B's Use Up All Their Luck Rallying From Down 3-0 in 3rd, Losing 4-3 On Controversial Toews OT Goal

You can only tempt fate so much in sports and in life and lately, the Bruins (20-3-6) had been living on the edge (at least your lame uncle got that very dated Aerosmith reference). Time after time, they pulled points and more than a few wins out of thin air during the eight-game win streak. That came to an end though on Thursday at TD Garden as they fell 4-3 to lowly Chicago (11-12-5) in overtime as Jonathan Toews took down David Pastrnak (legally, I guess) then broke in a breakaway that ended with him sliding the puck under Tuukka Rask (27 saves, 13-2-3) with a backhand shot 54 seconds into the extra frame-the only shot on goal for either team. Connor Murphy had the lone assist on Chicago's captain's fifth goal of the season.

The game could be broken down into three chewable segments: 1) where Chicago jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the third period; 2) Boston rallied for an epic comeback with three goals in the third; 3) the no-call and wet fart of a way to end what turned out to be a pretty entertaining contest between two teams going in completely different directions. Fear not, for even though the Bruins' win streak is over, they still managed to breath more life into their overall point streak (9-0-4) and they remain unbeaten at home in regulation this season (12-0-5)-only four games back from their best home start ever (19-0-2 in 1973).

Looking back, this probably served as a classic trap game for the Black and Gold both because of the weak opponent on the schedule this evening and the true Stanley Cup contender coming to visit on Saturday night (7, NESN)-Colorado (18-8-2) to close out their season-high five game homestand. Regardless of the excuse that you choose, they should have been better against the ghost of those great Blackhawks teams from earlier this decade with only Patrick Kane, Toews, Duncan Keith (out with a groin injury), Brent Seabrook, Brandon Saad and Corey Crawford (backup goalie tonight) left over from those powerhouse clubs that won Cups in 2010, 2013 (no Bruins fan sadly will ever forget that one) and 2015.

Rask was also outplayed by Robin Lehner (37 saves, 6-5-3) which should never happen in 2019 or really any year for that matter. Chicago struggles to put the puck in the net (among many other issues) but they somehow scored twice 37 seconds apart late in the first period thanks to their special teams units. Ryan Carpenter put in a rebound at 18:14 off of a save by Rask on Murphy's initial shot. Carpenter's first goal of the season was the third career shorthanded goal of his NHL career and first shorthanded goal allowed by the Bruins this season. After missing the last four games with an injury, the Blackhawks' promising young center Dylan Strome doubled their lead by tipping in a shot by Erik Gustafsson on the power play. Strome's sixth goal of the season was also assisted by Kane who has 11 goals and 14 assists in his last 17 games which is all the more impressive considering the nobodies that dot Chicago's current roster.

Boston's number two ranked power play in the NHL had plenty of chances but they ultimately finished 0 for 4 which is never going to get it done, particularly when you allow a power play tally to the 27th ranked man advantage in the league. Ugh. When Alex DeBrincat (6th goal of the season from Strome and Calvin de Haan) sniped a shot past Rask 17 seconds into the third period for a 3-0 Blackhawks lead, I wouldn't blame you if you decided to change the channel or turned your TV off altogether (who cares about Bears-Cowboys anyway?). It just didn't feel like the Bruins' night, that is until Joakim Nordstrom of all people gave everybody at the Garden something to cheer about with a goal at 1:49 of the third period. Nordstrom's third goal of the season was his first since Nov. 12 vs. Florida but who's counting? David Backes had the primary assist after Lehner stopped his shot but kicked the rebound right to Nordy to put in with Charlie McAvoy getting the other helper.

At that point, it only looked like the Bruins would avoid the embarrassment of a shutout. Pasta got drilled by a possibly suspendable hit from Zack Smith that led to John Moore (making his 2019-20 Bruins debut after off-season shoulder surgery) dropping the gloves in his defense and getting knocked down in the first round. He went right to Boston's dressing room but thankfully returned shortly after that. It would have been pretty depressing if he got a fresh injury that soon, after all he was just doing the right thing by standing up for his star teammate.

Chicago finally looked like one of the worst teams in the NHL when the Bruins applied a little game pressure to them. The Blackhawks were on the power play after a roughing penalty on Charlie Coyle but Chris Wagner broke out for a shorthanded chance that turned into a breakaway when Gustafsson comically blew a tire (lost his footing And-1 mixtape style). Wagner skipped his usual backhand move for a strong forehand into the top corner, his second goal of the season (1st since Oct. 29 vs. San Jose) was assisted by Sean Kuraly and Matt Grzelcyk at 15:01. It almost feels routine but at that point, you pretty much knew that Boston would at the very least tie it up. Lo and behold, Torey Krug did the honors as he smashed in a one-timer into the corner of the net after a sweet behind the net feed by Jake DeBrusk. Krug's fourth goal of the season came at 17:27 and it ended up giving Boston that precious point.

It was inevitable that Boston would lose again sometime soon and truth be told, they would always prefer to have that happen against a Western Conference team rather than an Atlantic Division or even Eastern Conference foe. The Bruins currently have the fewest losses in regulation this season and you have to go back nearly two months (Oct. 10 in Denver) for when the Avalanche tagged them with one of those rare defeats (4-2). Colorado has battled through a ton of injuries to some of their better players (Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and Andre Burakovsky to name a few) but they should have close to a full lineup for Saturday's showdown with the Bruins. It is the end of a three-game road trip for the Avs but they should have plenty of juice since they have won five straight games (3-2 tonight in Montreal) and they are 7-3-0 in their last 10 games with a 10-5-1 record on the road. Center Nathan MacKinnon (18 goals, 26 assists) is one of the best players in the NHL pushing for a Hart Trophy (regular season MVP) while UMass Amherst product defenseman Cale Makar (8 goals, 20 assists) has to be a front-runner for the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year). In other words, you don't want to miss this game even if you have to DVR it cause you have other plans on a Saturday night-what a concept!

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Just As We All Predicted, The Bruins Picked Up Their Best Win of the Season vs. Blackhawks (4-2)

Just when you think that you have the 2015-16 Bruins (36-23-6) figured out (well sort of), they pull a really impressive 4-2 victory against the Blackhawks (40-21-5) out of thin New England air. Chicago (bandwagon) fans will undoubtedly use the excuse that they were playing in the second game of a back-to-back (after winning 3-2 last night in Detroit) and their average backup goaltender Scott Darling (21 saves) got the start but such are the breaks in a laborious 82-game regular season.

Boston picked up consecutive home wins for the first time since December 18 and 20 while head coach Claude Julien tied Art Ross for the most regular season wins in franchise history (387). Finally, Patrice Bergeron's assist was the 606th point of his Bruins career, tying him with Boston legend Terry O'Reilly for eighth-place on the team's all-time points list. The B's led basically from start to finish as the defending Stanley Cup champs lacked their usual jump and could only knot it at one before Boston put it out of reach with three goals in a row.

It has only been two games but Lee Stempniak's Bruins career has begun on a high note as he had two assists tonight. He adds the veteran experience and all-around game to the excellent Bergeron-Brad Marchand line that was lacking when they had to carry the useless Brett Connolly for much of the season. Bergeron opened the scoring only 1:18 into the contest as he wrapped around Chicago's net and roofed a shot past Darling. Marchand and Stempniak assisted on Bergeron's 25th goal of the season.

Rookie Noel Acciari was called for two bogus hooking calls in his second NHL game (Welcome to the Show!) and the Blackhawks took advantage of the first one when captain Jonathan Toews popped in a rebound at 14:14 of the first period on the power play. Some of Chicago's newest players-Andrew Ladd and Christian Ehrhoff-had the assists on Toews' 23rd goal of the season. Like a good team, Boston closed the opening frame with an important goal by Marchand. His snipe from some distance beat Darling with 22 seconds left; Torey Krug and Stempniak had the helpers on Marchand's team-leading 33rd goal of the season.

For once at home, the Bruins took some momentum and seemingly carried it over to the following period as Ryan Spooner scored a power play goal at 2:31. His screened shot (nice job by Eriksson) beat Darling for his 12th goal of the season. Krug and Bergeron picked up multiple points with those particular assists. Loui put it out of reach with a gorgeous goal at 15:24 of the second. The other new Bruin John-Michael Liles tossed a beautiful saucer pass that Eriksson redirected with his backhand. David Krejci had the second assist on Eriksson's 24th goal of the season.

Chicago's final tally came from former Canadien Tomas Fleischmann who shot a rocket over Tuukka Rask's (25 saves) shoulder at 19:10 of the second. Teuvo Teravainen and Niklas Hjalmarsson had the assists on Fleischmann's 11th goal of the season (1st point as a Blackhawk). The Blackhawks put plenty of pressure on the Bruins in the third, outshooting them 11-2 but Boston blocked 17 shots and Rask did the rest. It was nice to see them show that they can still put together a successful defensive game-plan from time to time that mostly shut down one of the league's truly elite teams.

Speaking of top-notch clubs, the one with the most points-Washington (47-12-4)-will be here on Saturday (7, NESN) to serve as another playoff-like test for the Black and Gold. It will be the third straight time that a visiting team comes to TD Garden in the second night of a back-to-back. The Capitals host the Rangers tomorrow before getting into the Hub late night on Friday, perhaps hitting last call at The Harp before they tuck themselves in? Alex Ovechkin is having an MVP-type campaign and Braden Holtby has been the best goaltender in the NHL so it's well worth your time to tune in to see Washington. Boston will bid for that elusive .500 mark at the Garden (15-16-3), something simple which they stil haven't tasted so far in 2015-16.

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Just As Nobody Predicted: Bruins End Nightmare Road Trip with 6-2 Blowout Win in Chicago

There are a million reasons why we watch sports: the competition, escape, entertainment, etc. However, today's Bruins-Blackhawks game was another underrated point: the unexpected. Riding a season-long six-game losing streak (0-4-2) into Chicago (35-20-5), Boston (29-21-9) closed out its brutal five-game road trip with a thrilling 6-2 victory this afternoon at the United Center. To say that no one saw that result coming would be the understatement of the season. Also, I really don't think that it is hyperbole (something I despise) to say that this win could have saved (at least temporarily) Boston's season.

So how did the B's do it? They knocked off one of the top teams in the NHL by getting the type of team-wide production (six different goal-scorers, 12 guys with points) that they have been missing for most of this up and down campaign. Boston scored a season-high in goals and tied for their biggest win (4-0 at Buffalo on Oct. 18) while tying the most goals that Chicago has allowed and their largest margin of defeat. The amazing part is that they did all that without the services of David Krejci who is out with his "upper-body" (knee?) injury.

The Bruins jumped out to a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the game as Patrice Bergeron crashed the net to re-direct a beautiful spinning backhand pass from Reilly Smith. Brad Marchand had the second assist on Bergeron's team-leading (tied with Marchand) 17th goal of the season. It was 2-0 at 14:03 as Loui Eriksson tipped in Torey Krug's shot for a power-play goal. Dougie Hamilton had the second assist on Eriksson's 14th goal of the season.

Everything has been a chore lately for the B's so naturally we expected the worst when Tuukka Rask (26 saves) took a penalty with eight seconds left in the first for delay of game (going outside of the lines behind the net). Jonathan Toews scored with two seconds left, the power-play goal cutting it to 2-1. What felt even more frustrating (maybe) was that Rask was tagged with yet another penalty after slamming his stick against the post following Toews' 17th goal of the season (assisted by Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith). Kris Versteeg took a Canadiens-like flop after Rask's stick barely touched him. Honestly, he should be fined for that garbage.

Luckily Boston killed off that second penalty on Rask and they used that momentum to hit Chicago with four goals in the second period. That's right, the Bruins outscored the Blackhawks 4-0 in the second on their home ice. Shocking, I know. Milan Lucic snapped a seven-game goalless streak by batting the puck in from close range at 6:18. His 12th goal of the season was assisted by David Pastrnak and Ryan Spooner (who was called up today from Providence while Malcolm Subban was sent down). Adam McQuaid and Daniel Carcillo had a lengthy bout shortly after that but it didn't spark Chicago one bit. In fact, Gregory Campbell scored from the slot (his 6th goal of the season) at 12:19 from Brian Ferlin and Dennis Seidenberg which ended Corey Crawford's day (10 saves) a tad early.

Poor Antti Raanta (14 saves) wasn't much help either as he gave up a soft goal to Dougie Hamilton at 17:27 (his 10th of the season, 5th on the PP) from Bergeron. Then Smith answered Chicago's last-second goal from the first with his own with four seconds left in the frame. His 12th of the season, from Bergeron, gave Boston an incredible 6-1 lead after two periods. Haha still given the way that they had blown a three-goal lead earlier in the trip at Calgary, B's fans didn't feel safe until there was only a few minutes left in regulation.

Bryan Bickell had a garbage goal in the third period for the Blackhawks but nothing at that point could derail some long overdue happiness for the Black and Gold. The trade deadline is a week from tomorrow so who knows if this saved any Bruins' jobs or not? After two weeks away, they finally return to TD Garden on Tuesday (7, NESN) to play Vancouver (34-22-3) who blew them out 5-2 to start the trip on Feb. 13. However, their star goaltender Ryan Miller got hurt today vs. Islanders so it looks like he'll miss that one. After that, Boston goes to New Jersey (24-26-9) on Friday (7, NESN) then hosts Arizona (20-32-7) on Saturday (5:30, NESN). I'm not predicting a win-streak here for the Bruins but let's admit this looks like a favorable week for them-on paper at least.

Florida is three points behind Boston for eighth-place in the Eastern Conference and Philadelphia has closed to within four (although they've played one more game) so every point is vital from here on out. Today was proof that the B's still have something left, now the question is how to bring that type of effort more consistently.

UPDATE 2/24: Many injuries to report for the Bruins. Kevan Miller is done for the season after shoulder surgery, Krejci is out for 4-6 weeks with a partially torn MCL in his left knee and Gregory Campbell is out for a week (or more?) with an upper-body injury.

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Chara Returns but Nothing Stops the Chicago Steamroller from Winning Its 8th Straight Game

I still can't get over how enjoyable it has to be these days for Blackhawks fans. Their team has it all: skill, brawn, speed, depth, good goaltending, solid coaching, etc. Further proof that Chicago (20-8-1) is a machine was proven tonight at TD Garden as they held off Boston (15-13-1) 3-2. The Blackhawks opened up a 3-0 lead in the second period and were able to withstand a ton of pressure by the desperate B's who saw the return of captain Zdeno Chara after nearly two months away (knee injury).

Chicago won its eighth straight game (longest streak in the NHL this season) and the fact that the immortal Scott Darling (32 saves) was the No. 1 star (and deservedly so) shows that they can put virtually anybody in the net and he'll succeed. Starter Corey Crawford is out with a leg injury but it clearly hasn't slowed his team down one bit. Oh and the Blackhawks first two goals were scored by something called Klas Dahlbeck and former BC Eagle Ben Smith.

Dahlbeck's one-timer from Smith and Marcus Kruger at 9:10 of the first period was the Swede's first career NHL goal. I can't wait to tell my grandkids about that, haha "I saw Klas' first NHL goal, I was there!" Like any good fourth-liner, Smith hunted down a rebound at 18:43 and snapped it by Tuukka Rask (18 saves) before he had time to react. Goon Dan Carcillo and Kruger assisted on Smith's third goal of the season.

The Bruins started to wake up in the second period (outshooting the Blackhawks 10-7) as Patrice Bergeron hit the post but when Patrick Kane roofed it for a 3-0 lead at 13:19, you knew it was over given Boston's typical struggles to score against quality opponents or anyone really. Kane's 13th goal of the season was assisted by Kris Versteeg.

For the B's to have any sliver of hope, they needed a goal before the second period was over and Reilly Smith delivered at 18:37. Brad Marchand's pass from behind Chicago's net hit the outside of the goal before Smith banged it home. That deflection was probably enough to throw Darling off the scent. Patrice Bergeron assisted on Smith's seventh goal of the season.

The third period was one of Boston's best of the season (outshooting Chicago 10-2) but like so many other times already, they fell short despite a ton of effort and glorious chances. Torey Krug cut it to 3-2 Blackhawks at 12:17 after an awesome individual play by Milan Lucic (who earlier in the frame had hit the post). Looch split two defensemen then passed it back to Krug for the one-timer, his fifth goal of the season. Andrew Shaw wasn't amused as he cross checked Lucic well after the play which resulted in a fight with Chris Kelly. Wait what? Haha yes mild-mannered Chris Kelly dropped the gloves for the first time since the 2010-11 regular season.

Jonathan Toews was hit awkwardly into the boards by Dennis Seidenberg midway through the second period but even though he clearly had a concussion (apparently nobody remembered his history) the Blackhawks let him stay out there. It was stunning then but quite predictable when he didn't return to start the third period. Hopefully he's ok. I don't think Seidenberg deserves to get suspended but we already know that player safety will take a look at it. He's so strong and Toews was caught in an awkward position that the hit ended up being worse than I'm sure it was intended. On Seideberg's side is the fact that he's never been fined or suspended.

After nearly two weeks between home games, Boston is at the Garden once more-on Saturday afternoon (1, NESN) they face Ottawa (11-12-5) who is a complete mess after firing head coach Paul MacLean earlier this week. Then it's off on another week-long three game (Nashville, Minnesota and Winnipeg) road trip for the Black and Gold. They need points before they start falling too far behind all the Eastern Conference teams that are playing well.

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Before the Pats Lost In Denver, Bruins Lost In Chicago

Odds are that you didn't really focus all your time and energy on Bruins-Blackhawks this afternoon while you got ready for Patriots-Broncos and that's a shame because it was way more entertaining. Boston (30-15-3) also came up on the short end, with a 3-2 shootout loss to Chicago (32-8-11) at the United Center but unlike the Pats, there is plenty to build on with many games left.

The biggest positive for the Bruins was Brad Marchand. I say this not just because he scored both of their goals but he's finally playing like himself. He is prone to disappearing for weeks since he's not overly talented or big but when Marchand is on top of his game, look out.

Marian Hossa gave Chicago a 1-0 lead at 4:13. He scored on a one-timer from Patrick Sharp and Niklas Hjalmarsson. Marchand tied it with 19 seconds left in the frame. After forcing a turnover at center ice, Marchand picked a corner around Corey Crawford (34 saves). Patrice Bergeron and Adam McQuaid had the assists on Marchand's 13th goal of the season.

Marchand made it 2-1 just 50 seconds into the second period after he beat Crawford with a nifty move. Reilly Smith and Johnny Boychuk assisted on Marchand's breakaway.

Boston's lead was short-lived though as Tuukka Rask (35 saves) gave up a goal as soft as a dirty diaper at 9:44. Goon Brandon Bollig snuck one into the net on the short side which should basically never happen in the NHL against someone of his limited ability.

You hate to see a great game like this decided in a shootout but it's the regular season so what can you do? Jonathan Toews scored, Marchand answered it but Patrick Kane said good night.

I wish we didn't have to wait more than two months for the next Bruins-Blackhawks encounter: Thursday, March 27 at TD Garden. And while we're at it, can the NHL rig it like the NBA to get these teams back in the Stanley Cup Final again? Please and thank you.

UPDATE 1/19: The Bruins called up defenseman Zach Trotman on an emergency basis. He'll be available vs. Kings after Adam McQuaid left the game vs. Blackhawks with an undisclosed injury.


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Blackhawks Stun Bruins With Last-Minute Rally To Capture The Stanley Cup

There have been so many brutal losses in the last few years by Boston sports teams: Patriots Super Bowls in 2007 and 2012, Celtics losing Game 7 to Lakers in 2010 NBA Finals and the Bruins Game 7 loss to the Flyers in 2010. It's almost impossible to crack that unwanted starting lineup but tonight's 3-2 loss in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden to the Blackhawks was a very painful new chapter for the B's and their dedicated fanbase.

Chicago won its second Cup in four years and Patrick Kane was the third straight American (joining Tim Thomas and Jonathan Quick) to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP). The Blackhawks were the better team-by a slim margin-in this series and they are about as likable an opponent as you can imagine but the Bruins and their fans will be left wondering for years what could have been after they blew a 2-1 lead with less than 1:30 left in regulation.

Bryan Bickell tied it at two at 18:44 on a one-timer from Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith. It was Bickell's ninth goal of the postseason and it came after a bunch of incredible plays by his teammates to win the puck then find him.

Before the TD Garden PA announcer could even mention that goal, Dave Bolland scored the Cup-clinching goal only 17 seconds later. Yes, Dave Bolland. Michael Frolik's shot went off the post and Bolland was there to sweep in the rebound past Tuukka Rask (28 saves). Johnny Oduya had the second assist on Bolland's third goal of the postseason. He has to be one of the most obscure players to get the game-winner in a Cup-clincher.

Not to say the Blackhawks didn't have injuries but the Bruins were extremely banged up which is part of the reason that their loss felt so rough. Chris Kelly made it 1-0 at 7:19 of the first period as Daniel Paille chipped the puck to Tyler Seguin who gloved it down then sauced it over to Kelly for his second goal of the postseason.

Boston absolutely dominated the first period, outshooting Chicago 12-6, and they should have forged a bigger lead. I was thinking that even before Toews tied it at one at 4:24 of the second period. His 2-on-1 snap shot beat Rask through his five-hole for Chicago's captain's third goal of the postseason, unassisted.

Milan Lucic looked to be the hero for Boston as he put the B's up 2-1 with 7:49 left in regulation. His seventh goal of the postseason was assisted by David Krejci who stationed himself behind Chicago's net and Corey Crawford (23 saves). Looch was out in front to poke in the rebound that he had created.

After the shocking loss, Patrice Bergeron admitted that he had a broken rib and torn cartilage in his ribs from Game 5 on top of a separated shoulder he suffered tonight. It is incredible that he suited up in Game 6 and wasn't a liability by any means. Expect to hear about many more injuries for both teams in the coming days now that the season is finally over.

It's a strange feeling, there won't be any Bruins games until October but it might take a little while to realize that depressing fact. They took us all on an incredible journey this spring/early summer and further bolstered their resume as the most likable squad (by far) in Boston. They survived three rounds of playoffs and went toe-to-toe with the best team in the NHL. Chicago outscored Boston 17-15 in the Final with four one-goal games (3 OT games) and a pair of two-goal games showing how close this series was and also how difficult it is to win a Cup (making us appreciate 2011 even more).

Thank you Bruins, we can't wait for next season!

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Blackhawks Win Game 5 3-1 to Take 3-2 Series Lead In The Stanley Cup Final

The Bruins have run out of options, to win their second Stanley Cup in three seasons now they'll have to win their final two games after they fell 3-1 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final tonight at the United Center to the Blackhawks. Chicago will have a chance to capture their second Cup in four years on Monday (8, NBC) at TD Garden. Boston won Games 2 & 3 but Chicago has rallied to win Games 4 & 5.

It would be bad enough to be facing elimination at the hands of a very worthy opponent but the B's also have to worry about the health of one of their most invaluable players-Patrice Bergeron. Between the second and third period, he left the arena in an ambulance and after the game it was reported that he has a spleen injury. Yikes. The only solace for Boston is that if Bergeron can't play in Game 6, his Chicago counterpart Jonathan Toews also seems unlikely to suit up after he suffered what appeared to be a concussion from a hit by Johnny Boychuk in the second period.

Chicago won Game 5 because of the offensive brilliance of Patrick Kane who had their first two goals. Corey Crawford (24 saves) was good but Kane showed that there's a reason he's known for more than his bozo mullet and late-night antics.

Kane opened the scoring at 17:27 after Johnny Oduya's shot broke Dennis Seidenberg's stick then deflected off Toews to Kane who was able to shovel it in past Tuukka Rask (29 saves). It was Kane's eighth goal of the postseason.

He showed off more of his world class skill in the second period as he roofed a backhander over Rask at 5:13. Bryan Bickell and Toews assisted as the former wrapped around the net and Kane once again found himself in front of the net for the rebound.

Boston never had a power play in Game 5 and Bergeron's absence certainly didn't help their sputtering offense. Rask kept them in the game with a couple top-notch saves and Zdeno Chara cut it to 2-1 at 3:40 of the third period. His one-timer from David Krejci and Milan Lucic was such a rocket that it immediately came back out of the top corner of the net.

The Bruins didn't get that much pressure on the Blackhawks for the tying goal but they did take their timeout and won a faceoff in Chicago's end with time running out. Torey Krug tried to keep the puck in the zone at the point but he got blatantly tripped. This led to a Chicago rush and empty-netter by Dave Bolland with 14 seconds left. Look, the B's didn't lose because of that no-call but I just wanted to mention it since it was so obvious.

Carl Soderberg made his NHL playoff debut and believe it or not, he didn't look bad at all. It makes you wonder why Kaspars Daugavins had been playing since Gregory Campbell went down because the Dog man is atrocious. Soderberg started on the fourth line with Rich Peverley and Shawn Thornton but moved up to Bergeron's spot after he left. Something to keep an eye on in Game 6. I shudder to think who would be in the lineup without Bergeron (most likely Jordan Caron or Daugavins).

Aside from our own rooting interest, I hope that the Stanley Cup Final goes the distance (seven games) since this has been such a wonderful series for the sport. It's impossible to predict what exactly will happen Monday but you have to feel like the B's will throw everything they've got at the Blackhawks after coming this far.

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Blackhawks Win A Wild Game 4, 6-5 In OT To Even Stanley Cup Final At 2

The Blackhawks proved that like the Bruins, they have the ability to bounce back from crushing losses and that's what makes this series an instant classic. For the third time in the first four games, it took overtime to settle things. Chicago ended up outlasting Boston 6-5 in overtime tonight at TD Garden. Brent Seabrook's game-winner gave the Blackhawks a split in Boston (mirroring the split the Bruins earned in Chicago). Now it becomes a best-of-3 with Game 5 on Saturday (8, NBC) at the United Center.

It's hard to believe since they scored five goals but the B's never actually led in this absurd affair. The Blackhawks blew leads of 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4 but that will be forgotten because they picked up their second overtime victory of the series. On the bright side for Boston, similar to Game 1 they get an extra day of rest heading into Game 5 which served them well before.

This was an NHL game straight out of the 1980s with tons of goals and little resistance from the respective defenses and goaltenders. There were four special teams goals as Chicago scored a power play goal and a shortanded goal while Boston potted two power play strikes.

Michal Handzus converted a turnover and 2-on-1 from Brandon Saad 6:48 into regulation. That was just the start the Blackhawks needed after they were shut out in Game 3 (2-0).

Rich Peverley began the barrage on Corey Crawford's (28 saves) weak glove hand with a power play goal at 14:43 of the first period. His second of the postseason was assisted by Andrew Ference and it was Boston's third power play goal of the series.

Chicago continued to use their speed and skill, beating Tuukka Rask (41 saves) twice more early in the second period. Captain Jonathan Toews finally did something, tipping in Michal Rozsival's shot from the point at 6:33. Patrick Kane scored on a rebound at 8:31, prompting Bruins head coach Claude Julien to use his timeout to settle his team down.

Milan Lucic answered with a backhander off a rebound at 14:43, his sixth goal of the playoffs was assisted by Zdeno Chara. Chicago's third line responded with a goal 49 seconds later and Marcus Kruger got past Rask then jammed it home from the side of the net. The B's refused to go away as Patrice Bergeron cut it to 4-3 with a fluky power play goal at 17:22. Bergeron's eighth of the postseason was the result of the puck bouncing off the glass then the top of the net, Zdeno Chara and Jaromir Jagr got the assists.

Jagr and Bergeron teamed up once again at 2:05 in third period to tie it at four. Jagr controlled the puck behind Chicago's net for a while before finding Bergeron out front where he went glove side.

Chicago snapped its 0 for 14 slump on the power play as Patrick Sharp scored on yet another rebound. The Blackhawks had a two-man advantage for 22 seconds, Jagr's penalty was up but they scored with David Krejci still in the box.

The Bruins did their best Blackhawks impression as they tied it 55 seconds later on Johnny Boychuk's blast from the point, you know where it went by Crawford. Boychuk's sixth goal of the playoffs was assisted by Nathan Horton and Krejci.

Boston had some wonderful chances in overtime: Brad Marchand and Bergeron both shot wide while Rask made a glove save on Kane and Adam McQuaid blocked a shot. Seabrook's goal came on a rather innocent play as the Bruins had a couple chances to either take control of the puck or clear it but they couldn't do it. His shot from the point was low and hard plus Rask might have been screened a bit.

The Bruins shook off a triple overtime loss in Game 1 so this loss hopefully won't rattle them too much. My wish is that they don't reflect on this lost opportunity to really take control of the series and put all the pressure on the Blackhawks.

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I love this team

The Boston Bruins (9-3-3) continued to make huge strides as they went into Chicago (7-3-4) last night and walked away with a 2-1 shootout victory at the United Center. The fourth win in a row put the Bruins atop the Atlantic Division.

This matchup featured two of the NHL's most up and coming teams featuring plenty of young talent and solid goaltenders. Despite the lack of goals, the portion of the game that I caught was extremely exciting.

With 54 seconds left in the second period, Bruins forward Marco Sturm broke the scoreless tie. He scored his fourth goal of the season, on a power play with assists from Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron.

Nine minutes into the third, Blackhawks stud Jonathan Toews tied it up (second goal of the season) with a power play goal of his own from Patrick Kane and Cam Barker.

The two stars of this game were Bruins goalie Tim Thomas (31 saves) and Blackhawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (38 saves). Thomas stood on his head (as he's known to do) with 18 saves in the first period. After that, Boston woke up and outshot Chicago 33-14 through overtime.

Khabibulin made a couple of ridiculous saves in the extra session, forcing the shootout (one of the Bruins' biggest weaknesses).

Proving that this team is already turning the corner (from earlier in the season when they lost three shootouts in a row), the Bruins received a goal from Blake Wheeler before P.J. Axelsson won it on the third shot.

The Montreal Canadiens come to town tonight in what should be a great game. Unfortunately, the Patriots-Jets showdown happening tonight as well means few will see the B's after the football game starts.