A Strong Third Period & a Shutout By Halak Gives Boston Its Eighth Straight Win, 2-0 vs. Carolina

You know that you are spoiled as a fan of a certain team when you start critiquing wins like they are blowout losses. The Bruins (20-3-5) haven't quite reached that absurd reality level of say the Patriots but they are entering rare territory. Take tonight's 2-0 victory vs. Carolina (16-11-1) at TD Garden as an example of why the Black and Gold are starting to spoil us (at least as far as the regular season is concerned). With no goals in over 55 minutes of regulation, you better believe that there were plenty of low-hanging fruit (what is this soccer?) jokes to be had by the masses. Luckily, the B's turned it on just in time with a pair of goals 1:08 apart to avoid overtime, win their eighth game in a row, extend their overall point streak to 12 games (9-0-3) and their home point streak to 16 games (12-0-4) aka all of 2019/2020 so far.

On a team loaded with so many accomplished veteran players, it often feels like individual Bruins are reaching career milestones in nearly every contest. This was "backup" goaltender Jaroslav Halak's (24 saves, 7-1-3) 500th career NHL game-him and Tuuuka Rask are the only current NHL tandem to both do that-so he marked that special occasion with his second shutout of the season and 49th of his career. Surprisingly, it turned out to be Bostons' first shutout over Carolina since way back on January 17, 2011 (Tim Thomas in a 7-0 blowout on home ice) roughly five months before winning the Cup. Like Halak, David Krejci won't be a Hall of Famer but he's had a really solid career (entirely as a Bruin). He scored Boston's insurance goal which was also his 200th in the NHL.

This was a rematch of the 2019 Eastern Conference Final but truth be told, it would be a shock if Carolina makes it back there anytime soon. That's not to say that they aren't good because they will definitely be in the playoffs again this spring but I doubt that they will get that far then again hockey is more unpredictable than the other three major pro sports in the US (NFL, NBA and MLB). Both teams were called for two penalties-all in the first period-but neither power play could get anything going. The Hurricanes had a great scoring chance early in the second period as veteran left wing Nino Niederreiter hit the post with his backhand shot. Carolina's talented young defensemen Jaccob Slavin thought that he had beaten Halak but his backhander actually went through the side of the net. Seriously, that Hailey's Comet type once in a lifetime occurrence seriously happened in an NHL game.

Boston has been playing a bunch of close contests during this stretch so they obviously must feel confident when they are facing such circumstances. With Hurricanes backup goaltender and former Maple Leafs bum James Reimer (32 saves, 5-5-0) in net, it was only a matter of time before he cracked from the immense pressure of a game on December 3. Not once but twice this evening he stopped shots only to look behind or around him for what he expected to find: a loose puck. The Bruins saved the heroics for crunch time with steady local guy Charlie Coyle redirecting a pass from Brad Marchand (5 goals & 7 assists in his last 8 games; 8 goals & 8 assists in his last 13) at 15:55 of the third period. Danton Heinen started the played by forcing a turnover then smartly funneling it to Marchand along the wall. Coyle's sixth goal of the season gave him 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in his last 12 games. Before Bruins fans had a chance to revive a "Reimer, Reimer" chant, it was 2-0 and game over.

This time Krejci tipped in a shot from the point by Charlie McAvoy. David Pastrnak had the second assist on Krejci's sixth goal of the season that gave him eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in his last six games and 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists) in his last 13 games. Not to be outdone by Marchand, Pastrank has 10 points (8 goals, 2 assists) in his last nine games. For the season, Brad leads the team with 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) and Pasta only trails him by one point (25 goals, 18 assists). Not that it really means anything or matters all that much but that race between them for most points could go down to the wire in April.

Team records don't mean everything in hockey but at least on paper, Chicago (10-12-5) looks like a team that the Bruins should be able to handle rather easily when they visit here on Thursday (7, NESN). Some teams would possibly be looking ahead to Saturday night's (7, NESN) meeting with Colorado (16-8-2) as a possible Stanley Cup Final preview and far sexier matchup. However, with so many veterans and leaders on the team, the B's rarely overlook any opponent so I am confident that they won't ignore the Blackhawks even though most knowledgeable fans probably will given Chicago's mediocrity in recent years. If it helps you get more interested in Thursday's tilt, take a time machine back to the 2013 Stanley Cup Final when Bruins-Blackhawks was everything in the hockey universe.

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B's Choke Away the Atlantic Division Title & #1 Seed in the East So They'll Face Leafs in Rd. 1

It's been an unexpectedly wonderful 2017-18 regular season for your Boston Bruins (50-20-12) but there is no way to sugarcoat tonight's result: their 4-2 loss to the Panthers (44-30-8) at TD Garden was an unmitigated disaster that ultimately could cost them the chance at the Stanley Cup this spring/summer. A win would have netted the B's many nice things: the Atlantic Division title, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference (with home ice throughout) and perhaps most importantly, a first-round date with New Jersey (44-29-9), a team that they went 3-0 against this season and is undoubtedly the worst outfit to make it from the East. Instead, Boston finished second in the Atlantic Division which means that they'll face Toronto (49-26-7)-one of the best teams in the NHL and a club that went 3-1 vs. their Original Six rivals during this campaign.

The oddest part of this evening is that with so much on the line, the Black and Gold came out flat yet again (an all too common theme lately). Panthers rookie Henrik Borgstrom (who just a few weeks ago was playing at the University of Denver) scored his first NHL goal at 1:22 of the first period, assisted by former Bruins great Frank Vatrano. The Bruins seemed to wake up less than seven minutes later as David Backes deposited a rebound by James Reimer (33 saves, 2 goals allowed). Kevan Miller and David Krejci had the assists on Backes' 14th goal of the season. Vatrano is apparently becoming something of a Bruins killer as he bagged a goal in his second straight game vs. Boston. His one-timer at 16:46 of the first period restored Florida's lead while Jared McCann and Jamie McGinn (say that ten times fast) provided the assists on Vatrano's seventh goal of the season.

The B's successfully flushed a crappy (get it?!) first period down the toilet last night against Ottawa (28-43-11) but it proved to be not nearly as easy against the Panthers who have to be one of the best non-playoff teams in NHL history (they had 96 points, only one less than Columbus and New Jersey). Something called Maxim Mamin (what a great name!) beat Tuukka Rask (22 saves) with another one-timer at 13:33 of the second period for a 3-1 Florida advantage. Reimer stopped Jake DeBrusk on a breakaway later in the frame as the Bruins were still down two goals when the second had mercifully ended.

Boston finally woke up in the third period but it was much too late. Jonathan Huberdeau's double-minor for high sticking on Zdeno Chara sparked a short-lived comeback attempt by the B's as David Pastrnak cashed in with a power-play goal at 9:54. Pasta's team-best and career-high 35th goal of the season was assisted by Patrice Bergeron (3 goals, 6 assists in his last 9 games) and Ryan Donato. Reimer actually left late in the third with a leg injury but Roberto Luongo (8 saves) of all people managed to hang on for the win. Evgenii Dadonov sent Bruins fans running to the exits when he put in a juicy rebound at 18:11. McCann assisted on Dadonov's 28th goal of the season which handed their Sunshine State neighbors (Tampa Bay) the Atlantic Division and top seed in the East.

In the last week or so, the Bruins appeared to be understandably gassed. They lost four out of their last five games which is not exactly what you want to see from a team that will be expected to make a deep playoff run. Still, it sounds like the Nashes (Rick and Riley) should hopefully be back for Game 1 vs. Toronto on Thursday (7, NESN) which would give their forward lines some additional quality depth. Game 2 is Saturday night (8, NESN) with the series shifting to Toronto for Game 3 on Patriots Day (7, NESN) and next Thursday (7, NESN).

Thankfully, I'm not in the prediction business but you are crazy if you think that Bruins-Maple Leafs will be decided either way by a sweep or in five games. This has epic six or seven-game tight playoff series written all over it. Besides Tampa Bay (54-23-5) vs. New Jersey, the other Eastern Conference series are Washington (49-26-7) vs. Columbus (45-30-7) and Pittsburgh (47-29-6) vs. Philadelphia (42-26-14). I would argue that there is nothing in sports better than the Stanley Cup Playoffs so you have to savor all of them that you can get. Like the Bruins, we all could use a little rest before the fun begins on Wednesday for some teams and Thursday for them. See you then.

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Bruins Pummel the Panthers 5-1 to Clinch Home Ice In At Least the First Round of the Playoffs

With the finish line of the regular season in plain sight, the Bruins (49-17-11) are starting to set their laser-like focus on the playoffs while also making sure to get the requisite points that they need to hopefully rest key guys at some juncture in the final week. Boston allowed the first goal of the game this afternoon at TD Garden against the desperate Panthers (39-30-8) but from there, the B's hit them with five straight goals (not to mention countless literal punches to the face) to come away with a satisfying 5-1 victory. With the win, the Black and Gold regained first-place in the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division from Tampa Bay (52-22-4) who had destroyed the Rangers (33-36-9) 7-3 last night. The B's also still own a game in hand against the Lightning plus they meet one more time on Tuesday (7:30, NESN) in the Sunshine State as Boston goes for the season sweep (right now they're 3-0 vs. TB).

The only negative part of the contest for Boston was that they somehow suffered two more injuries to important players: center Riley Nash left in the second period after taking a Torey Krug shot to the ear, he received stitches (ouch!) and didn't return. In the third period defenseman Brandon Carlo went down in a heap with the dreaded non-contact injury. He lunged at the puck with his right skate and his right leg/knee seemed to give out. Ugh, it just so happened to occur right by the corner with the paramedics stationed nearby so he was wheeled out on a stretcher.

Jamie McGinn gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 4:59 of the first period after jamming in the puck past Tuukka Rask (30 saves, 34-11-5; 10-0-1 in his last 11 starts). Milton native Keith Yandle (5-game point streak) and Vincent Trocheck had the assists on McGinn's 13th goal of the season. The Bruins responded with two goals later in the first period and three goals in the second to put this away early. Center David Krejci (3 assists) was the catalyst for the B's offense along with rookie winger Jake DeBrusk (2 goals, 1 assist) who returned after missing eight games with an upper-body injury to play on Krejci's line with fellow rookie Ryan Donato (goal, assist).

Nick Holden's 1st goal as a Bruin (4th of the season overall) tied it at 11:15 as he went to the net and Krejci whirled around to put the puck right on his stick for a sweet re-direct with DeBrusk picking up the second helper. An aggressive forecheck all day by the B's paid off with a couple goals: Panthers defenseman Alexander Petrovic lost the puck behind his own net and Donato was on it to feed DeBrusk for a nifty one-timer at 14:06. Krejci had the second assist on DeBrusk's 15th goal of the season.

It was another tough day at the Garden for James Reimer (15 saves, 5 goals allowed) as Donato made it 3-1 at 1:32 of the second period after Krejci caused a turnover and passed it to the rookie for his fourth goal in seven NHL games. Adam McQuaid fought Michael Haley after that goal but much like in the game itself, the Panthers were beaten in that matchup as well. Reimer allowed a pair of goals that he should have stopped as Patrice Bergeron banged in a rebound at 13:40 of the second (similar to McGinn's goal) for his 29th goal of the season, assisted by David Backes and David Pastrnak (200th NHL point). Good old Roberto Luongo came in after Reimer gave up another leaky tally as he couldn't squeeze Kevan Miller's shot and DeBrusk was on the spot to tap it in at 16:32. It was all Hockey East alums on the assists as Matt Grzelcyk provided the second helper.

Noel Acciari had surprisingly never been in an NHL bout so he got that out of the way in the third period vs. something named MacKenzie Weegar. The Bruins got out of the building fast since they have to play the Flyers (39-25-14) tomorrow afternoon (12:30, NBC) on Easter Sunday. Expect Anton Khudobin to get the start in goal for Boston, I'm not sure if Riley Nash will be back but I highly doubt that Carlo could be available anytime soon. Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy (who won NESN's 7th player award before today's tilt) have both inched closer to a return this week and by chance, the Providence Bruins are in Pennsylvania playing the Lehigh Valley Phantoms so perhaps Paul Postma or another Providence defenseman could be recalled. Head coach Bruce Cassidy mentioned Brian Gionta (who was a healthy scratch today) as somebody that could take Riley's place if he can't go against Philadelphia who currently lead the Wild Card race in the Eastern Conference.

Boston only has two home games left, vs. Ottawa (27-39-11) next Saturday night (7, NESN) and against Florida on Sunday night (7:30, NESN)-the makeup game from the snowstorm in January that postponed the game until the last day of the regular season. The Bruins and Panthers had plenty of scrums today and that should be a theme as they also meet in Sunrise, FL on Thursday (7:30, NESN). Today's loss pushed Florida further out of the playoff race as they fell to three points behind New Jersey (40-28-9) for the second Wild Card in the East. Needless to say, the Panthers really needed at least a point today and not only did they fail to get that but they also were humiliated by a determined opponent.

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The Bruins Blow A 2-Goal Lead In 3rd Period, Suffer A Brutal 4-3 Loss In OT vs. the Maple Leafs

If the Bruins hope to reach the postseason this spring, losses like the one they experienced on Tuesday at TD Garden simply cannot happen. Boston (26-18-6) was up 3-1 on Toronto (18-22-9) early in the third period but then they proceeded to cough that up as the Maple Leafs tied it with two more tip-in goals and won it on overtime thanks to P.A. Parenteau's backhander on the power play.

The B's (11-14-2) have found numerous painful ways to lose on their home ice already this season but this was a new low for them. The Leafs certainly play much harder under new head coach Mike Babcock (and they unveiled a new logo after the game!) but they possess very little talent. In fact, making this loss more stunning for Boston was the fact that Tuukka Rask (17-15-5; 31 saves) came in with a 14-3-1 lifetime record against Toronto while Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer (9-8-6; 39 saves) was 5-6-3. I guess it was fitting in a way since a Bruins win would have given them a season sweep after they had beaten the Leafs three times in a row for 2015-16.

It was the first game for both clubs since the All-Star break and Brad Marchand continued his great goal-scoring stretch. He added two more goals (his team-leading 21st and 22nd of the season) which gives him seven goals and one assist in his last eight contests. He put in a rebound at 9:37 of the first period, from Jimmy Hayes and Matt Beleskey. UNH's Daniel Winnik tied it at one with a tip-in at 9:56 of the second period. Roman Polak and Shawn Matthias assisted on Winnik's fourth goal of the season.

Boston came out flying to start the third as Marchand redirected a pass by David Krejci for a 2-1 lead 55 seconds into the frame. David Pastrnak had the second assist on Marchand's go-ahead tally. Just 26 seconds after that, Krejci poked in a loose puck for his 12th goal of the season and a seemingly comfortable 3-1 Bruins advantage. Torey Krug and Pastrnak assisted on Krejci's goal.

The Bruins were 21-2-2 when leading by two or more goals this season, although this marked the seventh time that they have blown a two-goal lead (5 in regulation & 2 in overtime). It wasn't anything fancy produced by the Maple Leafs in their unlikely comeback as they went to the dirty areas in the slot and redirected shots from the point. Their lone All-Star Leo Komarov cut it to 3-2 at 9:02 when he tipped in Morgan Rielly's shot. Polak picked up another assist on Komarov's 17th goal of the season. Boston apparently never really adjusted their defensive coverage as Nazem Kadri hurt them by doing the same exact thing: his tip-in came 2:29 after Komarov's. Former Bruins scrub Matt Hunwick and Komarov picked up assists on the emerging Kadri's 11th goal of the season.

Even before it fully unfolded, overtime had a sour taste for the B's as David Krejci was called for a holding penalty. Boston was able to kill that 4-on-3 Toronto power play for 1:23 but then Parenteau ended it by flipping in a rebound. Jake Gardiner and Kadri assisted on Parenteau's 12th goal of the season. In a stat which makes no sense whatsoever, Boston fell to 1-5 in overtime this season while they are 3-1 in shootouts. Huh? Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs picked up their first OT win (1-4) while they are 4-5 in shootouts.

The B's get a point from this debacle (you have to remember that) but no question it should have been two without breaking a sweat. Boston's supposedly cake schedule to start the second half continues as they are at Buffalo (20-26-4) on Thursday (7, NESN) then they host the Sabres here on Saturday (7, NESN). The Bruins have already been embarrassed by the Sabres earlier this season (6-3 in Boston on December 26) so I can't imagine that they would overlook them again. Plus, at this point there is nobody in the NHL that they can automatically pencil in a win against, especially at the Garden. Ugh.

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Bruins Finally Win Back-to-Back Games at TD Garden This Season

It only took almost a month and a half into the 2015-16 regular season but the Bruins (10-8-1) finally picked up back-to-back wins on their home ice (4-6-1). Tonight, they held off Toronto (7-10-4) 2-0 at TD Garden, on the shoulders of 22 timely saves for Tuukka Rask (2nd shutout of the season; 28th of his career) and a clutch goal by captain Zdeno Chara.

Laugh if you will but the Maple Leafs appear to be much improved under new head coach Mike Babcock, they were 6-2-2 in their last 10 games. Even though they had played a shootout in Carolina last night, they competed hard this evening and it translated to a playoff-like atmosphere.

Boston outshot Toronto 37-22 but in terms of quality scoring chances, it was much closer than that. In fact, Toronto center Shawn Matthias had a breakaway in the first period and another in the second period that were both stopped by Rask. Boston's NHL-worst penalty kill only had to kill off one penalty (and they did successfully): roughing on Brad Marchand in the first period. Likewise, the Bruins' top-ranked power-play only had one opportunity-in the third period after a high-sticking penalty on Nazem Kadri-but they couldn't convert on it.

Right wing Michael Grabner of the Maple Leafs had a shot deflect off the crossbar in the second period and birthday boy Jimmy Hayes' shot that stuffed on the goal-line by former Bruins defenseman Matt Hunwick and Reimer was reviewed but remained no goal early in the third period. It looked like these teams were headed to overtime but Chara prevented that when he was given way too much time and space at 16:17 of the third. He cranked a low slap shot through traffic that went between Reimer's leg pads. Zach Trotman and Matt Beleskey assisted on Chara's third goal of the season.

Reimer was pulled for an extra attacker but the Maple Leafs couldn't find the tying goal. Marchand clinched it with an empty-netter at 19:53 from Loui Eriksson (4-game point streak) and Patrice Bergeron (7-game point streak). Rask has to love seeing the Maple Leafs since tonight's victory improved his all-time record vs. Toronto to 12-3-1.

These same clubs meet again on Monday (7:30, NESN) in Toronto. Boston then travels to Detroit (10-8-2) on Wednesday (7:30, NESN), the night before Thanksgiving. Their next home game is on Black Friday afternoon against the Rangers (15-3-2)-arguably the best team in the league at this moment.

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Bruins Outlast Maple Leafs 2-1 in a Shootout for Their Fifth Straight Victory

The Bruins closed out their final regular season game of 2014-15 at TD Garden with a frustrating but ultimately rewarding 2-1 shootout win over the Maple Leafs. Boston (41-25-13) set a season-high for shots on goal (50) but couldn't find a way to beat a mediocre goaltender like James Reimer (49 saves). Haha you might remember him from Game 7 of the Eastern Conference opening round series in 2013. Luckily, Toronto (29-43-7) is so bad (and tanking so hard) that the B's found a way to win a shootout (improving their record to a pathetic 4-9 this season).

After handing out their traditional year-end awards before the game, Boston came out hard in the first period and outshot Toronto 19-6. They couldn't find the back of the net but Patrice Bergeron opened the scoring just 19 seconds into the second. Reimer left a rare rebound on Brad Marchand's shot and Bergy was there for his 22nd goal of the season (tying Marchand for the team lead). David Krejci had the second assist on Boston's lone tally.

UNH product James van Riemsdyk, who seems to always kill the Bruins, tied it at 14:31 in the second period. A shot from the point deflected off Tuukka Rask (27 saves) and JVR was on the doorstep to poke it over the line. That was his team-leading 26th goal of the season and it was assisted by Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner.

Neither power-play couldn't generate anything: Boston's was 0-for-3 and Toronto's was 0-for-2. The Bruins had another dominant frame in the third (outshooting the Leafs 16-8) but they had nothing to show for it. Each team had three shots on goal in overtime which is typically when Boston plays well (9-4 this season; Toronto is 3-3).

In the shootout, Tyler Bozak and Krejci were stopped in the first round. Rask made the save on JVR to start the second round and Bergeron potted the only goal. Nazem Kadri was Toronto's final shooter and he couldn't find a way to get the puck past Rask.

At the moment, Boston is still in eighth-place in the Eastern Conference but they have 95 points-the same as the Penguins and Red Wings. The difference is that those clubs have a game in hand on the Bruins. Ottawa won 4-3 in overtime tonight vs. Washington (43-25-11) to remain three points back of the Bruins. By the time that the B's take the ice again on Wednesday (8, NBCSN) in DC, things will look much different since the Senators are in Toronto tomorrow night and then host Pittsburgh on Tuesday. To give you even more of an ice cream headache, the Bruins are only three points behind the Islanders and two behind the Capitals.

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Patrice Bergeron Still Owns the Maple Leafs, Figuratively

You can have your Panthers, Stars and any other anonymous NHL team that nobody except their families care about. Give me Original 6 teams playing each other and I'm in hockey heaven. It is still early November but you'll be hard pressed to find a much more pleasing game than Bruins-Maple Leafs tonight at TD Garden. Boston (10-5-1) came out on top of Toronto (11-6-0) 3-1 in the first installment since last postseason.

Patrice Bergeron scored the last two goals to snap the 1-1 deadlock and Tuukka Rask (33 saves) is still better than James Reimer (31 saves) but you knew that already. A new wrinkle is that Boston's power play is actually decent: they scored twice this evening and couple that with a 3 for 3 penalty kill for a pretty rock solid special teams performance.

Granted the Maple Leafs played last night in Toronto vs. New Jersey but this is the NHL, no excuses (unless I'm protecting the Bruins of course). Zdeno Chara has become quite a weapon on the man advantage as he parks his monstrous frame in front of the net, good luck moving him. He scored the opening goal at 15:27 of the first period, assisted by Jarome Iginla and Torey Krug. Chara's third goal of the season (all on the power play) came after Iginla's shot was stopped but he tracked the puck behind the net then threw it out front for Chara to bat it in.

Joffrey Lupul had the honors of Toronto's lone goal at 16:52 of the second period as he uncharacteristically beat Rask with a wrist shot, high to his glove side. I wouldn't call it weak but it was normally a save that Rask makes in his sleep.

Apparently, Bergeron waits until the third period (and overtime) to do his damage against the Maple Leafs. First he scored the game-winner at 1:06 of the third period, a power play goal from Carl Soderberg and Reilly Smith. Bergeron's fourth goal of the season was the result of net front work and a juicy rebound that he lifted over Reimer's helpless glove.

Toronto had pressure on Rask but Bergeron clinched it with his empty netter at 19:38. Loui Eriksson won a race to the corner then saucered the puck towards the net where Bergeron beat his man and redirected it in.

The B's get five more days in town: they host the Lightning (12-4-0) on Monday afternoon (1, NESN) then close out this five-game homestand on Thursday vs. Columbus (6-10-0). Boston beat Tampa Bay in the season-opener 3-1 at the Garden on October 3 but that already feels like it was a million years ago. Expect a better effort from the Lightning, who have won their last four games and currently hold the best record in the Eastern Conference.

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Bruins Totally Redeem Themselves With A Game 7 OT Win That We'll Never Forget

Even after a lifetime of watching sports, there are always games and moments that stick with you forever. Tonight, the Bruins added themselves to my short-list of epic comebacks as they rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third period at TD Garden then went on to beat the Maple Leafs 5-4 in overtime of Game 7. They advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals where they'll have home ice against the New York Rangers, their Original Six rival that they haven't met in the postseason since 1973.

No NHL team had ever lived to see another day after going down by three goals in the third period of Game 7 so it's only fitting that the B's would put themselves in that impossible situation yet still somehow find a way out. Patrice Bergeron was the hero for the B's, he scored the tying goal with 51 seconds left in regulation then the game-winner at 6:05. Boston actually scored the first goal (a key in Game 7s) at 5:39 of the first period as rookie defenseman Matt Bartkowski picked the perfect time to pot his first career goal. It was unassisted following a turnover along the wall by Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Franson.

Toronto answered right away when Franson tied it at 9:35 with a power play goal off a rebound. Franson put the Maple Leafs on his back, scoring the go-ahead goal at 5:48 of the second period with a blast from the point. The Maple Leafs appeared to put it away early in the third as Phil Kessel scored on another Tuukka Rask (24 saves) rebound at 2:09 then Nazem Kadri did the same at 5:29 after a 2-on-1. There can't be one Bruins fan that thought a team who had scored three goals total in almost three games could erupt for three in less than 10 minutes.

Nathan Horton got the momentum turning Boston's way when he scored on a wrist shot (his fourth goal of the series) at 9:18 from Milan Lucic and David Krejci. Toronto and James Reimer (30 saves) wanted to give the B's another goal but Boston didn't seem capable of putting another puck in the net. However with Rask pulled, Lucic (2nd goal of the series) trimmed it to 4-3 following a rebound (Reimer's old friend) on Chara's blast from the point. Bergeron had the second assist. The roof basically came off the Garden when Bergeron tied it, thanks in no small part to Chara's screen of Reimer. Rask was also on the bench for Bergeron's tying goal, the second time all season (Feb. 12 vs. Rangers) Boston scored twice with a goaltender pulled. Krejci and Jaromir Jagr assisted on Bergeron's second goal of the playoffs.

In overtime, it's all about getting the puck to the net. Usually, the deciding goal comes on a broken play, lucky bounce, etc. True to form, Bergeron's goal in overtime came following a loose puck and giveaway in front of Reimer. Bergeron put it over the Toronto goaltender who was out of position after a shot got blocked. The two biggest Bruins scapegoats for this series-Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand-showed up on that shift and they were credited with the most important assists of the seven games.

Game 1 vs. New York is Thursday (7:30 p.m., NBCSN) at TD Garden and Game 2 is Sunday afternoon (3 p.m., NBCSN) at TD Garden. The Rangers are coming off their own exhausting seven-game series, they rolled 5-0 against the Capitals tonight in DC (the first game won in the series by a road team). It doesn't get much better than Boston vs. New York (Red Sox vs. Yankees, Patriots vs. Giants), we already had a taste of it with Celtics-Knicks a few weeks ago. It's crazy that it has been so long since the Bruins and Rangers have met in the playoffs. Expect a low-scoring, very physical, long series dominated by the goaltenders. New York's Henrik Lundqvist is one of the best goalies in the NHL and the Rangers can grind teams down with the best of them.

UPDATE 5/14: We still don't know the status of Dennis Seidenberg who only played two shifts last night before getting hurt. Today, Boston called up defenseman Torey Krug from Providence.

Adam McQuaid was nominated for the Masterson Trophy (given to overcoming injuries/adversity), Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Minnesota's Josh Harding were the other selections.

UPDATE 5/15: Patrice Bergeron was nominated for the Selky Award (defensive forward) which he won last season. Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk and Chicago's Jonathan Toews are the other impressive choices.

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Extremely Frustrating Results: It's Called Bruins

I'm not counting on it happening anytime soon but I hope that when I have children and I teach them to love the Bruins that by then, the Black and Gold have figured out a way to close out teams and series better. Boston's bad habit has sprung up yet again as Toronto erased a 3-1 series lead with a 2-1 win tonight in Game 6 at Air Canada Centre. That forces Game 7 tomorrow night (7 p.m., NESN) at TD Garden; winner faces Rangers/Capitals who are also locked in a Game 7 tomorrow night as well.

I have trouble logically explaining how the B's could pile up 15 goals in the first four games then only two in the last two games. Yes, James Reimer (29 saves) and his defensemen have improved while Tyler Seguin (0 points in the series) and Brad Marchand (2 assists) have been ghosts all series long. Still, what is it about Boston that made them lack urgency in Game 5 on home ice? At least the effort was there from the beginning tonight but much like the last few painful months of the regular season, they can't score a goal when it counts to save their life.

Tuukka Rask had 24 saves and it was 0-0 heading into the third period. Dion Phaneuf scored his first playoff goal in five years when he deflected Nazem Kadri's shot at 1:48. James van Riemsdyk had the second assist. Phil Kessel added his second game-winner of the series following a rebound at 8:59 from JVR and Cody Franson. For the second game in a row, it took an impossible 2-0 hole in the third for the Bruins to truly wake up.

The best you can say for Boston is that they saved themselves the indignity of having a nobody like Reimer shut them out. Milan Lucic tipped in Jaromir Jagr's pass with 25 seconds left in regulation. It was Lucic's first goal of the playoffs and Zdeno Chara had the second assist.

Boston won twice as many faceoffs (40-20) but Toronto had eight more hits (58-50) and 12 more takeaways (17-5).

Game 7 is when you have to be willing to try anything to get that most important victory of the season. We saw that later this evening as Detroit head coach Mike Babcock shuffled his lines (and this was after they won Game 6) and it paid off as the Red Wings won 3-2 in Game 7 at Anaheim. With that said, I'd love to see Bruins head coach Claude Julien give Jagr a chance on the second line with Patrice Bergeron and either Brad Marchand or Tyler Seguin. One of those last two guys deserves to be demoted to the third line since they've combined for zero goals and two assists (both Marchand's) this entire series. Yuck. Jagr is clearly sick of playing with scrubs like Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley since he doesn't even try to pass it to them anymore and who could blame him?

Julien, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli and numerous B's should be feeling the heat to win Game 7 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal (first round) series. The Stanley Cup win was only two years ago but it'll feel like a million if they choke this series away-on home ice no less-against an average team that has no business beating them in a seven game series. Boston has all this big game experience, tomorrow night would be a good time for that supposed advantage to kick into gear. Right now, the Leafs have all the confidence and momentum.

UPDATE 5/13: Andrew Ference is on crutches and in a boot so needless to say, he won't be playing tonight either.

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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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Maple Leafs Record Their 1st Playoff Win In 9 Years

The Maple Leafs looked like a completely different team tonight in Game 2 at TD Garden than the shell-shocked, overwhelmed squad that lost 4-1 to the Bruins in Game 1 on Wednesday. Toronto got what they came for-a road win-with a 4-2 victory over Boston. Game 3 shifts back to Toronto's Air Canada Centre starting on Monday (7 p.m., NESN).

This was the Maple Leafs' first playoff win since April 30, 2004 and they certainly earned it. Unlike in Game 1, they didn't score the game's first goal but that didn't matter since they hit the Bruins with a three-goal run spanning the second period and start of the third. James Reimer (39 saves) gave up some juicy rebounds all night but the Bruins were only able to capitalize on one of them. He was good enough to notch his first career playoff win.

Tuukka Rask (28 saves) actually played really well with some outstanding stops but there is only so much he can do when his leaky defense is giving up breakaways and not taking care of guys right on his doorstep. It wasn't the reason they lost the game but Boston certainly missed the services of Andrew Ference (suspended for Game 2 after his elbow of Mikhail Grabovski in Game 1). That changed all the defensive pairings, the excellent combo of Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg was broken up in favor of Chara and Adam McQuaid; Seidenberg and Johnny Boychuk; rookie Dougie Hamilton (playing in his first career NHL playoff game) and Wade Redden. As you'd expect, things didn't go that well. That's why I think Hamilton will be a healthy scratch again in Game 3 when Ference returns.

Speaking of suspensions, don't be shocked if Maple Leafs goon/ladies man Dion Phaneuf misses a game after he elbowed Daniel Paille in a very similar play to what earned Ference a seat on the ninth floor.

Nathan Horton scored a goal for the second straight game, at 1:56 of the second period to give Boston its only lead (1-0). Milan Lucic and David Krejci assisted as Horton drove to the net and was lucky enough to have the puck bounce off his skate (which he didn't mean to do) past Reimer.

Toronto is a Canadian hockey team (you learn something new every day) so just like the Canucks and Canadiens, they have to dive like their life depends on that. There must be something in the water up there. It turned out well in Game 2 since a flop earned a tripping call on Chara which led to Joffrey Lupul's goal at 5:18 of the second period. Lupul tipped a shot from the point and then fought for his rebound, assists went to Jake Gardiner and Carl Gunnarsson.

Lupul gave the Leafs the lead for good at 11:56 with a backhander from Matt Frattin and Phaneuf. For whatever reason, Toronto seemed to win most battles for the puck and they were rewarded time and again.

Things went so well for Toronto that even Phil Kessel managed to score a goal. Seidenberg and Boychuk were caught napping in the Leafs' zone and Nazem Kadri hit Kessel with a stretch pass for a breakaway. He beat Rask 53 seconds into the third period for a 3-1 advantage. Ryan Hamilton had the second assist.

At least the Bruins didn't give up as Boychuk was credited with a goal at 10:35 that appeared to bounce off Seguin (who had screened Reimer). The Bruins had a boatload of chances for the next few minutes but the Leafs hung on and James van Rimesdyk notched his second goal in as many games with a beautiful backhander at 16:53.

Shawn Thornton and Mark Fraser fought with 0.5 seconds left, showing you how nasty this series is starting to get. The Maple Leafs actually had nine more hits (44-35) than the Bruins so that must have been a point of emphasis after they were manhandled in Game 1.

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Do The Maple Leafs Know What They're Getting Into? Game 1 Tells Me That They Don't

Remember when we were very worried about the Bruins the last few weeks? All our troubles seemed to float away tonight at TD Garden in Game 1 as Boston stomped Toronto 4-1 and the final score doesn't even do it justice. The Bruins outshot the Maple Leafs 40-20 and completely dominated for about the last 58 minutes.

UNH product James van Riemsdyk actually gave the Leafs a 1-0 lead at 1:58 with a power-play tap-in after Tuukka Rask (19 saves) got stuck out of position at the side of the net. That prompted the B's to call on one of their best and most consistent players-Wade Redden-for the next two goals. Wait what? Haha that's right, the same scrub that was playing in the AHL earlier this season that they picked up off the scrap heap scored the tying goal at 16:20 and assisted on what turned out to be the deciding marker by Nathan Horton with 12 seconds left in the frame.

James Reimer (36 saves) looked shaky from the start and Redden's goal, assisted by Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille, trickled by him. Playing in his first playoff game since he got hurt in the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals, Horton tipped in Redden's shot from the point. David Krejci had the second assist.

Toronto tried to play physical but that was silly since they're not going to beat Boston at their own game, especially on their home ice no less. Krejci scored on a turnaround shot from the slot at 10:25 in the second period (from Milan Lucic) and Johnny Boychuk rounded out the scoring with a patented Johnny Rocket (copyright Jack Edwards) at 15:44 from Lucic and Krejci.

Things got more chippy in the third period as good old Leo Komarov was called for a 10-minute misconduct then goon Colton Orr (a former Bruin) was called for the same in garbage time. Chris Kelly and Komarov squared off after the final whistle, what better way to celebrate a Bruins ass kicking?

You have to think that Toronto can't play any worse on Saturday (7 p.m., NESN) in Game 2. They hadn't appeared in the postseason for nine years so perhaps this humbling experience got their feet wet in that regard. Whatever the case, the Bruins need to come out with the same intensity to pick up another vital win.

UPDATE 5/2: Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference was suspended for Game 2 after he elbowed Mikhail Grabovski in Game 1. Expect rookie Dougie Hamilton to get back on the ice (after being a healthy scratch) to take his place on Saturday night.

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Milan Lucic Is Boston's X-Factor

It's not hard to see that when Milan Lucic is playing his physical game and scoring goals, the Bruins are a different team. It only took 14 games but he finally scored another goal (his first since February 24 at Florida) as Claude Julien reconfigured his struggling forward lines and put Looch on the third with Rich Peverley and Jordan Caron. Tonight at TD Garden, Boston (21-7-3) beat Toronto (17-12-4) 3-2 in a shootout.

The two points was particularly important for a couple reasons: 1) The Bruins had fallen behind 2-0, 2) a win tied them with Montreal for first-place in the Northeast Division and 3) the Maple Leafs had beaten the B's 3-2 on Saturday night.

After a scoreless first period, Toronto took a 2-0 lead on Joffrey Lupul's one-timer on a power-play at 2:04 of the second period. After a deflection in the slot, Jake Gardiner found Lupul for the goal. The Maple Leafs doubled their lead at 8:01 after blocking a shot then getting a breakaway as Boston's defensive pair of Aaron Johnson and Andrew Ference were left in the dust. Nikolai Kulemin beat Rask, who once again had no chance as his teammates left him out to dry.

Lucic broke his personal funk at 9:49 with a pretty backhander after a pass through the seams of Toronto's defense by Peverley. Caron had the other assist on Lucic's fifth goal of the season. Haha only one more and he'll catch Daniel Paille and Zdeno Chara. Patrice Bergeron delivered the clutch tying goal with 9:24 left in the third period. Dougie Hamilton took advantage of a bad line change by Toronto to go behind their net and he found Bergeron for a backhander (his 9th goal of the season).

Not much happened in overtime but that's alright since the second and especially the third periods were barnburners which is not something that I often say. Tyler Seguin and Bergeron scored in the shootout while Rask (23 saves; 15-4-3) stopped Nazem Kadri and Kulemin. The B's improved to 4-1 in shootouts this season while the Leafs fell to 0-4. Boston won the season series with Toronto 3-1.

There is basically a month left in the regular season (17 games) so it doesn't get much bigger than Wednesday night (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network) as the Canadiens (20-6-5) come to TD Garden. Before that, the Habs are in Pittsburgh tomorrow night as they try to snap the Penguins' 12-game win streak. Good luck with that. Regardless of how they do there, Wednesday will be for first-place in the Northeast Division.

UPDATE 3/26: Today the Bruins signed defenseman Matt Bartkowski to a one-year extension (don't ask me why) and they signed University of Minnesota-Duluth defenseman Chris Casto to an entry-level contract.

UPDATE 3/27: This afternoon the B's claimed Senators left wing Kaspars Daugavins (1 goal, 2 assists, -7 in 17 games). He's best known as the clown that tried that stupid spin-o-rama in the shootout against Boston on March 11 in Ottawa. He might be a bum but I guarantee that he's better than Jay Pandolfo who is extremely lucky to still be playing in the NHL.

Another move today by the B's was that they called up defenseman Torey Krug from Providence. He has put up great numbers (10 goals, 24 assists) there this season in 55 games. Johnny Boychuk (foot) was placed on IR.

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Chris Bourque Starts To Earn His Keep In Boston

After being humbled 7-4 on Thursday by the Sabres at the Garden, the Bruins (6-1-1) bounced back like the great team they are with a road win 1-0 tonight at Air Canada Centre against the Maple Leafs (4-4-0). Tuukka Rask (5-1-1) made 21 saves for his first shutout of the season and Chris Bourque scored his first goal as a Bruin for the game's lone strike.

Bourque's goal, his second in the NHL and first since December 30, 2008, came at 8:54 of the first period. It was the result of some fine work by the third line. Rich Peverley passed to Chris Kelly who backhanded the puck across the crease where Bourque was able to redirect it past Toronto goaltender James Reimer (33 saves) before knocking the net off its moorings. He did his dad's signature low fist pump celebration which was cool to see since of course that goal meant a lot to him in his career. If nothing else, it should shut up the haters for a few days.

Befitting of a 1-0 game that wasn't in the playoffs, it lacked much noteworthy action. Lane MacDermid and Mark Fraser fought twice-in the first and second period-something that rarely happens and Brad Marchand left in the second period after running into the boards awkwardly. He never returned, it looked like he hurt his shoulder/arm but we'll have to see. Patrice Bergeron did the same thing against Buffalo but he came back later in the game so hopefully Marchand's isn't too serious either.

We have three days to mentally prepare ourselves for the first installment of Bruins-Canadiens. So watch the Super Bowl tomorrow, the Beanpot on Monday and something else on Tuesday before you get ready to go crazy on Wednesday (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network) when Boston visits Montreal (5-2-0, 3rd Northeast Division). All the jokers will have the Bell Centre rocking, it doesn't get much better than B's vs. Habs.

UPDATE 2/4: The Bruins recalled forward Ryan Spooner on an emergency basis, in case Marchand can't play on Wednesday in Montreal. A second-round pick by Boston in 2010, Spooner has been playing well in Providence with nine goals and 21 assists in 35 games this season.

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Maybe Someday Toronto Will Beat Boston, But It Didn't Happen Tonight

However you want to explain it, the Boston Bruins completely owned the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2011.

The B's (16-7-1) capped off four straight wins over the Maple Leafs (14-10-2) so far this season with a 4-1 triumph tonight at TD Garden.

Two more points continued Boston's streak of grabbing points in 14 consecutive games while ensuring that Toronto won't get another crack to break this pathetic, one-way series (23-6) until March 6, 2012.

Tuukka Rask (4-4-1) is taking advantage of his increased playing time; he made 21 saves this evening for his fourth win in his last five starts. Is it too early to start singing the same song I have the last few years about Rask and Tim Thomas? The one about how they are the NHL's best goaltending duo? Great.

The Maple Leafs finally got their star goaltender James Reimer (4-1-1) back after he missed almost a month and a half with a mysterious neck injury. He made 26 saves but the B's still handed him his first loss.

My best possible explanation for the Bruins' domination of the Leafs is that they are a terrible matchup for them. Boston is deep and physical with outstanding goalies. Toronto has one superb line but they seem to struggle against tight checking teams that don't give up soft goals or too many odd-man rushes.

After a scoreless and pretty dull first period, things opened up with David Krejci (5th of the season) scoring at 4:20 on a beautiful feed from Nathan Horton. Milan Lucic (2 assists) had the other helper as the suddenly richer Krejci one-timed it past Reimer.

Mikhail Grabovski (7th of the season) tied it 48 seconds later with an absolute bomb over Rask's shoulder from a tough angle. Unfortunately for the Maple Leafs, that was about their only highlight from this contest.

Chris Kelly (10th of the season) got the game-winner at 13:11 after a instinctive pass from Rich Peverley. Andrew Ference had the other assist as Kelly broke to the net and Peverley found him in tight to the goal.

Johnny Boychuk (3rd of the season) added an insurance goal on the same shift that he delivered a big hit too. Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand assisted on the Johnny Rocket (copyright Jack Edwards).

Horton (7th of the season) had the last goal at 14:36, a nice wrist shot from Krejci and Lucic. All that remained was a random fight between Bruins defenseman Joe Corvo and Maple Leafs forward/greatest name in the world nominee Joey Crabb.

Steven Kampfer and Jordan Caron were recalled after the game which is a good idea since this should be a taxing upcoming week for the B's. They have four games in six days starting on Monday with three on the road.

The top two teams in the Eastern Conference square off in Pittsburgh on Monday night as the Bruins take on the Penguins. Boston travels to Winnipeg for a back-to-back game on Tuesday.

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