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To me, keeping a defense hemmed in their zone in the 1st or 2nd period for a long cycle that results in a turnover, bad-angle shot or an odd-man rush the other way is like fouling off 8 or 9 pitches in the 1st or 2nd inning against a pitcher and then striking out.
Whether it was Torts' strategy or not, you can't deny that any line Boyle centered usually found itself trapped for long portions in the 3rd period. The only salvation was a unified dedication to shot blocking.
Boyle is a warrior and he's grown on me (a little), but the Rangers would be a dangerous team moving forward if he saw less ice time or had his role reduced in favor of a guy who was more of a natural center in the classic definition of the position.
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