Bruins 4 - Flyers 1 - Bruins Take a Stranglehold on the Series

The Flyers got the lead early in tonight's game, scoring just a few minutes into the 1st period. This was Philly's first lead of the series. The Fyers created a lot of crash and bang in the Bruins' zone, but to the Refs' credit, the teams were allowed to play and find a groove.

After going down 1-0, the Bruins started turning the play around, and quickly reeled off 2 goals in a minute and a half, losing David Krejci on a hit as he passed to Miro Satan for the game winning goal. Highly dramatic stuff, sports fans.

From that point on, I felt the Bruins just slowly took over the game. With the exception of powerplay opportunities the B's pretty much closed the Flyers down and potted 2 more goals (including the empty net) when the chances came up.

The Bruins lost McQuaid to injury as well, so they played 2 men short, and still blocked shots and caused forecheck hell on the Flyers through the neutral zone. It was a really well executed game plan, but pretty dangerous. The shot margin greatly favoured Philly and Tuukka Rask was expected to be, and was, outstanding.

I think it is interesting that Bergeron shot for the empty net (rather than pass) tonight, given that he messed up the open net in Game 2.

This win puts the Bruins up in the series by the glorious 3-0 margin. Only 2 teams in history have come back from that deficit.

Unbelievably, the B's could eliminate Philly as early as Friday, in a 4 game sweep. Personally, I think Philly is good for at least 1 home-win, given that up til tonight they were perfect at home in the playoffs.

But that honour is now solely the Bruins' - they are the only team who remain undefeated at home this year.

Bruins 3 - Flyers 2 - Bruins Take Two Game Lead in Playoffs

I'm pretty pumped up, having just watched the Bruins beat the Flyers, to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

I didn't really even expect the Bruins to advance past the first round, let alone make a serious dent in the second. So I'm chuffed.

I've said it before, but the Bruins could have lost nearly all of the games they've won in these playoffs. There have been some scary moments, and the B's seem to give up leads with regularity.

But, they are well-coached, they play with a lot of heart, and seem to believe that winning is possible. It's a perpetual underdog perspective that gives the team it's core or meaning.

Everyone seems to buy into the system this year - which is necessary given that isolated mistakes lead to goals-against in the playoffs, such as the giveaway that led to Briere's goal tonight.

However, the win came tonight with 3 minutes remaining, Milan Lucic scoring his first home goal all season. He has had a rough year, but he scored when the team needed him most. The place went crazy.

The win makes the Bruins perfect at home through the playoffs thus far (5-0) - strange since they won the Winter Classic and then lost 10 straight games, winning none at home.

In winning tonight, the B's have successfully retained home-ice advantage and now roll on to Philly on Wednesday. That is a very intimidating rink.

Finally, how lucky are the Bruins that GM Chiarelli brought in Mark Recchi? That guy leads by example and at 42 is still one of the best players on the team.

Bruins Beat Philly in OT - Take Game 1

The Bruins opened their playoff series against Philly with an overtime win, this afternoon in Boston. They may have given up 2-goal leads three times in the game, but the B's eventually won it in OT with drama.

Marc Savard played his first game back since his concussion, and was eased into the lineup by coach Julien, who kept Savard's ice time low until the overtime period.

In the overtime, the Bruins held the play for long, frantic stretches in the Philly end, and Brian Boucher's reputation (gained from besting Brodeur in the last round) was shown to be well-earned.

As is often the case with frantic offensive attacks, defensemen pinch in to help push the offense, and as a consequence the Bruins gave up odd-man rushes and had to rely on Tuukka Rask to stop a few breakaways.

But the Bruins kept up the pressure, wearing down the Flyers, and Marc Savard scored the game winner on a mini-slapper. His celebration was pretty great, and he tossed his stick into the crowd.

Bergeron, Satan, Chara, Recchi and Ference played very well. Wideman got schooled on Briere's goal, but kept the puck in at the blue line to set up Savard's goal, so what does that mean? He played okay?

Rask, despite letting in 4 goals, played incredibly, but I got the feeling the Flyers were starting to figure him out a little based on where they were testing him.

Finally, it looks like the B's will be without Marco Sturm for awhile. He tweaked his knee 26 seconds into the game and had to be helped off the ice. Will the Bruins call someone up, or just activate Thornton or someone, I wonder.

Today's game could have been a nightmarish loss for the Bruins, but instead it is a triumphant victory - it's odd in hockey how close those two poles are.

Game 2 goes Monday in Boston.

Bruins to Face Philly in Round 2

Now that the Bruins have sprayed all over yet another of Ryan Miller's dreams, and the Canadiens have (unbelievably) dismissed the Capitals, it has been determined that the Bruins will play the Flyers in Round 2.

I'm pleased the B's didn't draw the playoff-hardened Penguins. However, the Flyers rode past the Devils with an unexpectedly outstanding goaltending performance by Brian Boucher, and that doesn't sit right with me. Maybe it's his year - that happens sometimes.

The Bruins will have Marc Savard back in the lineup after his concussion. He will most likely be on a line with Sabotka - who has totally come into his own in the playoffs - and Michael Ryder. Maybe having one of the best passers in the league on his line will spark some consistent offense from Ryder.

I think there will be a period of adjustment for Savard, especially if Bergeron is an example; Bergeron was medically cleared and played fine, but it was a few months before he regained his all-star play.

I also think it will be tough for Savard to go from sitting on the bed eating torillas to playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Bruins first game against the Flyers is Saturday afternoon. A weird matinee start.

Bruins Down the Sabres in Double OT

Tonight's match up was as hard hitting as playoff hockey should be. The Sabres and the Bruins both played like they realized what was on the line.

This game had so much to enjoy, its hard to know where to begin. Ooof.

The Bruins were down 2-0 going into the third. They had carried the play for long stretches of the first two periods, but they had also needed Rask to bail them out.

Early in the 3rd period, the Bruins got a powerplay goal, and then scored another soon after, to tie the game with about 10 minutes left. Back and forth chances finished out the game, and the first overtime solved nothing.

In the second overtime the Sabres took a Too Many Men penalty (in the 2nd overtime!), and on that powerplay, Michael Ryder skated out of the Bruins' end, dodged an open-ice hit and gained the Buffalo zone along the boards. He then threaded a perfect pass to Miro Satan floating down through the high slot.

Satan basically out-waited Miller, dipping to his right as Miller dropped and sliding a backhand into the net (which was oddly stuffed with 3 players). Satan's celebration included a little jump, which was nice to see.

It is pretty crazy that the Bruins came back to win this game. They've been down at least 1-0 in every game in the series, and came back from 2-goals-down twice.

Also, for a team that had one of the worst powerplays in the league all year, it seems bizarre that they'd get 2 powerplay goals tonight (including the overtime winner).

Bergeron was superhuman all night, as was Chara. Rask, obviously, kept the Bruins in the game all night with crazy acrobatics - including a diving blocker save late in the 3rd. Mark Recchi again played like a man half his age but with all 42 years of hockey wisdom. Sobotka, of all people, was strong tonight, too.

Krejci, Begin and Sturm especially need to be playing at a much higher level. The Bruins really need the second and third line players to be contributing if they are going to have continued playoff success.

Now up 3 games to 1, the Bruins will look to finish out the Series in Buffalo on Friday. Should be an amazing game!

Bruins Win Game 3 - Take 2-1 Lead in the Series

Tonight, the Bruins played three solid periods of hockey, set the pace of the game for the most part, and earned the home win.

It was very satisfying, if you're a B's fan.

Regular readers (all fifteen of you or whatever) will know that I am a huge fan of an uptempo forecheck coupled with rub-out defense, and that I think the Sabres are a 'barometer' team for the Bruins - a way to assess how the B's are really playing.

So this series has been entertaining for me, with a lot of body contact and speedy finesse, basically making the skilled guys operate in a maelstrom. The Bruins have been the better team for 2.5 of the games, but could have lost all three, really.

Tonight's hero, of course, is Mark Recchi, who set up the winning goal by solidly body-checking the Sabres defenseman away from the puck, and feeding a great pass out to Patrice Bergeron in the high slot. Every shift that guy earns his paycheck and defies his age.

But the real story in this series has been the goaltending. Ryan Miller and Tuukka Rask are playing phenomenally and covering areas of the net that would have seemed impossible 20 years ago. Post to post craziness. Toe kick-out shoulder shrug rebound saves. The works.

Wednesday's game will obviously be huge and the Bruins should expect a far more combative Sabres team.

Of Note: in Saturday's 5-3 win, Recchi became the third oldest player to score an NHL playoff goal; when the Bruins win Game 3 of a playoff series they've gone on to win 70% of the time.

Bruins Clinch Playoff Berth, Set NHL Record

The Bruins beat the Hurricanes this afternoon, in what could be among the top 5 weirdest Bruins games in history, and secured themselves a place in the post-season.

The B's set a record for scoring 3 shorthanded goals on a single penalty kill, opening up the second period in record breaking fashion.

However, the Bruins then allowed Carolina to score 2 goals in under 3 minutes and found themselves fending off the 'Canes until Carolina drew a penalty.

With Tuukka Rask on the bench for the extra attacker an errant pass drifted toward the open Bruins' net, forcing Patrice Bergeron to speed back and rescue the puck from the goal-line. Crazy!

Bottom line is that with the win, the Bruins officially claim the 6th place in the conference. I believe it is still undetermined who they will play.

I must say that over the last half-dozen games, the Bruins have been performing at a higher level more consistently. They've finally started hitting and forechecking and it vastly improves their game. Scoring is still an issue, but if you own the puck enough, at least the chances will come.

Tomorrow's game against Washington is both meaningless and significant.