The Bruins Push The Blue Jackets To The Brink Of Elimination With An Insane 4-3 Victory In Game 5

You could watch a lifetime of hockey and you might never see a more crazy third period in a playoff game than the one that took place tonight at TD Garden. Heading into the frame up 1-0, the Bruins later led 2-0 and 3-1 before the Blue Jackets scored twice to tie it up, setting the stage for David Pastrnak's incredibly clutch tally with 1:28 left in regulation. From there, Boston held on for the extremely important 4-3 win in Game 5 that gives them a 3-2 series advantage. Game 6 is at Nationwide Arena on Monday (7, NBC Sports) as the B's will get a chance to knock out the Jackets once and for all.

Believe it or not (given the final score), the story for much of this contest was the continued dominance of Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (33 saves). After playing one of the best games of his NHL playoff career on Thursday (a 4-1 victory at Columbus), he appeared poised to somehow top that with a shutout. In the span of 3:35, Columbus managed to score three goals to erase that two-goal deficit. In the long, storied history of the Black and Gold, this was only the second time ever that they had blown a multi-goal third period lead then recovered to still win it in regulation (1989, division semifinal at Buffalo).

Boston's first forward line (Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand) had been the best in the NHL not only this season but the last few which made their struggles earlier in the series vs. Columbus so puzzling. Were Pastrnak and Bergeron hurt or just in a major offensive drought at the worst possible time? They have certainly answered their critics with the back-to-back crucial wins that they starred in. Marchand (goal, 2 assists) and Pastrnak (2 goals) each had their best games of the postseason and Rask once again outplayed Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (32 saves) who is still making some of the best stops that you'll ever see.

Interestingly enough with the top two power plays left in the postseason (Columbus is #1 & Boston is #2), all seven of the goals came via 5-on-5 action. After a scoreless first period, David Krejci opened the scoring at 1:39 of the second. Who cares if he almost whiffed on the shot which actually helped it fool Bobrovsky? Jake DeBrusk and David Backes had the assists on Krejci's third goal of the playoffs (his 35th career playoff goal that moved him into 7th place on the club's all-time list). Boston doubled its lead at 4:51 of the third period on a Marchand goal and at that point with the way that Rask was completely shutting down the Jackets, you thought that would be more than enough. Bobrovsky robbed Marchand with a spectacular glove save but Brad stuck with it and beat the brilliant goalie with a snipe in basically the same spot. His fifth goal of the postseason was assisted by Quinnipiac's Connor Clifton (his 1st career playoff point!) and Bergeron.

Columbus' ill-fated comeback attempt fittingly started with another shady goal (at least it wasn't the boneheaded no call from Game 4 when the puck clearly went into the netting over the rink before the Blue Jackets scored on the same play). Seth Jones' shot deflected off Matt Grzelcyk's stick and Rask was hugging the near post but he wasn't able to keep it out of the net, apparently. It was called no goal on the ice then after a very lengthy review (and to the dismay of the Garden crowd), it was overturned for Jones' third goal of the playoffs. Zach Werenski and BC's Cam Atkinson had the assists on the goal by Jones who once again nearly played half of the game (he skated a game-high 29:49). 43 seconds later, Pasta ripped a laser by Bobrovsky who barely moved. Marchand had the lone assist but Pasta did most of the work on their 2-on-1; his fifth goal of the postseason was an understandably emotional moment for him after he'd been bashed for the last few weeks by local media and fans alike.

It's a real credit to the Blue Jackets that they still wouldn't die after that (when most other clubs would have) as Ryan Dzingel cut it to 3-2 with a top-shelf shot 51 seconds later. Matt Duchene and David Savard had the helpers on Dzingel's first point of the postseason. Even more unlikely than that, something named Dean Kukan (haha who the hell is that?) tied it up at 13:58 with a blast that went off of Brandon Carlo's skate. It was the first goal-regular season or playoffs-of Kukan's NHL career. Artemi Panarin and Josh Anderson notched the assists on Kukan's tying goal which proved as always that if you give almost any NHL player that much time and space, they can hurt you in a major way. Assuming that you weren't dead already, the B's saved us further heart problems (for now!) since they bypassed (get it?) overtime for the excruciating third straight contest at home.

The Bruins left it to be decided late but doesn't the additional drama make it that much sweeter? Carlo started the winning sequence by stripping the puck from Panarin then Marchand threw it towards the Columbus net where Pastrnak was situated and he re-directed it enough to elude Bobrovsky to the far side. Needless to say, I think that Pasta's first career game-winning goal in the playoffs will be one that he'll never forget.

Boston now has a little bit of a cushion (2 chances to get 1 win) as they enter Game 6. Keep in mind that Carolina is relaxing and waiting for the winner of this series in the Eastern Conference Finals after they finished their sweep of the Islanders last night. Unlike the Leafs series, the Bruins have learned to give themselves some breathing room but make no mistake, they need to do everything in their power to eliminate Columbus as soon as possible. You don't want to see them and especially Bobrovsky in a Game 7 situation.

Some numbers to keep in mind for Monday: the Bruins are 10-16 all-time in Game 6s when they lead a best-of-seven series 3-2 while the Blue Jackets are 0-2 in Game 6s when they trailing a series 2-3. Also, Boston is 21-5 all-time in best-of-seven series when they lead in a series 3-2 and Columbus is 0-2 when they trail in a series 2-3. The B's have won their last two games and what better time to make it three in a row and reach their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2013 (vs. Tampa Bay) than Monday in Columbus?

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Behind Bergeron's Hat Trick, Bruins Double Up Senators 6-3 In Their 2018-19 Home Opener

It's not up for discussion: October is unquestionably the best time of the year when it comes to pro sports in America. In Boston, we're lucky enough that all four of our clubs (Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics) are all playoff teams these days at the very least and hopefully legitimate title contenders when it gets right down to it. With a weird Columbus Day afternoon start time, the B's (2-1-0) opened their home slate with an entertaining 6-3 victory over the rebuilding Senators (1-1-1) at TD Garden. Patrice Bergeron had a rough off-season complete with a lovely groin surgery which prohibited him from playing in any preseason games but that all seemed to matter little as he bagged his fourth career hat trick and also added an assist.

Boston's top forward line-the best in the NHL last season-is still together and that should continue to send fear throughout the league. David Pastrnak tied his career-high with four points (2 goals, 2 assists) while Brad Marchand followed up his four assist game in Buffalo on Thursday (a 4-0 Bruins win) with three assists. Combined, those three guys were +10 with five goals and six assists. Haha is that good? One of the main issues though for the Black and Gold in the playoffs last spring vs. Tampa Bay is that they became too reliant on that one line. For that reason, there was murmurs that perhaps head coach Bruce Cassidy would break up the band to start this campaign but for now, they aren't going anywhere else.

After last Wednesday's disastrous season-opener in Washington (a 7-0 beating), the B's righted the ship with a solid 60-minute effort against the supposedly up and coming Sabres and this was another step forward in the right direction. Other than the goofy preseason trip to China, Boston shouldn't have any complaints with its early season schedule as 10 of their 12 games in October are against non-playoff teams from last season. In other words, just clean up on the dregs of the NHL and they should be in a very good position to start the winter.

In terms of start to a home opener, the fans couldn't have asked for much more as Bergeron scored 30 seconds into regulation and then followed that up with a power-play goal at 17:12 of the first period for a quick 2-0 lead. Goal #1 was the result of a rare net drive by Pastrnak that allowed Bergy to follow up for an easy rebound, his second goal of the season was also assisted by McAvoy (who tied his career-high for assists and points (3)). The second goal was more suited for a highlight reel as Marchand flipped a nifty backhand pass to Bergeron for a one-timer into the corner of Ottawa's goal past Belmont Hill alum Mike Condon (24 saves). Pasta had the second assist on Boston's second power play goal of the young season.

After such a great first frame, the Senators predictably responded with a much better effort in the second. Ryan Dzingel potted a rebound of his own at 2:21 to cut it to 2-1 B's. His first goal of the season was assisted by Mark Stone and Zack Smith. Condon had a rough homecoming as he allowed a really weak goal to fellow Masshole Chris Wagner (a Walpole, MA native) that made it 3-1 Bruins at 7:08. McAvoy's shot from the point was meekly tipped by Wagner and somehow Condon's glove completely whiffed on the slow-motion shot. Sean Kuraly had the second assist on Wagner's first goal and first point as a Bruin. Tuukka Rask (28 saves) got pulled against the Capitals and Jaroslav Halak earned the shutout in Buffalo, so this was his first game action in five days. Ottawa's second goal was regrettable for the home team as Zdeno Chara served as a screen on Rask, leaving him with no chance to see Dzingel's shot at 12:13 that trimmed Boston's lead to 3-2 (assisted by Dylan DeMelo and Thomas Chabot).

The Bruins might have had a little trouble putting the pesky Senators away but at least they never let them tie it, let alone take a lead at any juncture. Bergeron completed his hat trick at 4:38 of the third period with a bit of luck fit for a king like him. His intended pass went off an Ottawa defenseman's skate and by Condon who was naturally going the other way. Marchand and McAvoy assisted on the goal which came with the requisite hat tossing from the appreciative crowd filled with plenty kids since it wasn't a school day. The last few minutes of regulation were a bit of a gong show as Pastrnak got on the board with a re-direct of Bergeron's backhand sauce at 16:31. Chara had the second assist on Pastrnak's second goal of the season. The ghost of Bobby Ryan stopped by for a goal at 17:03, his first of the season was assisted by DeMelo and Chris Tierney. Finally, Pasta put an exclamation point on a fun day with an empty-netter at 18:22. Marchand provided the lone assist on Pastrnak's fourth point of the game.

It should continue to be an enjoyable week for the Bruins as they get to spend plenty of time at home with their family and friends before they host Edmonton (0-1-0) on Thursday (7, NESN) and then Detroit (0-1-1) on Saturday night (7, NESN). Keep in mind that the Oilers will be traveling back from Sweden, for some reason they played one game over the weekend there (a 5-2 loss to New Jersey) and the Red Wings will be returning from a West Coast trip to California. No matter if it's Rask or Halak between the pipes, these are all teams that the Bruins should beat, especially when they are at the Garden.

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Everything Left to Play For In Game 82: B's Win & Lightning Lose in OT So Boston Can Be #1 Seed

In such an arduous regular season (82 games), it is always ironic when so much can still hinge on the finale. The Bruins (50-19-12) are happy to find themselves in that enviable position though as the eyes of the entire NHL will be on them tomorrow night since they host Florida (43-30-8) in the last game before the playoffs begin on Wednesday. Boston got off to a slow start but woke up with plenty of time left to beat hapless Ottawa (28-43-11) 5-2 this evening at TD Garden. Minutes later, things got much more interesting for the B's as Tampa Bay (54-23-5) lost 3-2 in overtime at Carolina (36-35-11) leaving the Lightning with only one more point than Boston. That means any type of win for the Black and Gold (in regulation, overtime or a shootout) will give them the Atlantic Division crown, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and perhaps most importantly, they would avoid Toronto (49-26-7) in the first round.

After the Bruins had lost their last three games in a row, it felt like they were destined to finish second in the Atlantic Division and thus meet the Maple Leafs in what would be a very difficult battle. Instead in keeping with the general magic of this campaign overall, they took care of their business while Tampa Bay simultaneously peed down their collective legs. Only Buffalo (25-45-12) finished with a worse record than Ottawa in 2017-18, making last season's improbable postseason run feel like it was a decade ago. Superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson (9 goals, 53 assists) could be gone this summer and if that's the case, talk about a franchise without a direction. All that Ottawa could do tonight was play spoiler and they did that well enough, for about 20 minutes of game action.

My man Ryan Dzingel staked the Senators to a 1-0 lead in the first period as he finished a passing sequence from Matt Duchene and BC's Colin White for his 22nd goal of the season at 12:31. That's really all that happened in the first frame as Ottawa outshot Boston 10-9 and the B's looked completely lifeless. Under former head coach Claude Julien, that might have extended for the next period or the rest of the tilt but Bruce Cassidy's guys have a way of almost always responding to adversity (even that which has been created solely by themselves).

The Bruins scored three unanswered goals in the second to take a commanding 3-1 lead. David Pastrnak tied it with a one-timer and power-play goal at 8:08, his 34th goal of the season (tying Brad Marchand for the team lead) was assisted by Patrice Bergeron and Torey Krug. 51 seconds later, Tommy Wingels put Boston ahead as his shot hit the post and then Ottawa's third-string goaltender Daniel Taylor (30 saves) had the puck bounce into the net off his glove. Wingels' ninth goal of the season was unassisted. After Anton Khudobin (26 saves in his 16th win of the season) made an absurd save with a full split, rookie Danton Heinen's wicked snap shot gave Boston a 3-1 advantage at 17:01. Talk about scoring depth, his 16th goal of the season was assisted by Brian Gionta and Adam McQuaid.

Dzingel cut it to 3-2 at 7:07 of the third period with a nifty move, assisted again by White and another rookie-defenseman Christian Wolanin-who just turned pro out of the University of North Dakota. The fourth line for the Bruins has been really solid and dependable all year so it was fitting that they provided what basically amounted to the clinching goal. Noel Acciari was sent in on a breakaway by his fellow PC Friar Tim Schaller and he beat Taylor for his 10th goal of the season. Zdeno Chara had the secondary assist on the huge insurance tally at 18:09. Another guy-David Backes-that deserved a goal after all that he's been through this season had the honor of sending the Senators home for good with an empty-netter at 19:17. His 13th goal of the season was assisted by Heinen.

The Panthers were officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier on Saturday so I doubt that their minds will be really too focused tomorrow night what with vacations to plan (although if you live in Florida, do you really need to get away?) and off-seasons to begin as soon as possible. Boston last earned the top seed in the East in 2013 when they captured that cursed Presidents' Trophy. No need to worry about that since Nashville (53-18-11) already wrapped it up days ago. More than just a label or a number, tomorrow's contest means so much because a win would allow the B's to open against the Devils (44-29-9), the second Wild Card (ie. the lowest seed) in the East. New Jersey has put together a very surprising season to reach the playoffs for the first time in six years but who would rather face Toronto than them? Outside of Taylor Hall who should be in the running for the Hart Memorial Trophy (NHL MVP), who else do you fear? The Bruins won't need any additional motivation as they take on the Panthers in front of their home crowd one more time before Game 1 versus whomever on Thursday.

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