NESN

Bruins Making Right Move by Keeping Zdeno Chara in Front of Net on Power Play

Editor’s note: NESN.com and The Vancouver Sun are teaming up for Across Enemy Lines during the Bruins-Canucks series. The Vancouver Sun’s Ian Walker answered our Game 2 questions, which you can read by clicking here, and Douglas Flynn answered their questions.

The Bruins’ biggest area of concern this postseason has been the power play. In response to the team’s anemic numbers on the man advantage, head coach Claude Julien moved mammoth defenseman Zdeno Chara in front of the net in an attempt to screen Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo.

The move has been met with criticism, as some people think the captain’s punishing slap shot would be better served from the blue line. But according to NESN.com’s Douglas Flynn , Chara’s size and reach make him a better option camped in front of the Vancouver netminder.

“I thought the power play looked better with him in front than it has throughout the postseason with him at the point,” Flynn wrote. “Chara still needs to refine his technique in front. He could do a better job of pouncing on loose pucks on the slot, though it’s difficult to do that at times with such a long stick. Still, his size in front providing screens of Roberto Luongo is more of an asset than his big shot on the point.”

While the league’s hardest slap shot is lost by moving Big Z from the point, Flynn doesn’t see the blast fitting in on the power play.

“That powerful shot has proven ineffective throughout the postseason” Flynn explained. ”Its very power makes it difficult to tip or corral rebounds off it. It also can make things easy on the penalty kill as the carom off the end boards when that shot is off the mark is often strong enough to clear the puck without any help.”

See the rest of what Douglas Flynn had to say about Game 2 of Bruins-Canucks Stanley Cup Final by clicking here.