Bruins Continue To Roll, Pick Up Their 1st Back-To-Back Wins In 2 Nights

Even when the Bruins aren't playing particularly well (up to their high standards at least) early on this season, they are still getting the results they want for the most part. Boston (5-0-1) rallied for a 2-1 six-round shootout win over the Devils (3-0-2) tonight at TD Garden. With the victory, Boston is off to its best start since 1970-71 with points in their first six contests.

The Bruins and Devils remain the only clubs in the Eastern Conference to have not suffered a loss in regulation. Tuukka Rask (25 saves) returned to Boston's goal after sitting out Monday night's 5-3 win at Carolina. New Jersey actually snapped Boston's 24-for-24 successful penalty kill streak as David Clarkson (3rd of the season) tipped in Marek Zidlicky's shot from the point at 8:30 of the second period. Patrik Elias had the second assist for the defending Eastern Conference champions.

Rewind to the first period when Shawn Thornton fought Krys Barch, other than that the B's lacked their normal energy and snarl. Regardless, they picked it up in the third period when it mattered most and Nathan Horton (3rd of the season) tied it with 4:05 left in regulation. It was all thanks to an exquisite rush from his linemates Milan Lucic and David Krejci. It's amazing what can happen (the trickle down effect if you will) when the top line is playing like this.

Boston went to overtime for the third time this season and while both teams had chances, the B's progressed to their second shootout (2-0). Tyler Seguin and Ilya Kovalchuk scored in the first round but then nobody else did in four additional rounds. Brad Marchand finally trickled one past Hedberg, through his five hole and Rask stopped Zidlicky to seal it.

The B's went 2-for-2 on their first back-to-back of the season (only 6 more), now they have tomorrow off before hosting Buffalo (2-3-1) on Thursday (7 p.m., NESN). It represents Boston's first meeting with a Northeast Division rival, they will also try to stay unbeaten at the Garden (4-0-0).

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Bruins start to get back on track with win vs. the Devils

The Boston Bruins had picked a fine time to play their worst hockey of the season. With a three-game homestand kicking off their final 11 regular season games, last night was a nice start towards gaining home ice advantage for the playoffs (and winning the Northeast Division) as they beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 at the TD Garden.

It was only Boston's (40-22-10) second win in their last eight games but when coupled with Montreal's loss to Buffalo, the Bruins now lead the Canadiens by three points.

New Jersey (34-35-4) had been playing some crazy good hockey since an awful start but with this setback, they're likely to miss out on the playoffs.

Ilya Kovalchuk gave the Devils a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 11:05 of the first period. His textbook one-timer (assists to Mattias Tedenby and Jacob Josefson) was his 27th goal of the season.

From there, Boston's best players: Tim Thomas, Zdeno Chara, Milan Lucic, Tomas Kaberle, Patrice Bergeron and Co. woke up and started to resemble the team that has been so consistent all season (no losing streak longer than two games).

Shawn Thornton tied it up at 15:39 of the first period, scoring his career-high ninth goal of the season off a deflection (from Dennis Seidenberg and Kaberle) in front of New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur (26 saves).

Thomas helped the Bruins find their sea legs as they were badly outplayed in the first period (Devils outshot them 16-6 in the first period). They were inspired in the second period (17-8 shots for Boston) and it showed on the scoreboard.

Chara put the Bs ahead for good in the second period at 8:17 with the rarest of goals for Boston: that's right, a power-play strike. Chara's 13th of the season (his 400th career point) was thanks to a nice backdoor pass from Lucic (Kaberle had the other assist). It's amazing what a little movement will do on our painfully predictable power play.

Thomas (30 saves; 30-10-8) did his best to keep it 2-1 and his teammates finally gave him a little breathing room as Lucic scored his 30th goal of the season at 16:13. Bergeron made the play with a sweet backhand feed to Lucic in front, Chara had the second assist.

Mark Recchi iced it with an empty-netter (his 13th goal of the season) with 40 seconds remaining. Bergeron and Chara assisted on that one.

Tomorrow night at TD Garden is the final regular season meeting between the Bruins and Canadiens. Last time out was a shitshow of epic proportions with Chara's hit, Max Pacioretty's injury and Montreal fans calling 911. I would like nothing more than to see the Bruins play well and beat the Canadiens since the last two seasons, Montreal has had their number. They can't get suckered into playing Montreal's weasel style.

Oh Hey

Welcome to the party Michael Ryder, don't know where you've been for the past month and a half but that doesn't matter, you're here now and that's all that counts.

Ryder scored two goals last night for the Bruins as they coughed up a 2-0 lead and late 3-2 lead but won in the shootout 4-3, a forum where the B's are usually allergic to goals and victories.

Another Boston (9-8-4) player who had been invisible this season was Marco Sturm and he emerged last night with a tip-in goal (his 5th) after a Mark Recchi shot in the first period. Andrew Ference also assisted on the goal.

Ryder also scored on a tip-in with 1:49 left in the first period. It was also his fifth of the season, from Blake Wheeler and Dennis Wideman (remember him), other members of Boston's ghost squad.

Nobody is at the games but the Thrashers (10-6-2) can score some goals and they tied it up quickly with two in the second. Nik Antropov scored his first of the season (to go along with 16 assists) before superstud Ilya Kovalchuk tied it up with a power play goal with 5:37 left in the second.

Ryder put his team back ahead with a power play goal, something nearly unheard of for the Bruins, just a few minutes after Kovalchuk's goal. David Krejci and Wideman assisted on that tally.

Boston looked about to seize the two points in regulation when Maxim Afinogenov sent it to overtime with a strike with 42 seconds remaining.

Tukka Rask (32 saves), a last-minute sub for Tim Thomas, played well the entire game and stoned all three Atlanta shooters in the shootout. Patrice Bergeron was Boston's first shooter and fittingly he had the only goal.

It wasn't pretty but it was two points in a manner that this team hasn't excelled at by any means. Milan Lucic returned to the lineup and Marc Savard is due back most likely next week.

They'll look to keep the momentum going as they travel to Buffalo tonight to face red-hot Ryan Miller and the Sabres.