TSN's Martin Biron: Bruins At Risk If They Can't Match Canadiens' Intensity To Start Game 3
BOSTON (CBS) - The Bruins-Canadiens series heads north Tuesday night for Game 3, and Martin Biron of TSN joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich show for a preview of the contest.
Much was made about Dougie Hamilton's comments following Saturday's Game 2 about Carey Price when he hinted at the fact that maybe the Bruins have figured him out in that you have to aim high on him.
Carey Price responded that aiming high is the strategy to beat any goalie -- not just him -- and basically labeled Hamilton's comments as meaningless.
Martin Biron says they're both right.
"I've yet to see a goaltender that likes traffic in front of him, that likes screens in front of him," said Biron. "That's really the scouting report for anybody. They're both right. There's been a bit of a pattern in the first couple of games, but that's a pattern that can happen with any other goalie."
Speaking of patterns, Tuukka Rask was able to break a disturbing trend in Game 2 this past weekend when he sealed his first career victory at the TD Garden against Montreal.
Biron says Rask is a "very intelligent, quality goalie" that's very hard on himself. Deflections are going to happen, but in order to be successful you have to stop the goals that beat you cleanly -- like Rene Bourque's five-hole goal in Game 1.
For whatever reason the Bruins, who under Claude Julien have been great on the penalty kill, have a hard time stopping Montreal when down a man -- and that is why the Habs have been so great historically against Tuukka Rask.
As previously stated, the series heads north of the border tonight to Montreal to a building that's less than accommodating to the Boston Bruins. The Canadiens, whether you believe it or not, have a huge home ice advantage at the Bell Centre.
Biron emphasized the importance of the Bruins getting off to a good start in the first period as a way to quell that advantage.
"You gotta watch out for [bad calls] early in the game. I think that as the game goes on, and as the referees get comfortable and see how the game is being played, and the players know how the referees are gonna call the game, then everybody knows what to expect. It's your own fault if you take a penalty in a certain situation because you know better than that. Especially from the Bruins side -- they know when a certain referee will call something different.
"Early in the game this building is going to be rocking. Same as Boston, Montreal has somebody special coming in to sing the national anthem. The first two minutes the Canadiens are going to be flying. You have to avoid taking a penalty [if you're the Bruins]. You have to avoid reaching with your stick, or hooking. It's in your own best interest to match the speed, match the intensity of the other team. Because if you can't do that you might start in a hole 1-0, and that's not how you want it in a pivotal Game 3."
Bruins coach Claude Julien and Canadiens coach Michel Therrien have gone back and forth all series engaging in a war of words, posturing the referees for better officiating and what to look out for.
A former player with 14 years experience, from Biron's experience that sort of thing never works.
"The refs are like a team. If you're a coach and complain the refs see that. They read the paper and they don't like that when you attack one of their own," said Biron.
Listen below for the full interview, where Biron talks about potential changes in Game 3 for both teams and much more:
Martin Biron Interview
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