Bruins Painfully Bow Out of the 2017 NHL Playoffs With a 3-2 Overtime Loss to the Senators

With so many injuries piling up seemingly every day to important players, we knew that the Bruins were a fatally flawed team (not to go deeper into their uneven roster to begin with). A Stanley Cup seemed very unlikely this spring but it was still a major bummer to see them lose Game 6 of their first-round playoff series today at TD Garden, 3-2 in OT to Ottawa, so the Senators took the series 4-2 and advance to play the Rangers in the second round. You won't find a much tighter six games than that since every tilt was decided by one goal including four of them in overtime(s). Ottawa went 3-1 in the extra session(s) and Clarke MacArthur forever etched his name in Senators history by scoring the power play goal that ended this one at 6:30.

You can always play the what-if game but it makes you wonder how much of a difference defensemen Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo (not to mention Adam McQuaid who was hurt in Game 2) and center David Krejci who missed Games 1, 2 and 6 would have made when Ottawa cumulatively outscored Boston just 15-13 over these six games. Boston's lack of depth eventually caught up to them along with the fact that Ottawa's power play (5-for-23, 21.7%) was better than Boston's (3-for-16, 18.8%) in this series. Senators superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson is actually playing with two hair-line fractures in his foot (surprisingly revealed by head coach Guy Boucher after this win) but you'd hardly know it by the way he played with a series-best six assists.

For only the second time in the six games, Boston actually scored first (both by Drew Stafford) but in each instance, they ended up losing in overtime which is a real kick in the hockey pants. Stafford scored a power play goal of his own at 18:13 of the first period when he blasted a shot past Craig Anderson (28 saves). Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy assisted on Stafford's second goal of the postseason. Bobby Ryan, who was also a completely random force all series-long, tied it early in the second period with a power play goal at 3:26. He tipped in Derick Brassard's shot which was also assisted by Karlsson for Ryan's series-best fourth tally of the series.

Kyle Turris gave Ottawa a 2-1 lead less than five minutes later as he ripped the puck by Tuukka Rask (26 saves) after Stafford had failed to clear the puck out of Boston's defensive zone. It was Turris' first goal of the postseason and rookie Ryan Dzingel's first career NHL playoff point. Fittingly facing elimination, the B's played one of their best frames of the entire series in the third period. They outshot Ottawa 12-3 and tied it at 1:57 on Bergeron's putback of a juicy Anderson rebound. Bergy's second goal of the postseason was assisted by Marchand and Miller. With the way that the ice was tilted their way not to mention all the momentum behind them with their home fans going wild, the Bruins should have ended it right there in regulation. You never want to leave your fate up to overtime, especially in this unwanted situation.

David Pastrnak was called for the holding penalty that preceded MacArthur's game-winner and truthfully, it was the correct call. Rask made the initial save but MacArthur was nearby to blast in the rebound for the undoubtedly biggest goal of his life. If you need something to make you feel a tiny bit better as a Bruins fan, MacArthur's career was nearly ended by concussions so this is someone that is impossible to root against if you have any sort of heart. Ryan and Brassard had the assists on his second goal of the playoffs. Karlsson dominating is one predictable outcome but who would have expected Ryan (4 goals, 3 assists) and Brassard (2 goals, 6 assists) to offensively outplay Bergeron (2 goals, 2 assists) and Marchand (1 goal, 3 assists)?

There is plenty of time to worry about the future of this team with the NHL draft, expansion draft and free agency all looming this summer. Interim head coach Bruce Cassidy said after this contest that he "absolutely wants to be here moving forward, 100%," so I think that his extension will be announced any day now. With the way that he bounced back this season, I believe that captain Zdeno Chara will want to return next fall (and not retire) but other than that, your guess is as good as mine when it comes to moves and signings although I'm confident that Pastrnak will get a long-term deal here soon.

It was great to have some NHL playoff hockey back in our lives, let's hope that it's not another three years (or god forbid more) until the next postseason appearance for the B's. With all the talented young guys, led by Pastrnak and 19-year-old rookie defeneseman Charlie McAvoy, there is plenty to be excited about. They have a bigger infusion of quality newcomers than I can ever remember in the five years that I've been covering them (for what that's worth).

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James Reimer Steals A Game For The Maple Leafs In The Playoffs, Wait What?

Everything lined up perfectly for the Bruins in Game 5. They were back at TD Garden, up 3-1 in the series on the Maple Leafs with a chance to send them home for good and move on, earning a much-needed break before the next grueling series. Obviously Boston enjoys a challenge since their 2-1 loss to Toronto threw a wrench into those plans. Game 6 is at Air Canada Centre on Sunday night (7:30 p.m., NESN).

The fact that the Maple Leafs came out fired up and playing desperate hockey was not a surprise, what else would you expect from a team down 3-1 in a series? Oh that's right, some gutless teams like the Canadiens mail it in when faced with adversity like that. Credit to Toronto though, they earned this victory and the fact that James Reimer (43 saves) was the main reason why couldn't be more shocking.

Boston came out slow in the first period, getting outshot 19-8 but Tuukka Rask (31 saves) stood on his head and allowed his teammates to catch up. The B's woke up in the second period but the Maple Leafs drew first blood as Tyler Bozak skated in a breakaway and tucked a backhander past Rask at 11:27. It was a shorthanded goal and Andrew Ference was the goat after turning it over to Bozak in Toronto's end.

One costly turnover wasn't enough so Nathan Horton gave it away in his own zone, leading to Clarke MacArthur's backhander for a goal at 1:58 of the third period. Two unassisted goals for the Maple Leafs but truthfully, Bruins were the ones with the helpers. Facing a 2-0 hole and another flight back to Toronto, the B's really turned it on in the third. It looked like Reimer might escape with a shutout, he still gave up plenty of rebounds but tonight the Bruins couldn't take advantage.

The momentum turned Boston's way when Zdeno Chara scored his first goal of the playoffs at 11:12. David Krejci (who has a point in every game; leading NHL with 11 points) found the captain for a wicked wrist shot. Dennis Seidenberg had the second assist for Boston. The crowd got loud for the rest of the game which was almost totally spent in Toronto's end. Johnny Boychuk hit the crossbar, Jaromir Jagr had a great chance and Boston even had a late power play after a delay of game by Bozak. Somehow Reimer and the Leafs stood tall, the B's even had two shots right in the final seconds but time ran out.

The Bruins won't be afraid of Air Canada Centre, they won Game 3 and Game 4 there. They just need to have the urgency and fire that they showed in the third period when the puck drops to start Game 6. The Leafs are a decent team but there is no reason this series should go seven games, Boston has to get the job done on Sunday or else they will piss away their hard-earned 3-1 lead with nothing to show for it.

UPDATE 5/12: Andrew Ference stayed in Boston with the flu so he's out for Game 6. Matt Bartkowski and Wade Redden are expected to be in there for the Bruins.

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Krejci (3 G) & Bruins Haunt Toronto's Dreams, Beat Maple Leafs 4-3 In OT For 3-1 Series Lead

They might take years off our collective lives but I honestly can't name anything in sports that are more exciting than NHL playoff games that go to overtime. The Bruins and Maple Leafs treated us to a dandy tonight at Air Canada Centre as David Krejci's OT winner gave Boston a 4-3 win in Game 4 and 3-1 series lead for the B's.

Toronto has to feel like this was one they let slip their through gloves since they led 2-0 in the first period after goals by Joffrey Lupul at 2:35 and Cody Franson at 18:32. It sounds silly but Boston actually played very well in the first period but they were the victims of the dreaded bad bounces. The Maple Leafs scored on their first shot, Krejci hit the post when James Reimer (41 saves) was down and out then Zdeno Chara (4 assists-franchise record for defensemen) screened Tuukka Rask (45 saves) on Franson's goal.

The momentum flipped 32 seconds into the second period as Patrice Bergeron buried a power play goal (first goal of the playoffs) from Chara and Jaromir Jagr. What a concept, Boston actually used a power play to its advantage. They can do that? Krejci tied it at 12:59 (3rd goal of the playoffs) from Marchand and Chara thanks to another juicy rebound by Reimer. That's more than a habit with Toronto's shaky goaltender. Krejci gave the B's their first lead at 16:39 on a sweet one-timer from Nathan Horton and Chara, another power play goal (seriously).

Another break went Toronto's way 44 seconds later as Johnny Boychuk blocked a shot but it went right to Clarke MacArthur who tied it up once again. There were no goals in the third period but the action was intense. Nazem Kadri got a four-minute penalty for high sticking Chris Kelly and drawing blood. Boston's power play couldn't take advantage but their penalty kill unit stepped up with their first clean sheet of the series (Toronto was 0 of 4). No kill was more important than late in the third period when Chara went off for high sticking.

In the third period and overtime-when it mattered most-Rask was brilliant. The game-winner (Krejci's 2nd career playoff hat trick) came after Maple Leafs bozo/captain Dion Phaneuf tried to drill Horton, mostly missed and took himself out of the play in Boston's end. Krejci walked in with Lucic but never dished it (thank God). Instead, he waited out Reimer then just slid it under him. Horton and Chara had the helpers on the memorable tally at 13:06.

Boston will try to close the series out on Friday (7 p.m., NESN) in Game 5 at what should be a rocking TD Garden. By winning both games in Toronto, the Bruins have totally taken over this series after splitting in Boston.

UPDATE 5/10: Wade Redden is out with an undisclosed injury in Game 5 so Matt Bartkowski was recalled from Provdience and he's expected to skate on the third line with Adam McQuaid.

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