The win streak hasn't reached double digits yet but it feels like the Bruins haven't lost in about three months. The good times keep rolling and everything is awesome (sorry, had to try that one out) as Boston (45-17-5) beat Carolina (29-29-9) 5-1 this afternoon at TD Garden. Boston's top line combined for eight points: Milan Lucic (1 goal, 2 assists), David Krejci (3 assists) and Jarome Iginla (2 goals) could make a solid case that they are the best forward line in the NHL these days.
Even Chad Johnson (29 saves) is playing out of his mind with a career-best nine-game point streak (8-0-1). The B's continue to bury their rivals in the Atlantic Division-they are 15 points ahead of second-place Toronto-while Pittsburgh has started to slow down a bit allowing Boston to build a three-point lead over them (albeit while the Penguins have a game in hand) for first in the East.
The Hurricanes are supposedly fighting for a playoff spot in the stinky Eastern Conference but you wouldn't know it by the lifeless display they put on. Boston outshot them in each period and Cam Ward made 36 saves which sounds good until you remember that he allowed five goals as well.
Lucic's goal at 15:28 of the first gave Boston a 1-0 lead. His 21st goal of the season (temporarily tying him with Brad Marchand and Iginla for the team lead) was assisted by Krejci who was getting tripped by Eric Staal. For some reason, Ward and his defensemen were way out of position.
Iginla showed off his superb hands and shooting skills in tight quarters with his first goal at 17:24 of the second. His 22nd goal of the season made it 2-0 with assists going to Lucic and Krejci.
The only reason that Johnson didn't earn a shutout is because Alexander Semin's shot deflected off Johnny Boychuk's stick in front. I guess Carolina made it interesting for about nine minutes before the Bruins hit them with two goals in 13 seconds (their fastest pair in 2.5 seasons). Chris Kelly went first, scoring his seventh of the season at 12:49 from Krejci and Dougie Hamilton. Before Ward or the Hurricanes could think to settle down, it was 4-1 and basically over. Somehow Iginla was wide open for about 10 minutes in front of the net so Kevan Miller found him. Lucic had the second assist.
Torey Krug scored the epitome of a garbage time goal as his hard wrist shot from the point sneaked in with less than 10 seconds left in this beating. It was his 14th goal of the season, Carl Soderberg and Gregory Campbell earned the helpers.
Boston hosts Minnesota (35-22-10) on Monday (7:30, NBCSN) aka St. Patrick's Day. Yikes, things could get ugly for the Wild if they get blown out and or puked on by the lovely Bruins fans that will surely have been drinking all day.
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