Totally agree. I cringe every time the Gryba-Boro pairing is on the ice. They both can't skate well and every single game one or both take a stupid cross-checking/slashing/interference penalty.
Yes, they do a good job of blocking shots and clearing people out of the front of the net but like you said, the game has changed. You have to have guys that can skate and move the puck well.
- SENS 613
Despite the fact that speed is the key to success in the league - things still change when the play-offs start.
Gryba-Boro will be more valuable in this series than they were in the regular season. They keep things simple and play physical.
Montreal is going to get pushed around in this series. They are built for the finesse speed game of the regular season, not the grueling physical game of the play-offs.
Now, I'm not saying that Ottawa is going to dominate, I simply feel that Ottawa matches up well against Montreal and has a good chance of taking the series.
That said, they have struggled when they really need to win coming down the stretch. I predict they lose game 1 (that atmosphere is a little overwhelming for a group of guys with less than two years under their belts), but come back and win games 2 and 3.
Game 4 to Montreal and games 5&6 to Ottawa.
Ottawa in 6.
