Hey Penguins: Don't Poke The Bear Or Something

Repeat after me Bruins fans: it's only one game, it's only one game, good. Boston beat Pittsburgh 3-0 tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Consol Energy Center. The B's basically did everything they could have hoped for and right away, they put all the pressure (as if it wasn't already) on the Penguins. Game 2 is Monday (8 p.m., NBCSN).

What we felt was Boston's only real advantage coming into the series turned out to be the truth in Game 1: Tuukka Rask (29 saves) recorded his first career playoff shutout while Tomas Vokoun (27 saves) wasn't good enough, leaving a few costly rebounds which the B's made the most of.

The Bruins top line of Milan Lucic (assist, +2), David Krejci (2 goals) and Nathan Horton (1 goal, 2 assists) was outstanding. Krejci added to his NHL-leading total (7 goals, 12 assists) further cementing his legacy as a truly clutch player whenever the postseason rolls around.

The difference between Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron was obvious already: Crosby is the best hockey player in the world but much like LeBron in the NBA he still takes the low-rent tactic of whining about everything 24/7. Meanwhile, Bergeron never fights but when the Penguins tried to be tough at the end of the second period he ended up brawling with Evgeni Malkin. That is a true leader, all Crosby could do was talk trash to Zdeno Chara with a referee safely between them.

Speaking of bush league, it only took Matt Cooke a little more than one period to show us that he'll never change. Shame on the pathetic Penguins fans and media that pretend he's reformed. It reminds me of Celtics honk media members saying that Rajon Rondo became a leader. Cooke took a run at Adam McQuaid and got a game misconduct for hitting from behind early in the second period. McQuaid was shaken up but soon returned to the ice after going to the dressing room.

Pittsburgh hit the post three times but Rask seemed to get in their heads as the game went on. Krejci gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 8:23 of the first period, assisted by Horton and Andrew Ference (first action since Game 5 vs. Maple Leafs). Ference started the play by driving to the net and Krejci's shot trickled through Vokoun's pads after the puck hit Paul Martin's skate and deflected.

Krejci made it 2-0 at 4:04 of the third period after his shot was blocked by Vokoun but popped high in the air around the crease. Like Daniel Paille in Game 3 vs. Rangers, Krejci's alertness and hustle paid off with his second goal-also assisted by Horton. Mr. Playoffs aka Horton iced it with a goal less than four minutes later from Lucic and Gregory Campbell. Once again, Vokoun's juicy rebound ended up in the back of his net.

An enjoyable aspect of this contest was the obvious disdain both clubs have for each other. Interestingly enough, this came after both enjoyed a week off. Crosby was pissed, probably cause he played terrible by his lofty standards (-2) and he took it out on poor Tyler Seguin in garbage time. Crosby chopped Seguin's legs with a slash, his second penalty of the night. I guess Cooke is really rubbing off on Sid the Kid.

This win means that Boston is 3-0 in Game 1s during the postseason. They also broke Pittsburgh's six-game win streak over them dating back to last season. Regardless, you can guarantee that the Penguins will play much better in Game 2. However, if the B's can somehow find themselves on top again well then Pittsburgh would certainly be reaching for the nearest panic button.

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For The First Time In Nearly Two Months, The Bruins Have Lost Two In A Row

Call it whatever you want-a funk, a tough stretch, a post All-Star break snooze-the Boston Bruins are currently struggling as much as they have since October concluded.

The B's (32-16-2) fell 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins (30-18-4) this afternoon at TD Garden. It was Boston's sixth loss in its last 10 games.

The NHL trade deadline is three weeks from Monday. A few weeks ago, I would have thought it was silly to even discuss a possible move in depth since the Bruins were on cruise control but now, with a few more sub par efforts, I think GM Peter Chiarelli and Co. will need to think long and hard about making a trade. They don't need a blockbuster but like last season, they could use an infusion of new blood that they can slot into the lineup.

Today's contest was further proof that even without Sidney Crosby, I feel that the Pens are the biggest obstacle between the Bruins and another Eastern Conference championship. They're deep, have plenty of talent, a great goaltender, they're tough and they have an outstanding coach. Pittsburgh seems like one of the only squads that isn't intimidated by Boston's physical play. In fact, they beat up the B's in this one.

I made a promise to myself after last season that I would never again partake in attending 1 p.m. games on Saturdays. I don't have the numbers to back it up but I feel like Boston always sleepwalks through those, can't score goals and usually lose.

The NHL's leading scorer Evgeni Malkin (28th goal of the season) gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal with nine seconds left in the first period. Chris Kunitz and James Neal had the assists but Malkin did the hard work as he fought for the rebound and beat Tim Thomas (26 saves; 22-10-0).

That killer goal gave Pittsburgh energy and public enemy No. 1 in Boston Matt Cooke (9th goal of the season) made it 2-0 at 1:53 of the third period. Dustin Jeffrey and Pascal Dupuis had the assists but once again, Thomas was the victim of a rebound he left basically on the doorstep of the crease.

Marc Andre-Fleury's (28 saves) shutout bid was broken at 6:45 by Joe Corvo. The defenseman, who's been playing awful the last month or so, scored his third of the season thanks to a nice screen by Brad Marchand. Corvo's harmless wrist shot from the point found its way past Fleury. Marchand and Patrice Bergeron had the assists.

Boston pressed for another goal but they never found it. The lack of goal-scoring the past two games (1 total) isn't just because of Nathan Horton's absence but I think it's obvious that as much as we love Rich Peverley, he's not first line material.

The Penguins will play the Bruins twice more in the regular season: March 11 in Pittsburgh and April 3 in Boston.

The Bruins have a tough back-to-back as they travel to Washington D.C. to face the Capitals tomorrow afternoon (12:30 p.m.). In the last game before the All-Star break, the B's lost 5-3 to the Caps on January 24. Before I settle in for Super Bowl 46, it would ease my mind a bit if the B's can get two points.

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Bruins Win 3-1 In Pittsburgh, Close To Within One Point Of Penguins Atop East

There are times as a Boston sports fan when you truly have to pinch yourself to realize how lucky we are and have been in the last decade. This happens all the time with the greatness of Tom Brady but lately, Tim Thomas has entered this same special Parthenon.

Thomas is unquestionably the greatest goaltender currently plying his trade in the world and he proved it again tonight with a season-high 45 saves in Boston's 3-1 win in Pittsburgh. It also extended his career-best winning streak to 10 games.

The Bruins (17-7-1) pulled within one point of the Penguins (16-8-4) atop the Eastern Conference thanks to the playoff-like victory. That makes Boston 14-0-1 in its last 15 games, not a bad stretch huh?

Pittsburgh outshot Boston 46-27 but honestly, that is skewed by the Penguins pair of two-man advantages, neither of which were successful. Probably the turning point of the game was when the B's killed off the second one which was a full two minutes since Rich Peverley (hooking) and Benoit Pouliot (goaltender interference) received penalties at the same time. No worries though even if Peverley's penalty was shady at best.

After a scoreless first period, the Bruins got on the board in the second with a goal from the fourth line and a goal from the third line.

Gregory Campbell (2nd of the season) batted one past Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (24 saves) on his second opportunity at 2:57. Daniel Paille created the play by winning the puck behind the net. Shawn Thornton also assisted on the quintessential Fribble Crew tally.

Pouliot (4th of the season) doubled the lead with an absolute snipe at 7:18 from Peverley (2 assists). As noted by Ryan the other day, Pouliot got off to a slow start (like most of his teammates) but he's definitely found a home in Boston and obvious chemistry with Peverley and Chris Kelly on the third line.

Brad Marchand and Matt Niskanen fought in a sort of lightweight bout between Boston's goals.

Jordan Staal was called for interference to end the second period and it cost his team dearly as Tyler Seguin (13th of the season) scored a power-play goal at 1:07 in the third from Patrice Bergeron and Peverley. Bergeron made a slick move to get around a defenseman then he put it right on Seguin's stick for a money one-timer, Fleury had no shot to stop it.

Noted scumbag Matt Cooke got the Penguins on the board at 10:54, on a one-timer assisted by former Northeastern Husky Joe Vitale. Vitale was one of the few players that showed any heart on Pittsburgh, he fought Campbell shortly after Cooke's goal.

If you're wondering what happened to Evgeni Malkin (9 shots) and Sidney Crosby (5 shots), they piled up the empty shot totals but they didn't have much of an impact on the game. Their most notable accomplishments were when Chris Kunitz ran into Crosby and Malkin tried to line up Paille but Geno ended up taking the worst of it. Stick to scoring goals buddy.

The good news is that this was the first of four regular season battles between these two great teams and who knows what the playoffs will hold? The Penguins will visit TD Garden on Sat. Feb. 4 in the next meeting.

Boston has its second back-to-back so far this season tomorrow night and strangely once again, it is against the Winnipeg Jets. The B's beat the Jets 4-2 on Nov. 26 at the Garden. Expect a tighter one this time with Tuukka Rask likely getting the nod between the pipes.

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