Brad Marchand scored the game-winning goal Monday and leapt into Taylor Hall’s arms on the Bruins bench.
The Boston left-winger picked the right player to catch him because Marchand wouldn’t have had a chance for his heroics 39 seconds into overtime, and the Bruins wouldn’t have had the opportunity to win the game 3-2 and tie their first-round series with Washington 1-1, if it wasn’t for Hall carrying them toward the finish line.
-
Ep 57: Conference Finals, Dubas Out, Coyotes Wandering
by Full Press Coverage on May 23, 2023 at 11:38 am
Jim and Chris discuss the Conference Finals, the departure of Kyle Dubas […]
It was Hall, the zone-entry machine, who began the game-tying sequence by leaving John Carlson waiting for a bus at the Washington blue line. After throwing the puck to the front for Craig Smith to play target practice with goalie Craig Anderson’s pad, it was Hall who came out from behind the goal and whacked the puck past Anderson to tie the game 2-2 with 2:49 remaining in regulation.
Hallsy coming up clutch.#NHLBruins | @hallsy09 pic.twitter.com/E6rbtdkVih
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) May 18, 2021
It was the type of moment Hall was acquired to provide a Bruins team that too often the past several years relied on Marchand and his linemates to both tie and win games in the playoffs.
“It’s a greasy goal for sure,” Hall said.
More than greasy, it was monumental because it proved that the Bruins might not be a one-line team these playoffs. Sure Hall had eight goals in 16 games after trading in his Sabres sweater for a spoked B, but most of those games weren’t played anywhere near playoff intensity.
For Hall to be a successful deadline acquisition, he’s going to have to produce when the stakes are highest. He shunned the notion that he was coming to Boston to be a savior immediately after the trade deadline, but he’s a No. 1 overall pick, a $7 million man and he wasn’t going to get to be just another Drew Stafford or even Marcus Johansson once he entered the fray.
Hall looked pedestrian in Boston’s Game 1 loss. He drew a couple penalties, but landed just two shots on net, got blown up a couple of times by the Capitals’ physical play and showed little of that “second effort” coach Bruce Cassidy likes to talk about.
For much of Game 2, that continued for Hall. But somewhere around the second period, he flipped a switch. His goal was one of seven shots on net and was a product of what one might’ve called a third or fourth effort.
“He didn’t go for a flyby,” Cassidy explained.
Latest Bruins News
- NHL Insights: New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Calgary Flames
- Three Game 7s Continue NHL Ratings Bonanza
- NHL Rumors: Boston Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings
- Stanley Cup Playoffs Notebook: All About The Road Cooking
- 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Results: April 23rd
David Pastrnak is still AWOL, and Marchand, despite the game-winner, has had trouble staying out of the penalty box and creating space to operate in the offensive zone. Through two games on home ice, Washington was able to bottle up the Bruins’ top line. That might not continue in Boston, but we’ve seen it happen, despite the notion that that line is perfect.
Hall, along with Smith doing his best power forward impression, and David Krejci doing his usual remarkable things in the playoffs, could be on the verge of creating a nickname for themselves. They saved the Bruins with time winding down in Game 2, and they might just be scratching the surface of what they can do.
At least Hall expects more of himself.
“It wasn’t a perfect game for me,” Hall said. “I still think I have another level to get to personally. But as a team we came together and won a game, and that’s all you can ask for.”
No player or line on the Bruins is perfect. Hall, though, can make them balanced if he has the type of postseason Boston foresaw for him at the trade deadline. That could lead to a perfect ending to this postseason.
-
Ep 57: Conference Finals, Dubas Out, Coyotes Wandering
by Full Press Coverage on May 23, 2023 at 11:38 am
Jim and Chris discuss the Conference Finals, the departure of Kyle Dubas […]
-
Ep 56: Leafs, Oilers, Eastern Conference Preview
by Full Press Coverage on May 16, 2023 at 12:21 am
Jim and Producer Ian discuss the Leafs and Oilers early exits and they […]
-
Eastern Conference and Western Final Previews and More NHL Talk
by Full Press Coverage on May 18, 2023 at 11:00 pm
Full Press NHL Podcast with Jim Biringer and Vox Media AM/FM NHL Analyst […]
-
Taking a Trip Around the NHL as Changes Fill The Air
by Full Press Coverage on May 17, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Jim is back once again joined by Russ Cohen of Sportsology and Buffalo […]
-
Ep 83: Stanley Cup Playoffs Are Here; Can Bruins Keep Up Pace?
by Full Press Coverage on April 17, 2023 at 4:06 pm
Ian and Chris are back to give their thoughts on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, […]
-
Ep 82: Bruins Set Wins Record, Pasta Hits 60, Playoffs Around The Corner
by Full Press Coverage on April 10, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Ian and Chris react to the Bruins 63rd win of the season, David Pastrnak's […]
-
The Hockey World Revolves Around Toronto
by Jim Biringer on May 23, 2023 at 12:00 pm
Jim is back for a fourth season of the Final Word on Hockey as he is […]
-
S4Ep28 - Stanley Cup Playoffs - Conference Final Preview
by Jim Biringer on May 16, 2023 at 7:28 pm
Jim is back for the fourth season of the Final Word on Hockey previewing […]
-
Stars at Golden Knights
by Broken Controller Media on May 27, 2023 at 4:05 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Golden Knights at Stars
by Broken Controller Media on May 25, 2023 at 12:35 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Hurricanes at Panthers
by Broken Controller Media on May 24, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Golden Knights at Stars
by Broken Controller Media on May 23, 2023 at 4:00 pm
Stack the Pucks gives a breakdown of every NHL Game on the card. For more […]
-
Episode #141: Tend The Goal
by Full Press Coverage on May 25, 2023 at 2:24 pm
The 2023 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs have reached its final four teams, and […]
-
Episode #140: Stone Cold's 4th Line
by Full Press Coverage on May 23, 2023 at 1:41 pm
And then, there were four. The 2023 AHL Division Finals have concluded, […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 766
by Charlie Saunier on May 28, 2023 at 7:01 am
Ep 766 The Renegades Of Puck Recap Game 2 Preview Game 3 Milwaukee […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 765
by Charlie Saunier on May 26, 2023 at 11:23 pm
Ep 765 The Renegades Of Puck Recap Game 1 Preview Game 2 Milwaukee […]
-
Full Press Hurricanes - Thursday, May 25th
by Full Press Coverage on May 25, 2023 at 4:00 pm
The Carolina Hurricanes are eliminated in four games in the Eastern […]
-
Full Press Kraken - Thursday, May 25th
by Full Press Coverage on May 25, 2023 at 3:15 pm
Taking a look at Vince Dunn’s season Learn more about your ad choices. […]
-
Full Press Blackhawks - Thursday, May 25th
by Full Press Coverage on May 25, 2023 at 1:15 pm
What team blueprint should the Blackhawks follow and what is will the […]
-
Renegades Of Puck Ep 764
by Charlie Saunier on May 24, 2023 at 5:19 am
Ep 764 The Renegades Of Puck Preview AHL WCF Milwaukee Admirals Vs […]
-
5/26 - Celtics Force Game 6; Mahomes QB List
by Full Press Coverage on May 26, 2023 at 2:12 pm
Ian and John discuss the Celtics big Game 5 win the Top 5 quarterbacks of […]
-
5/25 - Panthers Advance To Stanley Cup Finals; Celtics/Heat
by Full Press Coverage on May 25, 2023 at 3:00 pm
Ian and John discuss the Celtics and the Heat and welcome in Jim Bringer […]
-
5/24 - Lakers Eliminated, Celtics Force Game 5
by Full Press Coverage on May 24, 2023 at 2:08 pm
Ian and John discuss the Lakers loss to the Nuggets in the Western […]
-
5/22 - Celtics, Lakers Face 0-3 Deficit
by Full Press Coverage on May 22, 2023 at 1:58 pm
Ian and John react to the Celtics and Lakers being down 0-3 in their […]