bruins are off today. Monday, no practices. Looking on Instagram this morning. It looks like Charlie McIvoy out apple picking. I did that over the weekend. Perfect time of year to do it. I hope you are all doing well. Apologies for the podcast getting out. I'm not feeling great today. Gluten allergy rearing its head. But I couldn't not talk about that great performance yesterday. Hope you enjoyed the three stars format. We're going to be rolling that out every single game this season. So please do comment on YouTube. Drop a note on social media. Jump into the DMs. Let me know what you think and I'm excited about this upcoming season of Boston Bruins hockey. Here on Lockdown Boston Bruins part of the Lockdown podcast network. Your favorite team every single day. Happy Monday friends. Again, take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. We'll talk to you again here tomorrow. If you're a business owner, listen up. Your company could be mentioned right here with the NHL season right around the corner. Lockdown has a special local's only NHL kickoff package. Two local businesses. Yes, only two local businesses can sponsor this podcast for the upcoming NHL season. Find out how you can get this exclusive sponsorship and hear your business on this podcast. Text the word advertising to three three seven seven seven or visit lockdownpodcast.com slash advertising and let us know who you are. Our team will assist you to achieve advertising success with Lockdown. Once again, text the word advertising to three three seven seven seven or visit lockdownpodcast.com slash advertising. We look forward to hearing from you. Damien Lillard, Yannis and Tenakumbo are the Milwaukee Bucks now NBA title favorites. You can't be worrying about 2029 when you could win a title in 2024. Atlanta Brave star Ronald Acunio Jr. continues to make history. It's it's unlike anything we've ever seen. And the Detroit Lions dominate the Green Bay Packers in Thursday nights of battle for the top spot in the NFC North. Lions are the best team in this division. It's not even close. For more on all these stories, go check out Lockdown Bucks, Lockdown Braves and Lockdown Lions. Then listen to Lockdown's interview series Paving the Wave. Each episode highlights a different voice from across the network. A Lockdown host who's journey in the industry has helped pave the way toward creating a more inclusive and diverse media landscape. That's Paving the Wave. Presented by State Farm available now on the Lockdown Presents Podcast Feed.