Bruins Sweep the Five-Game Season Series With Panthers and Win Their Fourth Straight Game

It's been a very good week for the Bruins (42-30-6) as they inched closer to their first playoff spot in three years by beating the Panthers (33-34-11) 5-2 this afternoon at TD Garden for their fourth win in a row. PS that might have been the most misleading three-goal win in recent NHL history. Boston improved to 9-2-0 in afternoon games this season as the Garden crowd bid farewell to former Bruins enforcer Shawn Thornton (playing in his final NHL season) who still lives in Charlestown in the summer. Tuukka Rask (24 saves in his 36th win of the season) has allowed three total goals in the last three games, stopping 75 out of 78 shots. Haha does anybody still think that backup goaltender Anton Khudobin should start over him?

Rookie Noel Acciari scored another big goal for the B's as he opened the proceedings late in the first period. He blocked a shot then went in on a breakaway-while fighting off Panthers defenseman Jakub Kindl-and beat the immortal Reto Berra (24 saves) for his second goal of the season. The second period had way more excitement as both teams potted a pair of goals. Thomas Vanek was the beneficiary of a puck that bounced in off of David Krejci's skate at 1:38. Patrice Bergeron put Boston back ahead with a shot off a rebound from Zdeno Chara and David Pastrnak at 7:56. Forget Tom Brady (never!), the real ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr knotted things at two with a power play goal at 9:53. Milton native Keith Yandle and Jonathan Marchessault assisted on Jagr's 16th goal of the season and only the 765th of his incredible NHL career. Krejci and the B's received a lucky bounce to retake the lead as Berra cleared the puck right to him along the boards so he could fire it in for his 23rd goal of the season at 14:30.

Florida has nothing to play for but pride (and jobs) at this point but give them credit for competing all game long (well except for much of the 1st period). In fact, they outshot Boston 13-5 in the third and really dominated puck possession and zone time but they couldn't find a way to put another shot past Rask. Vanek was called for a late high-sticking penalty and that's when the Black and Gold put it in the win column. Brad Marchand roofed a rebound on the doorstep (his 39th goal of the season) from Ryan Spooner and Pastrnak at 18:16 for a 4-2 advantage. Bergeron added an empty-netter with 12 seconds left in regulation for his 20th goal of the campaign (the 8th time he's done that in his storied Bruins career).

The Bruins head to Chicago tonight to face the Blackhawks (50-21-7) tomorrow afternoon (12:30, NBC). It's a foregone conclusion that Chicago will be the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and a win vs. Boston would officially clinch that. Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy reiterated what he had said on Friday: Khudobin will get the start vs. Blackhawks. Also, not that anyone would notice but Jimmy Hayes suffered a lower-body injury in today's contest so he was deemed day-to-day and it sounds like some unnamed forward from Providence will be called up to replace him. It's the last road game of the regular season for the B's as they wrap up 2016-17 with three more on home ice next week (vs. Tampa Bay, Ottawa and Washington).

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Bruins Show Up Just Barely Enough to Beat Panthers 2-1 in Overtime, Thanks Marchy

Usually when you have a long win streak against a team (in any sport really), there is a game or two along the way that you probably should have lost but for some reason you don't. The Bruins didn't play terrible on Tuesday night at TD Garden vs. the Panthers, rather both teams played a complete snoozefest, that is until Brad Marchand won it with a sick goal in overtime for the 2-1 Boston (8-6) victory.

The B's have won nine straight games against the improved Panthers (4-2-4) and four of their last five overall-their best stretch of the season. Other than Marchand's game-winner, the only reason that anyone will remember this forgettable contest is because it was Shawn Thornton's first game at the Garden as a visitor. He had a game-high five hits and more importantly, he received a raucous standing ovation when his personal highlight video was shown. It was truly the loudest it's been here since last postseason and it couldn't happen to a better guy.

After a scoreless first period, Florida took a 1-0 lead at 4:04 of the second period thanks to Jussi Jokinen's one-timer. Boston gave him way too much space to crank a one-timer by Tuukka Rask (18 saves), with assists to another former Bruin Brad Boyes and Aaron Ekblad.

The lead didn't last long for the Panthers though as Patrice Bergeron went top shelf with a sweet wrister for his second goal of the season at 7:29. His linemates Marchand and Reilly Smith had the assists. Bergy has been scuffling in the goal-scoring department so far this season so that tally had to feel extra satisfying.

Florida had a great chance to grab a goal late in the third period but Erik Gudbranson's deflected shot went off the post. Roberto Luongo (23 saves) actually had a pretty decent performance but as a Bruins fan you have to laugh that once again he couldn't get the job done in Boston.

Edmonton (4-7-1) limps into the Garden on Thursday, after losing 4-1 tonight in Philadelphia. The two players that we'd most want to see-Taylor Hall and Andrew Ference-are both out with an injury and a suspension respectively. Still, there is plenty to play for as the B's go for their fourth straight win by fattening up on mostly bottom-feeders of the NHL.

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An Appreciation Of Shawn Thornton

It is extremely rare for a fourth line winger to become one of the most popular players on a successful NHL team, even more unheard of for said guy to last seven years on the same club. Today, the Bruins informed Shawn Thornton that he wouldn't be re-signed for next season. At age 36 and coming off by far his most turbulent season with the B's, this wasn't a surprise. Still, it is painful for Bruins fans who had understandably grown uncommonly close to one of Boston's most accessible pro athletes.

He played short snippets of three seasons with Chicago (who knew?) and won a Cup in his one season in Anaheim but no matter where Thornton ends up after this (and he will be somewhere else come this fall, guaranteed), there is no doubt that the Bruins portion of his career will be the main highlight. Since 2007-08 (his first season in Boston), he put up 34 goals, 42 assists and 748 penalty minutes in the regular season. In the playoffs with the B's, he had a goal, six assists and 81 penalty minutes.

Obviously, his impact on the team and the city by extension goes so far beyond his stats. He was a leader and one of the most respected players on the team with a great sense of humor. The job of enforcer in the NHL is quickly disappearing but he took pride in it, especially since he's not the biggest guy and he was often fighting goons much bigger than him. Hockey is different than the other pro sports in the fact that we appreciate the role players more and they carve out a bigger role.

Thornton won his second Cup in 2011 as the Bruins beat the Canucks in seven games. One of the main things that people remember about the series and particularly Game 7 is that Boston's fourth line of Thornton, Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille were outstanding on every shift. Those latter two guys are still in Boston (for now at least) so it'll be interesting to see who they plug into Thornton's spot. Granted, it is highly unlikely that they could find someone that blends his skills and professionalism.

Perhaps sensing that his career in Boston was ending soon, Thornton had said this past season that Charlestown would always be home to him. I doubt that was lip service so you can bet that you'll see him around the city during the summer regardless of what NHL club currently employs him. Thanks for the memories Shawn!



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Bruins Rally For Their 12th Straight Win, 4-2 vs. Coyotes

At some point in the near future-as soon as Monday at TD Garden vs. Montreal, Boston's current unbelievable win streak is going to come to an end. Until then, we must savor this slice of history that grows bigger and more unbelievable by the day. Tonight, the Bruins (49-17-5) were pushed to the limit by the Coyotes (34-26-11) but still managed to take their punch and come back for a 4-2 victory. Boston has won its last 12 games, their most since 1971 and third best club mark in history. They also have the most points (103) in the NHL, two ahead of St. Louis who has played one less game.

Phoenix was in a charitable mood as they basically handed the B's a 1-0 lead just 3:25 into the first period. Mike Smith's (24 saves) pass was easily picked off by Andrej Meszaros who gave it up to Patrice Bergeron. He followed his own rebound for the 22nd goal of the season (his 6th career 50-point season).

Shane Doan tied it 8:20 after that, also potting a goal after his initial shot was stopped by Tuukka Rask (30 saves). Boston actually trailed for over 20 minutes in game time which hadn't happened to them in weeks. Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson made it 2-1 in favor of his team with a beautiful move then you guessed it, juicy rebound.

No problem, in the second night of a back-to-back and the finale of a three-game road trip, the B's dug extra deep and outscored Phoenix 3-0 in the third period. Jarome Iginla tied it at 3:48 when he stood in front of Smith and Zdeno Chara's missile deflected off him in the net. Dougie Hamilton had the other assist on Iginla's team-best 27th goal.

It felt right that Shawn Thornton ended up scoring the game-winner. It was a very fourth line goal as he battled in front and tipped Daniel Paille's sharp pass. Gregory Campbell had the second assist on Thornton's goal. Iginla added an empty-netter for the final margin. Milan Lucic had the lone assist on Iginla's second goal of the night.

This is the start of a big week for the Bruins as they host the Canadiens (39-26-7) on Monday (7:30, NBCSN) at the Garden and the Blackhawks (41-15-15) on Thursday (7, NESN). Oh and they go to Washington on Saturday and Philadelphia on Sunday for another back-to-back in March. Bet they can't wait to get to April, mostly because that means the playoffs will finally be upon us.

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We're Still Waiting for the Real Bruins to Stand Up

After losing in overtime to Buffalo on Wednesday (I mean really), you had to figure that the Bruins would bounce back in their first game back at TD Garden after the Olympic break. Turns out, Boston (37-17-5) played even worse as they lost 4-2 to Washington (29-23-9) this afternoon.

You'll never win by allowing a pair of power play goals to Alex Ovechkin or letting the Capitals open up a 3-0 lead midway through the game but that's the impossible path that the B's chose for today. Ovi hammered in a one-timer at 18:39 of the first period and made it 2-0 with a similar strike at 2:24 of the second period. Ho hum, he leads the NHL with 43 goals, no big deal.

You knew it wasn't Boston's day when Johnny Boychuk coughed up the puck to Joel Ward who skated in alone on Tuukka Rask and scored at 10:13. At that point, the Bruins finally woke up before they suffered further embarrassment. Patrice Bergeron started the ill-fated comeback attempt with a power play goal of his own, 41 seconds after Ward's crushing tally. It was Bergeron's 17th goal of the season from Dougie Hamilton and Reilly Smith.

The fourth line came through with a goal as Shawn Thornton threw it to Gregory Campbell for a redirect but the puck went flying past Braden Holtby (36 saves) off his defenseman Mike Green. Thornton's fifth goal of the season came at 17:32 from Daniel Paille and Campbell.

One last fatal mistake by a Bruins defenseman cost them as Torey Krug fell down, leading to a breakaway and goal for Eric Fehr at 10:53 in the third. In a weird scheduling quirk, these teams meet again in Boston on Thursday.

Before then, Boston travels to New York to face the Rangers (33-25-3) tomorrow night (7, NBCSN) then hosts the lowly Panthers on Tuesday. The B's need points and fast before the Atlantic Division becomes a race again.

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Bruins Destroy Tim Thomas & Panthers, 6-2 at TD Garden

Seeing them up close and personal, you realize that you had forgotten how completely terrible the Panthers are virtually every season. Bruins fans welcomed Tim Thomas (35 saves) back to TD Garden but watched him get shelled as Boston (34-15-3) rolled 6-2 over Florida (21-25-7). It was the third game in a row that the B's have scored exactly six goals. Also, they improved to 3-0 against the tomato can Panthers with two more meetings left in the regular season. Atlantic Division!

Tuukka Rask made 28 of the quietest saves in NHL history since by the second period, Boston had built up a 4-0 lead. It would have been cool to see him get a shutout vs. Thomas, but we have no reason to complain (Boston has won five of its last six and four in a row).

A night after the Bruins' second line went nuts at the Islanders, the first line nearly matched it with a combined seven points from David Krejci (1 goal, 2 assists), Jarome Iginla (2 assists) and Milan Lucic (2 goals).

Lucic scored at 7:41 of the first period to make it 1-0. His 14th of the season was assisted by Iginla and Krejci. He went into the infamous dirty area and was rewarded with a loose puck. Boston doubled its advantage with a pathetic mistake by Thomas: Zdeno Chara's nothing wrist shot from the point trickled in off Thomas who somehow dropped it. Chara's 13th goal of the season (3rd in 3 games) was assisted by Torey Krug and Krejci at 15:26.

Looch got another gift from Thomas when he couldn't smother the puck so Lucic shoveled it in at 1:46 of the second period. People in the crowd forgot that the second goal wasn't his (it was close) so a few stray hats went on the ice when they thought he got a hat trick. Nice try folks. Iginla and Matt Bartkowski had the assists.

Reilly Smith re-took the team goal-scoring lead with his 18th of the season at 14:54 that made it 4-0, from Carl Soderberg and Loui Eriksson on the power play. Former Bruin Brad Boyes' one-timer ensured that the Panthers at least wouldn't be shut out. Dmitry Kulikov cut it to 4-2 at 4:00 of the third period with a power play goal.

No problem, Shawn Thornton netted the prettiest goal of them all at 8:14. His fourth of the season was assisted by partner in crime Gregory Campbell. Buffalo forked over one more goal to the B's as a pitiful turnover in their own zone went right to Krejci's stick. He put it by Thomas with a quick flock of a wrist shot.

Tell your friends, the first installment of Bruins-Canadiens for this season is on Thursday (7:00, NESN and 98.5 FM) at the Garden. Montreal (28-20-5, 4th in Atlantic Division) has fallen back recently but it shouldn't take them much to get up for their bitter rival.

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Bruins Return Home For 1 Night Only, Poop The Bed vs. Maple Leafs In a 4-3 Loss

The Bruins (29-15-2) had been gone for over a week for a 1-2 road trip in California and they came home to face the reeling Maple Leafs (23-20-5) at TD Garden. Naturally, Toronto rallied from two early deficits to win 4-3. Boston had beaten them 3-1 and 5-2 earlier this season with the finale set for April 3 in Toronto.

Every writer will mention it so let me be the millionth to talk about how crappy Boston's special teams were. The Bruins were 0-for-3 on the power play and allowed two goals on Toronto's five man advantages.

The first period harkened back to the glory days of the NHL-70s and 80s-when there was an abundance of goals and even a fight between Shawn Thornton and Frazer McLaren. It was Thornton's first brawl since he got back on Saturday in San Jose. Brad Marchand opened the barrage on Jonathan Bernier (38 saves) with a goal at 3:38 off a rebound. Reilly Smith and Patrice Bergeron assisted on Marchand's 11th of the season.

Tyler Bozak answered at 5:52 with a similar goal, off of Tuukka Rask's (22 saves) juicy rebound. Bozak was assisted by Milan Lucic's rag doll-Carl Gunnarssson and Phil Kessel (3 assists). Boston regained the lead at 10:48 after Bergeron's wraparound fooled Bernier and Toronto's defensemen. His 11th goal of the season was assisted by Zdeno Chara and Marchand.

Bozak potted his second goal at 12:47 of the first, this time on the power play to tie it at two. James van Riemsdyk and Kessel assisted on Bozak's goal which came after a cross ice feed left Rask out of position.

Little did we know that Toronto would rattle off two more goals before Boston responded (too late). Jake Gardiner's wrist shot on the power play made it 3-2 at 7:09. JVR got a lucky break a minute into the third when Johnny Boychuk sent him to the moon with a clean but filthy hit. He got hit so hard that one of the gloves flew into the crowd. He got the last laugh though as his routine wrist shot got by Rask a minute into the third period.

The Bruins' fourth line brought its typical energy and they were rewarded with a goal when Gregory Campbell roofed a backhander past Bernier at 9:35. Campbell had hit the post earlier on the same shift so the goal seemed like a gift from the hockey gods. It was his third goal of the season, assisted by Daniel Paille.

Boston outshot Toronto 41-26 for the game so they should have done more with all their scoring chances. They don't have much time to fix things as they visit Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley and the Stars (21-18-7, 5th in Central Division) on Thursday (8:30, NESN).

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Bruins Can Take Something Positive Out of the California Trip After a 1-0 Win in San Jose

An 0-3 road trip by the Bruins in California would have been borderline disastrous (in terms of perception) and something they would have to talk about for the rest of the season. Instead, Boston (29-14-2) showed some mental toughness this evening with a 1-0 win vs. San Jose (28-12-6) at the SAP Center. PS this was only the second loss in regulation at home for the Sharks this season, why is it so hard to win in California?

Tuukka Rask (22-11-2) made 26 saves in his NHL-best fifth shutout of the season. After losing 5-2 to Anaheim and getting pulled after three goals in a 4-2 loss to Los Angeles, Rask needed this win more than anyone on the Bruins to show that he's not breaking down or in a true slump. The fact that he did this against his Finland teammate Antti Niemi had to give him some extra motivation, he should be the starter in Sochi.

This wasn't a particularly exciting contest except for Carl Soderberg's goal at 12:25 of the third period. Loui Eriksson's shot was deflected to Soderberg and he was able to bang in the rebound past Niemi (21 saves) for his sixth goal of the season. Eriksson recorded an assist in his first game back since December 7. If that date sounds familiar, it was also when Shawn Thornton lost his mind and beat the hell out of Brooks Orpik. Ironically, Thornton returned to the lineup tonight too.

Rookie Kevan Miller fought goon Mike Brown for his first career NHL fight (the 10th Bruin to drop the gloves this season which has to be at or near the top of the league) in the second period. Patrice Bergeron hit the post earlier in the third period on a Bruins power play. With the win, Boston swept (2-0) San Jose in the season series after a 2-1 win at TD Garden on October 24 (David Krejci scored in the last second of play).

Boston returns to TD Garden on Tuesday (7, NESN) to face the Maple Leafs (21-20-5, 6th in Atlantic Division). Toronto's season is unraveling (four straight losses) so the Bruins have to be careful not to let them get back on the winning track.

UPDATE 1/12: The Bruins sent forward Mark Fraser back to Providence.

UPDATE 1/14: Dougie Hamilton has a concussion so he's out for tonight's game vs. Tornto (7, NESN).

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Shawn Thornton Suspended For 15 Games After His Gutless Attack on Brooks Orpik

It took the NHL almost a week to come to their decision (no rush guys) but I'm sad to say that they made the right choice as they suspended Bruins winger Shawn Thornton for 15 games following his brutal punchout of Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik. It is the longest regular season suspension handed out by VP of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan.

I really haven't heard too much blowback from Bruins fans following this incident last Saturday night at TD Garden. Even if you are a huge Bruins honk, it is basically impossible to justify Thornton's slew foot of Orpik (who's not a fighter) followed by two punches right to his face when he was helpless on the ice.

The unfortunate part of this has to be what it will make people around North America think about Thornton moving forward. In New England, we know what a good guy he seems to be and how he's an honest player that never could be called dirty before that (he's never been fined or suspended). I fear that his legacy for many non-Bruins fans will be this and that is really too bad (granted I totally understand) considering the nice career he's put together including two Stanley Cups.

Thornton has already missed three games this week and Boston meets Vancouver tonight (10, NESN) in the final game of their four-city Western Canada road trip. It sounds like he might appeal the decision but I'd be surprised if the NHL changes anything about it. They really strung this out so you have to believe that they agonized over the suspension length. I guess we'll have to wait and see.


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Bruins Drop Out of 1st Place in the Atlantic Division, Fall 2-1 at Canadiens

Normally I would rip the Canadiens and their lame fans to shreds but I lack the venom tonight after watching the Bruins lose 2-1 at the Bell Centre and defenseman Johnny Boychuk get wheeled off on a stretcher with some sort of serious injury (back?) early in the first period. The good news about that is he flew back with the team so their doctors can check him out.

Montreal earned the win and they are now in first place in the Atlantic Division. Granted, the Habs have played two more games than the Bruins but only have one additional point to show for it. Oh well, let's not get the facts caught up in a Stanley Cup parade scheduled for Montreal in December. What's that, they play three more times this season?

The weird part is that Boston dominated in the first period (outshooting Montreal 10-3) and the third period (16-6) but only had one goal to show for it. Conversely, the Canadiens basically saved up all their limited energy for the second period (outshooting Boston 18-7) and it paid off. The Canadiens (18-9-3) scored both of their goals in the frame as they won their second game in two nights to improve to 8-0-1 in their last nine games.

The Bruins (18-8-2) hadn't played in a game since Saturday night which is an eternity in the NHL. Gregory Campbell opened the scoring at 17:35 of the first period thanks to a 2-on-1 with Milan Lucic. His second goal of the season was assisted by Lucic and Dennis Seidenberg (specifically his skate which he used to kick the puck to Looch).

Tomas Plekanec beat Tuukka Rask (25 saves) with a sharp angle shot at 9:16 of the second period. You don't see Rask give up many goals like that but credit to Plekanec who picked a corner, top shelf. He gets paid too you know. Josh Gorges and former BC Eagle star Brian Gionta had the assists. Shawn Thornton and former Ranger Brandon Prust dropped the gloves when it was 1-1 but the fight wasn't anything to write home about.

Just like there always seems to be drama when the B's visit Montreal, Max Pacioretty morphs into a Hall of Famer when he plays Boston. This evening that meant scoring the game-winner at 17:42 of the second period on a backhander through traffic. Raphael Diaz and Brendan Gallagher had the assists.

Sadly, we'll probably have to root for Pacioretty on Team USA at the Olympics which is no fun. Conversely, it should be fantastic to hate on Carey Price (32 saves) who is making a push to be Team Canada's starting goaltender.

Boston gets a breather on Friday but things don't get any easier as they host the Eastern Conference's top team-Pittsburgh (20-9-1, 1st in Metropolitan Division)-on Saturday night (7, NESN) then travel North of the border (again) to Toronto (7, NESN) on Sunday night. The B's and Penguins split their first two matchups this season with each winning on home ice, Boston most recently won 4-3 in OT on Nov. 25 when Torey Krug ended it with his first career overtime tally.

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2 Us, 2 Ks = Stealing 2 Points at Madison Square Garden

There are very few if any other goaltenders in the NHL that would have won tonight for the Bruins. The Rangers peppered Tuukka Rask (12-5-1) with 44 shots but only one beat him as Boston squeaked out a 2-1 road win at Madison Square Garden. There were a couple reasons why these two points were extra sweet for the Bruins (14-6-1): Dennis Seidenberg played one shift before leaving for the night with a lower body injury and the B's had played the night before in Carolina so they had to be pooped.

The Bruins only managed 22 shots on goal but they made them count. Shawn Thornton broke the scoreless deadlock at 4:58 with a slap shot over Henrik Lundqvist's (20 saves) shoulder. Brad Marchand and Chris Kelly assisted on Thornton's third goal of the season. The Fribble Crew ruled the ice as Daniel Paille made it 2-0 at 11:30. Gregory Campbell assisted on his shorthanded breakaway that ended with a backhander in the net.

1:01 later, Derick Brassard scored a power play goal for New York. It was a good shot but Rask might have been screened on the play. It felt like Boston was barely hanging on for most of the game but finally in the third period, it started to be a little more even.

The Bruins earned a day off tomorrow then they return to TD Garden on Thursday (7, NESN) to face their Western Conference dopplegangers-the St. Louis Blues (14-3-3). It should be a great game, especially since these teams so rarely play each other.

UPDATE 11/20: Defenseman Kevan Miller was called up from Providence which makes you think he could play vs. St. Louis.

UPDATE 11/21: Seidenberg is out tonight so Miller will make his NHL debut. Adam McQuaid will miss his sixth game in a row but it sounds like he could return on Saturday vs. Carolina.

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"9 out of 10 points ain't bad,"-The Bruins

After starting off with such a blah result (a 3-2 shootout loss to the Stars last Tuesday), the Bruins sure closed their season-long five-game homestand off in style: Milan Lucic scored with 48.6 seconds left in overtime tonight as Boston topped Columbus 3-2 at TD Garden for their fourth straight victory. The B's (12-5-1) have the look of the best team in the Eastern Conference, even if they still trail the Tampa Bay Lightning (who beat Anaheim 5-1).

Columbus (6-10-2) has to be kicking themselves as somehow Chad Johnson (2-1-0, 32 saves) beat Sergei Bobrovsky (28 saves) who won the Vezina Trophy last season but like his team is off to a crappy start to 2013-14. Johnson made his first start as a Bruin in Boston since the B's are in Ottawa tomorrow night. He hadn't played since November 2 so even though he wasn't anything special, he had to be rusty after so much time off from real action.

This is the classic example of a game that you sell to a friend if you are a season-ticket holder. Who wants to see the anonymous Blue Jackets? Especially when Nathan Horton (shoulder) has yet to play a game with his new employer. Columbus actually led 1-0 as Blake Comeau was the recipient of a breakdown in the Bruins' backline. Two guys went after Mark Letestu against the boards (why?) so all he had to do was throw it in front to Comeau for a one-timer that beat Johnson at 12:48 of the first period.

Boston responded with Loui Eriksson tying it at 18:10. Once again, he scored a strange goal (his 3rd of the season) as he stuck his leg out and Zdeno Chara's wrist shot from the point deflected off his skate. Apparently there was no kicking motion since the refs didn't even look at the replay. Haha ok then. Patrice Bergeron had the second assist.

It was a fourth line kind of night and Shawn Thornton scored a pretty goal, sniping a shot just under the bar at 10:09 of the second period. His second goal of the season was assisted by Gregory Campbell and Torey Krug (5-game point streak). Thorny might rarely score a goal but it feels like whenever he does, it's impressive or at least memorable.

This being Chad Johnson we're talking about, he couldn't let Boston have nice things that easily. His biggest mistake of the night was pounced on by the Blue Jackets. He coughed up a juicy rebound right in front and Nick Foligno potted a backhander at 16:34 of the second period.

All I can say is thank god that it didn't go to a shootout. Both teams are playing tomorrow and who wants to see the Blue Jackets for way more time than you are required to? Lucic isn't known as a particularly great two-way player but all the credit goes to him on the game-winner (the first OT goal of his NHL career) as he blocked a shot in Boston's end then had the wheels to get on a breakaway and shoot the puck through Bobrovsky's five-hole.

The Bruins hit the road for three games beginning tomorrow (7:30, NESN) in Ottawa (7-7-4). It is the first meeting of the season between the Atlantic Division rivals and I don't have to tell you that Tuukka Rask will be back in net for the B's.

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Bruins Dominate Lightning 5-0

Just for the fact that it was Saturday night, I'd give you a pass for missing out on the Bruins-Lightning game. Add in that it occurred at basically the same time as Red Sox-Tigers Game 6 of the ALCS and I understand why few paid attention to the Black and Gold on this night. It was a surprisingly one-sided affair as Boston (5-2-0) beat Tampa Bay (5-3-0) 5-0 at Tampa Bay Times Forum.

After topping the Lightning 3-1 in the opener on October 3 at TD Garden, the B's have outscored them 8-1 in two games. They'll meet twice more: in November and March. I'm sure Tampa Bay will be happy to play other teams since they are 5-1-0 against clubs not named the Bruins so far this season.

Boston played its best game (yes I know they are seven games in) thanks to a complete effort from the entire team: goals from all four lines and a defenseman while Tuukka Rask (23 saves) picked up his first shutout of the season. Tampa Bay hinted at this being a blowout as they allowed a goal 1:32 into the proceedings. David Krejci redirected a pass by Milan Lucic for his first goal of the season. Jarome Iginla had the second assist.

The B's opened it up in the second period with three goals, their top 20 minutes of the season. Adam McQuaid scored on a wrister from the point that was deflected by a Lightning for his first goal of the season at 4:37. Boston hit Tampa Bay with a pair of goals 55 seconds apart late in the second which turned this into a laugher and gave us more liberal time to check out the Red Sox game.

Patrice Bergeron finished off a pretty rush by Reilly Smith and Loui Eriksson at 14:52 for his second goal of the season. Believe it or not, Chris Kelly already matched his goal total from last season (3) when he scored tonight from Brad Marchand and crazy Carl Soderberg. That signaled the end for Ben Bishop who was pulled in favor of the immortal Anders Lindback.

Other than a few fights, the Lightning never really pushed back or forced Rask to make too many difficult stops. Given their abundance of offensive talent, that was strange. Another surprising element was Shawn Thornton's snipe 34 seconds into the third period. Daniel Paille assisted on his first goal of the season.

If Boston brings this same effort on Wednesday in Buffalo (8, NBCSN), they could honestly beat the Sabres (1-8-1) by double-digits. I know that isn't realistic but the B's looked that good this evening while the Sabres are that hopeless. Haha should be fun!

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Bruins Begin 2013-14 With Complete 3-1 Win Over Lightning

It feels like Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final happened a few weeks ago so it was somewhat bizarre to see the Bruins turn the page and begin another season tonight at TD Garden. They beat the Lightning 3-1 by playing a Boston type of game: three different guys scored goals, Tuukka Rask (32 saves) looked like one of the best goaltenders in the NHL and flawless penalty killing with the added bonus of two shorthanded goals.

Beating Tampa Bay doesn't mean much since they likely aren't going anywhere which is a shame since Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis would be gods on at least half of the other teams in the league. For the B's it was a good tuneup for Saturday (7, NESN) when they host the Red Wings. That'll be a nice early test to see how they stack up against their new division rivals.

The Lightning owned the first period, outshooting the Bruins 15-6 but they had nothing to show for it since Rask denied everything and Chris Kelly scored in the most unexpected way possible: a shorthanded penalty shot at 11:39. Looking like Chris Kelly circa 2011, he beat Tampa Bay rookie defenseman Matt Barberio and was hooked down before he got to Anders Lindback. Using the patience of a much better skilled player, Kelly calmly stickhandled around Lindback and finished with a backhander.

It was a good night for debuts as Tampa Bay's Valtteri Filppula tied it at 10:32 of the second period on assists from Eric Brewer and former Harvard star Alex Killorn. There was nothing Rask could do, Adam McQuaid and Daniel Paille were beaten up ice, leading to a 2-on-1. Boston showed their usual helping of grit and toughness with fights from Shawn Thornton in the first period and newcomer Jarome Iginla in the second period. Loui Eriksson didn't score but he seemed to mesh well with linemates Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. Likewise, Reilly Smith was a positive on the makeshift third line with Jordan Caron and Chris Kelly who were both excellent (for them).

Milan Lucic from the playoffs appeared and scored the game-winner at 19:00 of the second period. He had stolen the puck then rushed up ice with David Krejci who left it for him. His top shelf wrist shot left poor Lindback with no chance to stop it. Patrice Bergeron, back from his countless injuries suffered last postseason, added the insurance marker at 4:02 in the third period. Like Kelly's, his goal was totally obscure: a 3-on-5 shorthanded goal. I have no clue how he got so much space after blocking a shot but his snap shot eluded Lindback just enough to cross the goal line. It was unassisted so Boston somehow had one total assist on three goals.

Boston's power play did not play well (0 for 3) but that was forgotten with their shorthanded brilliance. Rask also made the lead stand up when they weren't doing much for intermediate stretches. Tonight was just the beginning (duh) but there are so many reasons to be excited about what should be another long and thrilling season for the B's.

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Bruins Head Back To Their 2nd Eastern Conference Finals In 3 Years

There is not one person in the universe that thought for a second the Bruins would get to the Eastern Conference semifinals this season when they trailed 4-1 in the third period against the Maple Leafs in Game 7, yet here we are. Boston dispatched the Rangers in a tidy five games (who would have believed that either?) with a 3-1 win tonight at TD Garden, booking their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals against Pittsburgh.

This was a prototypical victory for the B's since all four lines contributed and their three goals were scored by Gregory Campbell (2) and Torey Krug-not the first names you'd think of. New York actually took a 1-0 lead at 10:39 of the first period on Dan Girardi's power play goal. Matt Zuccarello and Brian Boyle assisted on Girardi's second goal of the playoffs. David Krejci took a dumb cross checking penalty leading to New York's second power play strike in as many games and Boyle screened Tuukka Rask (28 saves).

No worries since Krug potted his fourth goal of the series and third on the man advantage at 3:48 of the second period. His laser went over Henrik Lundqvist's (29 saves) shoulder, assisted by Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand. 9:57 after that, Campbell scored the game-winner after fine work from Shawn Thornton (who had a fight in the first period) and Daniel Paille. The puck bounced in front of New York's goal and Campbell was able to get to it before he was checked to the ice.

There were some sketchy moments for Boston in the third period but Rask stood tall, stopping Rick Nash with a kick save then Ryan Callahan on a backhanded breakaway. Campbell fittingly closed it out with an empty-netter at 19:09 from Nathan Horton. That was Campbell's third goal of the playoffs and he steered it in with one hand on his stick.

It's not hard to figure out why New York's style of play won't be successful in the long run. Head coach John Tortorella plays not to lose, rather than allowing his talented players to be more active offensively. The Rangers scored 10 goals in five games, compared to 16 for the Bruins. Lundqvist might be a better goaltender than Rask but nobody will be able to single-handedly win a series in the NHL with 10 goals from his teammates.

This win was vital for many reasons since Boston missed out on a chance to end it on Thursday and Pittsburgh sent Ottawa home with a win in Game 5 last night. To have any chance against the Penguins, the B's couldn't afford to waste any more energy on a team that they had mentally beaten by the time it was 3-0 in the series. The Bruins and Penguins haven't met since the 1992 playoffs but there are a boatload of storylines: Jaromir Jagr's return to Pittsburgh, Jarome Iginla's refusal to go to Boston, Matt Cooke's cheap shot that ended Marc Savard's career prematurely and overall, two great American sports/hockey cities.

The two series out West are still going on so the Eastern Conference Finals will be put on hold until those are settled. This ensures that Bruins-Penguins will be the best series that it can possibly be. Boston defenseman Dennis Seidenberg returned to the lineup tonight for the first time since skating a few shifts in Game 7 vs. Toronto. He wasn't quite himself but just his presence alone was a good omen for the B's. This gives him more leeway to ease back into game action when it matters most.

UPDATE 5/27: Forgot to mention that with Saturday's win vs. Rangers, the Bruins now have to give up a first-round draft pick to the Stars in the Jagr deal. I'm sure they don't mind given how the postseason has progressed.

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Merlot Flavored Fribbles For All!

Remember when the Bruins were down 4-1 in the third period against the Maple Leafs in Game 7? Since Boston rallied for a once-in-a-lifetime 5-4 overtime win, they haven't looked back and continue to gain momentum. Tonight, they put the Rangers on the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 2-1 win at a funereal Madison Square Garden. The Bruins took a 3-0 lead in the series with a chance to sweep New York on Thursday (7 p.m., CNBC).

Daniel Paille had the game-winner on a classic Paille goal at 16:29 of third period. Shawn Thornton tipped Gregory Campbell's shot and it went over Henrik Lundqvist (32 saves) but then somehow took a U-Turn when it was about to cross the goal-line like a putt by Tiger Woods. No worries though as Paille was alert the whole time and was able to knock it in for his second goal of the playoffs.

This was a game that showed all of New York's warts, why they are going to get bounced from the playoffs and in all likelihood, burned out head coach John Tortorella will lose his job this summer. Lundqvist was amazing, a different guy than the one in Game 1 and especially Game 2. He stopped two breakaways in the first period then stood on his head in the second period as Boston blitzed New York (outshooting them 14-5).

The Rangers scored first (for the first time this series) as Taylor Pyatt tipped Ryan McDonagh's shot from the point at 3:53 of second period for his second goal of the postseason. I never got that worried though because the B's were creating so many chances. Eventually, if they kept getting them I felt like it was inevitable that Lundqvist would crack.

Nathan Horton hit the post in the second period but Johnny Boychuk finally solved the code and wristed a shot by Lundqvist 3:10 into the third period. It was the 11th goal for Bruins defensemen this postseason which leads the NHL and Boychuk's fourth goal of the playoffs which is also tops for defensemen. Daniel Paille and Thornton assisted on it with the latter winning a rare faceoff then screening Lundqvist. Boychuk almost added another later in the frame but he hit the post.

Tuukka Rask (23 saves) was victimized by Pyatt's tip in, which I felt like he still should have stopped, but he stepped up to make a big save on Rick Nash late in regulation when the Rangers decided to press for the tying goal. In the series, Rask has allowed half the amount of goals (5) that Lundqvist has given up which I believe speaks to his performance level and also New York's hopeless offense/power play.

The Rangers had the only two power plays of the game but obviously they did nothing with them. That makes them 0 for 10 in the series and 2 for 38 in the playoffs, haha how is that even possible?

Tyler Seguin and Jaromir Jagr once again had great opportunities to get off the schneid but they couldn't do it. That likely won't matter in this round but the Bruins need at least one of those guys to wake up and find their scoring touch if they want to continue winning in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Only three NHL teams have successfully rallied from an 0-3 deficit so what's the worst that could happen? Oh right, the most recent victim of that Scarlet Letter list was the Bruins in 2010 vs. Flyers in Eastern Conference semifinals. This is the same round with the same goaltender but I'm confident Boston will close it out on in four games since New York appears to have checked out on Torts and his dumb ultra-defensive system.

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Why Are The Panthers Still In Florida/The NHL?

It sounds like I'm being way too cynical when I say that Boston's 4-1 win over Florida tonight at TD Garden put me to sleep. Sure, it was nice to see the Bruins (18-4-3) bounce back from Tuesday's bitter 3-2 loss in Pittsburgh but the Panthers (7-15-6) don't quite get the juices flowing like the Penguins or most other NHL teams.

Boston has won 10 of its last 13 games and they haven't lost consecutive games since March 2012. Florida has lost five in a row and eight of its last nine games although much of that is due to an absurd amount of injures to key players. Remember, they did reach the playoffs last season. The Bruins also beat the Panthers 4-1 on February 24 in Sunrise, Florida so it's safe to say that they have their number thus far.

Tuukka Rask (14-2-3 made 29 saves but I honestly can't remember any that were particularly difficult. The B's scored twice in the first period to take most of the fight from the Panthers. Zdeno Chara's blast from the point (his 6th goal of the season) got Boston on the board only 3:55 into the game. David Krejci and Nathan Horton had the assists. Patrice Bergeron's line continued to rack up points as he scored thanks to a great passing sequence from Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin to him for the tap-in at 14:56. It was Bergeron's seventh goal of the season.

Rookie Dougie Hamilton should buy Rask dinner or something since he ruined what was certain to be another shutout. He fell down while Boston was shorthanded and allowed Shawn Matthias to get by and cut it to 2-1 at 3:10 of the second period. It was the first shorthanded goal allowed by the B's all season.

At least there were a few highlights for the fans that filled the Garden. Shawn Thornton scored the insurance goal, his third of the season, after throwing the puck in front then going around the net and sweeping in the rebound late in the third period. Daniel Paille and Gregory Campbell had the assists. Bergeron's empty-netter gave him his first two-goal game (however fraudulent it might have been) since February 25, 2012.

Boston faces another shitbum team from the Southeast Division (the NHL's Sisters of the Poor) on Saturday (1 p.m., NESN) as the Capitals (11-14-1, 3rd in Southeast Division) come to the Garden for the first time since Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs last season. The Bruins will be motivated after blowing a 3-0 first period lead and losing 4-3 in overtime in DC on March 5.

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Bruins Rally For A 3-2 Shootout Win In Ottawa

They have only played twice so far this season (with three more meetings on the Lockout-infused horizon) but the Senators must be wondering how they can beat the Bruins since they've lost both games in heartbreaking fashion. Tonight, Ottawa (13-8-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead 7:18 into the contest but that was all the offense they could muster as Boston (17-3-3) rallied for a 3-2 shootout win at Scotiabank Place.

Tuukka Rask (13-2-3) had 30 saves, including three in the shootout as the B's grabbed two points at the start of their insane week: five games in seven days with two back-to-backs. It was Boston's third win in a row. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci scored in the shootout for Boston. Senators goaltender Robin Lehner (33 saves) lost to the Bruins for the second time in less than two weeks after Bergeron beat him in overtime on February 28 for a 2-1 win at TD Garden.

Sloppy play in their own end gift-wrapped a pair of goals from the Bruins to the Senators. Guillaume Latendresse scored his first goal of the season just 55 seconds into the game (quickest goal Boston has allowed this season). Adam McQuaid couldn't clear a pass that handcuffed him and Latendresse took advantage. Kyle Turris put another loose puck in the top shelf after Boston fumbled it behind their own net. Chris Phillips had assists on both Ottawa goals.

The Bruins' fourth line had probably their best game of the season as Shawn Thornton scored his second goal of the season with 44 seconds left in the first period after an extended shift in Ottawa's zone. Zdeno Chara had the lone assist. Daniel Paille was sprung for a breakaway in the second period and he finished it for his fifth goal of the season, assists to David Krejci and McQuaid.

It was a chippy game too, something to remember when they play again on March 21. McQuaid hit Chris Neil awkwardly into the boards in the first period so he had to fight something called Patrick Wiercioch. Neil appeared to be seriously hurt at first but he recovered enough to return to the game and dish out a completely unnecessary knee-to-knee hit on Chris Kelly in the second period. Kelly couldn't put any weight on it as teammates and the Bruins' trainer helped him off the ice, he didn't return in the third period.

Kelly made the trip to Pittsburgh with the team but I really doubt that he'll be able to play tomorrow night (7:30 p.m., NESN) vs. the Penguins (18-8-0, 1st in Atlantic Division). Pittsburgh has won five games in a row to reach second place in the Eastern Conference. It'll be interesting to see if Rask gets the start (something that Claude Julien hates to do in back-to-backs) again since it's hard to see Anton Khudobin getting thrown to the wolves aka the NHL's highest scoring team on their home ice no less. It should be one of the best regular season games between two of the real contenders in the East.

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Bruins Sweep Aside Flyers, 3-0, With Relative Ease

At the TD Garden on Saturday afternoon, we were treated to a pair of hockey teams that are going in opposite directions. Boston (16-3-3) beat Philadelphia (11-14-1) 3-0 as Tuukka Rask (12-2-3) made 23 saves for his 13th career shutout and second this season. He hadn't beaten the Flyers since the 2010 playoffs and we all remember how that ended so I'm sure it felt good to get this personal footnote out of the way. Truthfully, he really wasn't tested at all. It had to be one of the easiest NHL shutouts in his career.

Since Philly had dreams of a Stanley Cup run (however misguided those were), you have to think that something big is coming down the pike soon if they keep this crappy play up. They lost their third straight game and it's not out of the realm of possibility that they'll either fire head coach Peter Laviolette or trade one of their underachieving big names (Hartnell or Briere come to mind).

If you boiled it down, this game basically had two exciting parts. Granted one of those was when the B's poured in all three of their goals in 2:18 during the second period. The other instance was when Shawn Thornton fought Zac Rinaldo and dropped him I might add.

Tyler Seguin continued to heat up as he scored his eighth goal of the season, on the power play no less, from Milan Lucic and David Krejci at 11:53. Lucic used his backhand to throw it across the crease and Seguin ripped a one-timer before Ilya Bryzgalov (25 saves) had much of a chance to react. Chris Kelly got out of his slump with his second goal of the season, thanks to Jordan Caron's assist from the side of the goal (in his first game with the B's this season) at 13:28. Rich Peverley had the second assist as Boston's third line cashed in a goal they desperately needed. When Daniel Paille scored 43 seconds later, the rout was on. All but the first line had goals for the B's, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton had the assists on Paille's fourth goal of the season-a sweet backhander after he got behind Philly's lazy defense.

These teams play twice more, the next one is March 30 in Philadelphia so it's not hard to picture the Flyers that take the ice that night looking much different. Boston needed this win since the upcoming week is brutal: five games in seven days including a pair of back-to-backs. Woof. Up next, they'll be at Ottawa (13-8-4, 3rd in Northeast Division) on Monday night (7:30 p.m., NESN). The Bruins beat the Senators 2-1 in overtime (on Patrice Bergeron's winner) February 28 at the Garden.

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Bruins Continue To Roll, Pick Up Their 1st Back-To-Back Wins In 2 Nights

Even when the Bruins aren't playing particularly well (up to their high standards at least) early on this season, they are still getting the results they want for the most part. Boston (5-0-1) rallied for a 2-1 six-round shootout win over the Devils (3-0-2) tonight at TD Garden. With the victory, Boston is off to its best start since 1970-71 with points in their first six contests.

The Bruins and Devils remain the only clubs in the Eastern Conference to have not suffered a loss in regulation. Tuukka Rask (25 saves) returned to Boston's goal after sitting out Monday night's 5-3 win at Carolina. New Jersey actually snapped Boston's 24-for-24 successful penalty kill streak as David Clarkson (3rd of the season) tipped in Marek Zidlicky's shot from the point at 8:30 of the second period. Patrik Elias had the second assist for the defending Eastern Conference champions.

Rewind to the first period when Shawn Thornton fought Krys Barch, other than that the B's lacked their normal energy and snarl. Regardless, they picked it up in the third period when it mattered most and Nathan Horton (3rd of the season) tied it with 4:05 left in regulation. It was all thanks to an exquisite rush from his linemates Milan Lucic and David Krejci. It's amazing what can happen (the trickle down effect if you will) when the top line is playing like this.

Boston went to overtime for the third time this season and while both teams had chances, the B's progressed to their second shootout (2-0). Tyler Seguin and Ilya Kovalchuk scored in the first round but then nobody else did in four additional rounds. Brad Marchand finally trickled one past Hedberg, through his five hole and Rask stopped Zidlicky to seal it.

The B's went 2-for-2 on their first back-to-back of the season (only 6 more), now they have tomorrow off before hosting Buffalo (2-3-1) on Thursday (7 p.m., NESN). It represents Boston's first meeting with a Northeast Division rival, they will also try to stay unbeaten at the Garden (4-0-0).

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