985 to sports sub were touched from Rich Simulcast on CSN television.

John McLean is coached.

He was on those annoying Devils teams that slowed everything down and they had to make all those rule changes.

Who better to talk to?

About this upcoming series with Ottawa.

Who better to talk to?

Puck drops tonight on 985 to sports sub slightly after 7 o'clock. John McLean joins us on the AT&T expert hotline. You can see him on MSN. MSG, you can see him on the NHL network. He's all over the place. John McLean, thank you for joining us, sir. All right, thanks, guys. How are you doing today? We're doing well. now you played on a successful team that slowed everything down and bored everyone.

Wow. Thanks, guys. How are you doing today? We're doing well. Now, you played on a successful team that slowed everything down and bored everyone. You know what the difference was, though? We were an offensive team. Really? Yeah, we countered attack really well. I mean, we had a lot. We, we offensively, we were pretty good. I mean, yeah, we did shut it down in the neutral zone, but our counterattack was pretty good. We were one of the highest scoring teams during that time as well. This guy scored 40 goals three times. Yeah, well, that's what I remember you from, John, specifically when you won the cup in 95 with the Devils, and you swept the Red Wings that year, I believe, and just how, yeah, how you were able to slow everything down through the neutral zone.

So the question that is on our minds, how was that different?

Because I keep making the comparison to that team as the Bruins get ready to face Ottawa.

But it's not the same thing what you guys were doing and what Ottawa's doing now.

Yeah, if you do numbers, we were a 1-2-two, so it was one man up and then two-two. And what Ottawa does is a one-three-one, three guys in the neutral zone, and

then basically the sinker as being the third guy. And it's usually their right-hand defensemen

where Carlson, C.C. and Wyman, probably their three best puck handlers onhand defensemen where Carlson, Cici, and Wyden, probably their three

best puck handlers on the back end. Carlson's the best by far, but their left defenseman always

attacks, and that's the key. You see Borowski, he'll run anywhere to get a hit on that left

side or right side, he's he's got free

rein uh the left defenseman so um it's something that uh i'm sure you know it's frustrating during

the year because you you've you guys talked about it's like you just get ready for that team

you know that night and it's like oh geez you know we're going to still try it but when you get

into a playoff series you're going to be able to uh I think Coach Cassidy is going to be able to break it down a little bit more, and the players have a little more interest in buying in for the series. And, you know, I like the Bruins' chances because of their offense and because of, you know, some of their mobility on the

back end will help them, I think.

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