They have only played twice so far this season (with three more meetings on the Lockout-infused horizon) but the Senators must be wondering how they can beat the Bruins since they've lost both games in heartbreaking fashion. Tonight, Ottawa (13-8-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead 7:18 into the contest but that was all the offense they could muster as Boston (17-3-3) rallied for a 3-2 shootout win at Scotiabank Place.
Tuukka Rask (13-2-3) had 30 saves, including three in the shootout as the B's grabbed two points at the start of their insane week: five games in seven days with two back-to-backs. It was Boston's third win in a row. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci scored in the shootout for Boston. Senators goaltender Robin Lehner (33 saves) lost to the Bruins for the second time in less than two weeks after Bergeron beat him in overtime on February 28 for a 2-1 win at TD Garden.
Sloppy play in their own end gift-wrapped a pair of goals from the Bruins to the Senators. Guillaume Latendresse scored his first goal of the season just 55 seconds into the game (quickest goal Boston has allowed this season). Adam McQuaid couldn't clear a pass that handcuffed him and Latendresse took advantage. Kyle Turris put another loose puck in the top shelf after Boston fumbled it behind their own net. Chris Phillips had assists on both Ottawa goals.
The Bruins' fourth line had probably their best game of the season as Shawn Thornton scored his second goal of the season with 44 seconds left in the first period after an extended shift in Ottawa's zone. Zdeno Chara had the lone assist. Daniel Paille was sprung for a breakaway in the second period and he finished it for his fifth goal of the season, assists to David Krejci and McQuaid.
It was a chippy game too, something to remember when they play again on March 21. McQuaid hit Chris Neil awkwardly into the boards in the first period so he had to fight something called Patrick Wiercioch. Neil appeared to be seriously hurt at first but he recovered enough to return to the game and dish out a completely unnecessary knee-to-knee hit on Chris Kelly in the second period. Kelly couldn't put any weight on it as teammates and the Bruins' trainer helped him off the ice, he didn't return in the third period.
Kelly made the trip to Pittsburgh with the team but I really doubt that he'll be able to play tomorrow night (7:30 p.m., NESN) vs. the Penguins (18-8-0, 1st in Atlantic Division). Pittsburgh has won five games in a row to reach second place in the Eastern Conference. It'll be interesting to see if Rask gets the start (something that Claude Julien hates to do in back-to-backs) again since it's hard to see Anton Khudobin getting thrown to the wolves aka the NHL's highest scoring team on their home ice no less. It should be one of the best regular season games between two of the real contenders in the East.
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