The Bruins Are Really On A Roll Headed Into The Postseason, Oh Wait......

What the hell is wrong with the Bruins? The Northeast Division title and No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference have been laid out on a silver platter (as opposed to a silver Cup) but they can't seem to get out of their own way. Tonight, Boston (27-13-5) played maybe its worst game of the season in a wretched 5-2 loss to Philadelphia (21-22-3) at Wells Fargo Center.

Other than Nathan Horton, who hasn't been anything above average this season, the B's don't have any major injuries to use as an excuse so what is it that's caused them to go 1-4-1 in their last six games? Lack of goal-scoring certainly has hurt them but this loss was all about an endless array of turnovers by the Bruins.

The only good news is that the Canadiens are playing even worse. They lost 3-2 at New Jersey tonight so Boston is still in control with one more game left than Montreal but the same amount of points (59).

Scott Hartnell gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at 1:40 of the first period, that's how long it took the Bruins to make a fatal mistake. The Wade Redden tied it with his first goal as a Bruin at 4:54 with assists to Jaromir Jagr and Carl Soderberg. Redden was rewarded after his net drive following Steve Mason's (39 saves) juicy rebound, his followup was in the air and crossed the line before Philly could clear it.

For all intents and purpoes, Philadelphia clinched this with a pair of goals seven seconds apart in the second period. Yes, seven seconds. First Matt Read batted a rebound out of mid-air then Zdeno Chara had the hockey equivalent of an own goal (soccer) when he banked an awful pass attempt off Anton Khudobin's skates into the net.

Jakub Voracek made it 4-1 early in the third period but David Krejci cut it to 4-2 with a nifty move for his 10th goal of the season. One more time, the B's were caught with their hockey pants down only 13 seconds later as Redden's turnover gift-wrapped a goal to Simon Gagne.

It might be time to sit Chara for a game or two, the big guy is clearly exhausted (rightfully so) and not himself. If the Bruins are going to play this bad with him in the lineup then what's the difference? They return to TD Garden on Thursday (7:30 p.m., NESN) to host the Lightning (17-24-4). Tampa Bay isn't going to the playoffs so you'd think that they would be a pushover however Philadelphia is going nowhere but they rolled over the B's.

There is no secret formula but with the playoffs starting a week from tomorrow, Boston needs to wake up before they head to another first-round exit like last season against Washington.

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You Didn't Think The Bruins Would Lose At Home On St. Patrick's Day, Did You?

Since they were riding their longest losing streak of the season-four games-it wasn't hyperbole to say that today's game was the most important so far for the B's in 2011-12.

As always with the Philadelphia Flyers, it was physical, it got nasty and Boston (41-27-3) ended up on top with a 3-2 shootout win this afternoon at TD Garden.

The Flyers (41-22-8) gamely rallied from a 2-0 hole on St. Patrick's Day but the Bruins converted all their of their shootout attempts and Tim Thomas (30-18-0, 4th season of 30+ wins; 27 saves) stuffed Daniel Briere to end it. Thomas is a perfect 6-0 in shootouts this season and the Bruins wrapped up a 3-1 season series vs. the Flyers.

After no-showing last time out in Florida on Thursday, a game I admittedly didn't watch any of, the B's came out today with their best period in ages. It only took 1:55 for Gregory Campbell and Zac Rinaldo to fight, before many Bruins fans had probably sat down with their cups of Guinness.

For the first time in eight games, they scored the first goal (which always helps) as Chris Kelly (17th of the season) followed a Benoit Pouliot rebound at 6:23. Brian Rolston had the second assist.

Tyler Seguin (25th of the season) made it 2-0 at 17:07 thanks to a nifty goal-line feed from behind the net by Patrice Bergeron. Brad Marchand had the other assist.

Philadelphia goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov (31 saves) entered as the NHL's hottest goalie and he played more like that after the first period.

I wouldn't call it a fight, it was more like an ass-kicking when Johnny Boychuk absolutely demolished Max Talbot, who didn't return after that, early in the second.

Impressive Flyers rookie Matt Read (20th of the season) cut it to 2-1 at 9:16 of the second. He tipped in Briere's shot, Matt Carle also had an assist.

It looked like Boston might escape in regulation but Philly tied it up with 4:17 left on another tipped goal, this time by Jakub Voracek (14th of the season). Braydon Coburn and Read had the assists.

After no goals in overtime, shooters on both teams couldn't miss. In order: David Krejci, Read, Seguin, Claude Giroux and Bergeron all scored. Then Briere didn't, game over and Thomas rightly celebrated like it was a playoff game.

Two bits of good news from later in the day: 1) Toronto beat Ottawa 3-1 so Boston held its one-point lead in the Northeast Division (with two games in hand). 2) The Bruins signed a two-year extension with Shawn Thornton. It makes perfect sense for them to lock up one of their leaders both on and off the ice; you won't find many better teammates or tougher guys in the NHL. I'm pumped that Thornton will be around for two more years since he's one of my favorite Bruins.

The Maple Leafs come to the Garden on Monday. The B's will look for the very rare season sweep (six games) against their divisional rival. Two more points would be key before the Black and Gold head to the West Coast for three games (Sharks, Kings, Ducks) later in the week.

UPDATE 3/19: The Bruins announced Thornton's two-year extension today. Terms were not disclosed although reports peg it at $2.2 million.

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