True enough,, but the mind can play tricks on you, n’est-ce pas?

Yes, the mind can be funny (?) that way, but I don't see what you're getting at.

I'm questioning the logic that it benefits both the defensive team AND the offensive team to clear the puck away from the slot during scrambles.   I figure if the puck being in the slot is to the defensive team's disadvantage, then [almost by definition?] it being in there is to the offensive team's advantage. The offensive team taking it away from the area is helping the defense.  I think keeping the foot on the gas is good offensive strategy!!

And furthermore I've heard DC/MD profess (?) that, "...the best defense is a good offense."

I don't think it's that easy. Sometimes nobody knows where the puck is. It could be under the goaltender, under another player, maybe behind the goaltender but not yet over the line. Sometimes the ref doesn't see it and thus whistles the play dead. Sometimes the situation looks hazardous because players are down and skate blades are dangerous. There might be an enhanced measure of panic on the part of the defense because the penalty for not securing the puck could mean a goal for the other team. There could be an enhanced sense of panic for the offense because there might be just a few seconds left in which to score the tying goal. Both teams could be thrashing away for a small eternity before the offense scores, just to find that they were offside and time is put back on the clock.

And it's quite easy to overthink the situation.

Yes,, but I take your point, Owen,, I’m sure the defence would rather see the opposition take the puck away to reset.

Indeed one can overthink it, Paul.  However, given my druthers I use a KISS approach, to wit: IF the advantage is with the offensive team, then it's in the offensive team's interest to maintain/extend that pressure.    [Elegant in it's simplicity, er what??]

I mentioned "generally speaking" and "in the slot[not necessarily in the crease]."  The situations you mention, surely do arise, but they're specific, not a generalization.  

My KISS logic says that for the [general] situation I described there are only three options: a) defensive team has the advantage, b) offensive team has the advantage, or c) neither team has the advantage.   

Now, IF the advantage in a scramble is with the defensive team, or neither team has an advantage... then I'll go back and overthink things.   

["I'm a man, but I can change ... if I have to ... I guess."

At the other end of the spectrum ?? - nary a goalmouth scramble to be seen
At 1:26
youtu.be/MtotkQmWodg?si=kz5M9EJw1lGJ8F2i

Re: "... under the goaltender, under another player, maybe behind the goaltender but not yet over the line. Sometimes the ref doesn't see it ...  etc.."

From my first post on the subject: "... when the puck pops loose and is retrieved by the offensive team...  ."

I apologize for my part in keeping the discussion (?) off the rails. [And in overthinking things.  ]

... just now [about 8:00 minute mark of 2nd. period] the Maple Laffs are pressing, although it's only a minor mosh-pit ... Bertuzzi knocked on his butt, one Bruin down/stung blocking a shot, Cuthbert's (?) call is: "...Swayman down and out," and the puck deflects out to a Laff over along the boards .... instead of putting it back in the slot and maintaining pressure, the Laffs opt for 2 or 3 passes along the blue line and don't get another shot or even threaten before the Bruins regroup, gain possession and get it out.   Smarten up!!!

... well, well, well ... looks like they were smart enough. 

Edit: Though it looks like my man Pulock [#6 Islanders] from an hour up the road will soon be golfing.

Our loco heroes ? Makar and Rempe are still in it reaching for the golden grail , aka Lord Stanley’s mug

Would've been nice if the Bruins had showed up for the first period...

There was reference to this on my Facebook page this a.m.

Caption: "Stone's wife liked the jersey."

.... or sweater, as the case may be??

From Baseballer > my Facebook > BHO .... [somehow I never thought of looking at it this way before]:

... and a couple of other things requiring immediate expert analysis:

For many years I've wondered aloud* why teams didn't bring the goalie up to the blue line for national anthems ... at least give the impression that he's part of the team.  Last nite I see Woll along the blue line with the rest of the starting line-up. I generally keep the remote handy to try to avoid a lot of the non-playing stuff ... so now I'm left wondering how widespread this "movement" (?) is.

* = but not to anybody in a position to do anything about it. 

...And I noticed Woll's eyes don't always blink in unison.  If he can continue his recent success, do you suppose this will become standard** operating procedure for goalies?

** = I think nowadays goalies are viewed as being more "standard" than they used to be.

“goalies are weird” used to be the general consensus…but standing at the blue line for the national anthem is tantamount to woke /PC/etc

However,, more importantly,, I think I smell a rat. The Canadian anthem was sung first at the Gahd'n without the required emotion….

..... you mean I was woke +/-20 years before most others?  

Did Samsonov stand with his team mates?  Instead of watching the anthems, I had flicked over to Rays vs. Mets and missed it?  [Old habits die hard, I guess.  ]

Wow. That was a nailbiter.

With profuse apologies to my Canuckistan friends...

Boo-YAH!

Of course, the Floridians were always gonna blow out whichever team won, so there's that...

Yep, Samsonov was standing at the blue line with his team mates - probably will never do that again, to keep superstitions alive, that is.  Hrudey figures he could have left his net to stop that final bank pass from the corner,, methinks it was too fast, 50/50 chance he gets to it, and too difficult to predict the angle as a visiting goalie not used to that rink.  Well, that leaves Edmonton and Vancouver to try win the Cup for a Canadian city.
Congrats to the Bruins.

For the past few days, some local puck scribes, sports radio jocks and listeners were calling for Jim Montgomery's head on a plate if the Bruins lost Game 7.

Ludicrous.

I'm no great Don Sweeney fan. I still resent the way he hung Bruce Cassidy out to dry before firing him, he's made poor draft picks (lookin' at you, 2015) and a host of other boneheaded moves. One presumes he got into Harvard more for his hockey skills than his intellect.

OTOH, he DID hire Jim Montgomery, which turned out well. He bet the ranch on the team last year, only to have the team come up short against Florida. He did so after signing extraordinarily team-friendly deals with Bergeron and Krecji, both of whom were highly likely to retire.

This year, without a true first-line center and other issues - not least was reduced cap due to a buyout and bonuses for Krecji and Bergeron, Sweeney went into the off-season without enough cap space to even fill a 23-man roster. He coughed up Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno (the latter a free agent) and scraped together enough to bring back Lucic (big mistake, though the LTIR helped) and then went dumpster diving, bringing in a rag-tag bunch of unremarkable journeyman players like Kevin Shattenkirk and James Van Riemsdyk. Who knew Danton Heinen - entering the season without a contract, accepting a PTO and then signing a one-year deal at league minimum, would turn into such a dependable player?

The thing is: working with a few true stars, rookies that exceeded expectations and players off the scrapheaps, Montgomery managed to coach up a team that's now in the second round of the playoffs. Far as I'm concerned, that's amazing.

I'd be over the moon if the Bruins managed to avenge their first-round exit to the Panthers starting on Monday, but I don't expect it. The Panthers are, IMO, clearly the better team (even though Boston has beaten them in all four regular season games). Besides, the Panthers have a mean streak that Boston lacks and a knack for peaking at the right time. Boston eked out last night's win, with some key Leafs players out or playing hurt, and if there were two more games it could easily have gone to the Leafs.

So as far as this Bruins fan is concerned, this season is already a success. And if we don't see more - much as I'd like to - it's still been one heckuva year.

Les Habitants en l'autobus

RIP Ron Ellis   https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ron-ellis-who-played-over-1-000-games-with-maple-leafs-dead-at-79-1.6883241

I remember Foster Blew-it on CBC Radio's HNIC.... two of my brothers were more-or-less Maple Laffs fans, with me as a Habs fan stuck in the middle. I seem to recall Ellis being instrumental in more than his share of 3rd. period comebacks against les 'abs.

Mr. Elbows Bridge

The loved Montreal and their neighbours

Huh…?

So we’re down to 5 teams,,, Oilers & Canucks have yet to settle out. Dallas looks tough to beat