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Boston Bruins

GAME 7| STANLEY CUP FINAL: BOSTON BRUINS VS ST. LOUIS

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It all comes down this. Tonight, the Boston Bruins will face one last challenge and the prize for all their effort: one big silver cup. For the St. Louis Blues, if they win, it would be their first time since coming into the league in 1967. For Boston, this is the first Game Seven Stanley Cup Final being played at home.

DOWN BUT NEVER OUT

It’s been a long journey for both teams this season, and for the Bruins it has been a test of will and “next man up.” Boston dealt with many injuries throughout the regular season that forced Coach Bruce Cassidy to juggle the lines and relay on the fast legs of a few Providence players. And yet, despite the many setbacks, the team managed to stay afloat while ending their regular season in the Eastern Conference behind the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: WCVB

KEEPING THE PRESSURE

The Boston Bruins were sort of the dark horse to make into the final; it was all about the Lightning. But the Hockey Gods had other plans, and miraculously the juggernaut that was Tampa Bay fell in the first round.  As the Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in a well-fought series, their focus would turn to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

After a stunning sweep of the Lightning, Columbus were looking to repeat that formula with the Bruins. But a factor that hindered a potential sweep: Tuukka Rask. For as good as Sergei Bobrovsky was, Rask was that much better. He had a combined .948 save percentage with a shutout performance in Game Six, and the Bruins would continue on to face Carolina.With each game and series win, the narrative changed quickly in Boston when it came to Rask. If the Bruins win, will Tuukka finally get the respect he deserves?

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credit: AFP)

After a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes, the stage had been set for Bruins: they would be in Stanley Cup Finals. Boston would be facing a tough competitor in St. Louis. In a series fret with a fair amount of controversies, winning a Game Seven at home for the Stanley Cup is a dream not every player gets to experience.

“I think that every hockey player can say that at one point in your life, or plenty of times, they’ve dreamed of being in a position like this. But it’s much different when you’re going through it and realizing how exciting and hard it is. You just have so much more appreciation for what we’ve been through and the road we’ve taken to get here. It’s a very special opportunity, regardless of how it plays out tomorrow. It’s been a special adventure with this group. Hopefully it ends on a good note…it’s gonna be a very hard-fought battle.”

Bruins Forward Brad Marchand

QUICK NOTES

It was recently announced that Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk has been cleared to play, however will be a gametime decision. If he plays, Coach Bruce Cassidy stated he would go in for Connor Clifton.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Tonight will mark 106 games played by the Boston Bruins. The expectations are high, and both teams will be gunning to bring every single thing they have onto the ice. The Bruins are within reach of adding another Championship to the city. For both Boston and St. Louis, this was no easy journey. And despite the outcome, this has been a wild ride.

“It’s winner take all…not much needs to be said. It’s not hard to get up for these games. It’s the biggest game of the year, obviously. We just have to be ready to go.”

Bruins Center Charlie Coyle

This is it folks.  ONE MORE GAME.  Put your lucky jersey on, get your beers ready, pray to whatever god you pray to and let’s have a good game.

Go Bruins.

WHEN TO WATCH:  Tonight  with puck drop after 8:00 pm, TD GARDEN

WHERE TO WATCH: NBC

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Boston Bruins

GAME 6: STANLEY CUP FINALS|BOSTON BRUINS VS. ST. LOUIS BLUES

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Amid all the controversies, missed calls, holdings, and trips, the Boston Bruins are now focused at the task at hand. With their backs against the walls, Boston faces elimination tonight in St. Louis, or they send the series back home to Boston.

DEJA VU

The Bruins have been in this position before when they were down 3-2 in the series against Toronto and won both Games 6 and 7. And if you look even further back to 2011, Boston also dropped Game 5 of the series against the Vancouver Canucks. And as every Bruins fan knows, the boys in Black and Gold won the Stanley Cup that year.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credit: Stuart Cahill/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

It was recently announced Matt Grzelcyk has not been cleared to play. That means Karson Kuhlman will be in the lineup, leaving David Backes out as a healthy scratch. With this move, Coach Bruce Cassidy is looking to bring more speed for tonight’s tilt. In a crucial Game 6, the Bruins need to elevate their game. The attention will be on the first line, who has been extremely quiet post-season, much to the frustration of loyal fans. Boston will need to bring their special teams up to par, after going 4-for-4 in Game 3.

“We know what’s at stake in terms of if it doesn’t go our way. We’re packing and that it. It’s over. I think our guys have responded well all year. This is a group that plays hard… I’m not concerned at all about what our effort will be or that part. It’s can we execute well enough? Can we play our game better than they play theirs to keep playing”

Boston Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy
Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

QUICK UPDATES

It was announced yesterday that St. Louis’s Ivan Barbashev has been suspended for Game 6 for an illegal check to the head of Marcus Johannson in Game 5. This is the second suspension for the Blues team in this series. Zdeno Chara was carefully guarded as he spoke with reports yesterday for the first since fracturing his jaw. Chara played roughly 16 minutes in Game 5, and stated he felt fine playing with no limitations.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Call it what you want, the St. Louis Blues are a tough team that relays heavily on their hard forechecking. The question is though, how much more can they rely on those high-hard hits? And how much longer will officials let those hits step over boundaries? So far it has worked in their favor (whether they are “cheap” or “dirty”). Whatever fence you reside on, there’s no skirting the issue that officiating in the NHL has become an issue, and the lack of inconsistent calls is extremely frustrating to players and fans alike. And it has not only affected this series, but earlier rounds were not immune to some missed, egregious calls. It will be interesting to see how officiating will affect tonight’s game after earlier statements from both Cassidy and Berube.

There no sugar-coating when it comes to the Stanley Cup Finals. The season is on the line and the Boston Bruins need to bring everything they have out on the ice. All lines need to step up, and the time to get fancy with the puck is over and should’ve been over since Game 1. Legacies are on the line and for Boston, it’s win or go home.

Go Bruins

WHEN TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop after 8:00 pm

WHERE TO WATCH: NBC

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Boston Bruins

GAME 4 PREVIEW STANLEY CUP FINALS | BOSTON BRUINS VS. ST. LOUIS

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The Boston Bruins once again face the St. Louis Blues in a pivotal Game Four of the Stanley Cup Finals. Saturday’s throttle of the Blues saw the Bruins win 7-2 as they continue to escape an overtly physical St. Louis team.

MILESTONES

Saturday night’s clash came after the St Louis beat the Bruins 3-2 in overtime back in Boston, tying the series 1-1. It turned out to be an historic night for the Bruins as many players hit personal milestones. Torey Krug became the first Bruins defenseman to have four points in a Stanley Cup Final game. Patrice Bergeron nabbed his 100th playoff point and is now tied with Phil Esposito.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: NHL.com)

The momentum has shifted back Boston’s way, and tonight they will be looking to close out Game Four. For the Bruins, their special teams have made the difference as evident in Saturday’s game. Boston went four-for-four that night. Boston will need to continue to play up their on-ice skills  and avoid any collisions with St. Louis.

DIALING IT BACK

The Blues will need to continue to make adjustments and be more disciplined as they attempt to win one on home ice. For goalie Jordan Binnington, he will need to have his emotions in check as he gains his confidence back after being pulled in Game Three. After allowing five goals to get past him, the rookie-goaltender look downtrodden as Jake Allen replaced him the net. The Blues announced that defenseman Vince Dunn will return to the lineup tonight. He’s been out since taking a puck to the face in Game Three against the San Jose Sharks. More than likely this will make Robert Bortuzzo a healthy scratch.

Oskar Sundqvist will also return after a one-game suspension following a hit on Matt Grzelcyk in Game Two.  Grzelcyk is still listed day-to-day. Zach Sanford will move up on the lineup with Robby Fabbri sitting our for tonight game. Expect Tuukka Rask in net for Boston and Jordan Binnington in net for St. Louis.

PROJECTED LINEUPS FOR BOSTON

Marchand –Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Backes

Johansson – Coyle – Heinen

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Acciari

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Moore – Clifton

Tuukka Rask

PROJECTED LINEUPS FOR ST. LOUIS

Schwartz – Schenn – Tarasenko

Sanford – O’Reilly – Perron

Maroon – Bozak – Blais

Barbashev – Sundqvist – Steen

Edmundson – Pietrangelo

Bouwmeester – Parayko

Dunn – Gunnarsson

Binnington

WHEN TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop after 8:00 pm

WHERE TO WATCH: NBC

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Boston Bruins

GAME 3: STANLEY CUP FINALS|BOSTON BRUINS STOMP ST. LOUIS

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With the series tied at 1-1, the Boston Bruins arrived at Enterprise Center determined to make a statement, and boy, did they. The Bruins know what’s at stake, and as they looked upon photos of past Stanley Cup victories that decorated their dressing room, the team was reminded to embrace the challenge. The ultimate prize is within reach, and the boys in Black and Gold overcame a head-hunting St. Louis team, defeating them in spectacular fashion 7-2 . The series is now 2-1 in Boston’s favor.

STRONG START

In what was supposed to be a special homecoming in St. Louis, things quickly went downhill for the Blues. For St. Louis, this was the first Stanley Cup final game played there since 1970. Despite the obvious pronounced physicality in an attempt to rattle the Bruins, Boston did not bite. The Bruins went four-for-four on the powerplay last night, and scored four goals in five shots. The first goal of the night came off a power-play, as Patrice Bergeron scored off a deflection from Torey Krug’s wrist shot. Charlie Coyle would score later off the rush, making it 2-0.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

In the last moments of the first period Sean Kuraly would score on a wrist shot, making it 3-0. St. Louis, however, did challenge the goal as offside, but officials along with the Situation Room kept the call on ice. The Blues were assessed a penalty after the failed challenge (delay of game penalty) and Boston was on the power play going into the second. David Pastrnak would score 41 seconds in, making the score 4-0.

SINGING THE BLUES

St. Louis got on the board at 11:05 in the second period when Ivan Barbashev scored, making it 4-1. However, Krug would send one in on a power-play a minute after, making the score 5-1. Blues’ goalie Jordan Binnington was shortly pulled out and Jake Allen would step in. St. Louis would get a power-play in the third period, and Colton Parayko would score at 5:24. With an empty net down St. Louis’s end during the last five minutes of the game, Noel Acciari easily netted the puck, making it 6-2. With Allen back in the net, Marcus Johansson would bury one past him, making the final score 7-2.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

QUICK STATS

Binnington allowed five goals on 19 shots, and was pulled for the first time in his 52 start career. Jake Allen had three saves for the night. Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask made 27 saves on 29 shots, and has a save percentage of .939 with a goals-against-average of 1.91. Defenseman Torey Krug had a historic night as he became the first Bruins in history to have four points in a Stanley Cup Final game with one goal and three assists. Patrice Bergeron also had three points with one goal and two assists. He leads the playoffs with seven power-play goals.

“I think it was just a night where everything went our way. We tried to be more decisive and assertive getting pucks to the net after one or two passes.”

Bruins Torey Krug

The Bruins will be looking to continue playing to their skill over hitting as they face the Blues this Monday night in St. Louis.

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Boston Bruins

GAME 2-STANLEY CUP FINALS| Boston Bruins vs St. Louis Blues

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After a wild comeback that included a very angry Torey Krug, the Boston Bruins took Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals and defeated the St. Louis Blues 3-2.  Despite the slow start that saw the Bruins looking a bit rusty after an 11-day layoff, they quickly found their legs and dominated the rest of the game. Tonight, Boston will be looking to keep the momentum going as they face a St. Louis team who will no doubt come out looking to take at least one game at the TD Garden.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

EVERY LINE COUNTS

Monday night’s game saw great plays from all lines, with contributions from the back end to the first line.  With the Bruins down 2-0, both defensemen Connor Clifton and Charlie McAvoy got Boston on board, tying up the game. Blue-liner Sean Kuraly once again notched the winning goal that moved the Bruins ahead of the Blues. Brad Marchand placed the final nail on the coffin when he scored an empty netter, making the final score 4-2.

PUSHBACK

Expect continued strong shifts from all Bruins lines tonight, and a more ready Blues team, who undoubtedly will make adjustments to their game. Boston held practice yesterday and will hold an optional pregame skate this morning. For St. Louis, Jordan Binnington will most likely get the start in net. The rookie goaltender made 34 saves, and understandably looked less than happy with the goals that squeaked by him. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask made 18 saves, and now has .940 save percentage in the post season, with a 1.85 goals against average.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Players to watch: Brayden Schen and Vladimir Tarasenko.  Blues Coach Craig Berube stated Robert Thomas will sit out for tonight’s game. Thomas was famously hit by Torey Krug in a shot heard around the hockey world. St. Louis has been in this position before when they faced the San Jose Sharks, dropping Game One to battle back to win the Western Conference. The Bruins will continue to play a fast and more physical game as they look to once again get through the Blues big defense.

LOOKING AHEAD

“We knew what our best game looks like and we’re confident we can win. We know the first one wasn’t what we wanted and we’re going to respond and tie the series up. That’s our plan and we’re just going to keep taking it one day at a time.”

Blues Forward Ryan O’Reilly

“We weren’t too happy with the way the game was going….weren’t playing our game and I think after the second goal, our guys, that kind of woke us up. We needed something good to happen and it did.”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

WHEN TO WATCH:  Tonight with puck drop just after 8:00 pm, TD Garden, Boston

WHERE TO WATCH: NBCSN

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Boston Bruins

GAME ONE: STANLEY CUP FINALS| Boston Bruins vs. St Louis Blues

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The buzz is real down Causeway Street and if you didn’t know by now, the Boston Bruins are in the Stanley Cup Finals. Both teams have endured quite a few obstacles this season: Bruins persevering through a stretch of injuries, and the Blues coming from dead last to being Western Conference Champions. The two best teams are in the Finals and whoever wins, deserves to win. This is going to be a tough one, folks.

GAMEDAY NOTES

Coach Bruce Cassidy recently confirmed that Captain Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, and Brad Marchand will be in the lineup tonight. Yesterday many players participated in Media Day, answering questions and posed for pictures before final preparations for tonight’s game.

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Tonight will mark 49 years since the Boston Bruins swept the Blues in 1970, and tonight Boston knows that they are facing a very tough St. Louis team. For a few players this mark their third time being in this position: Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, Brad Marchand, and Tuukka Rask:

“I’m very thankful to be in this opportunity and to compete for a Cup. I think in a way its different, where I’ve matured and I’ve come to realize that it’s not easy to get to this point and make the most of it.”

Bruins Center Patrice Bergeron

With an 11-day lay-off, the Bruins have kept their legs fresh, but ultimately it’s always tough to mimic an actual Playoff game. Fans were able to enjoy a scrimmage this past Thursday, as well as show support and raise money toward the Boston Bruins Foundation.

From Last to First

The St. Louis Blues have completely turned their season around to reach the Finals for the first time since 1970. In the final 45 games of the regular season the Blues have posted a 30-10-5 record, and ended with 99 points. One of the biggest components of the St. Louis success is rookie goaltender, and former Providence player, Jordan Binnington. After taking over in January, the 25-year-old posted a 24-5-1 record with a 1.89 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage.

This will be the Blues third time in their franchise history to reach the Stanley Cup finals. Unfortunately each time they’ve made to this point they were swept; twice by the Montreal Canadiens and once by Boston.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

Matching Up

The Bruins and St. Louis met twice during the regular season and split the series, with Boston winning 5-2 on January 17th and losing 2-1 in a shootout on February 23. In the past, Boston has won the Cup each time they’ve met the Blues in the Playoffs (1970 and 1972). St. Louis and Boston are no strangers when facing each other in a championship round and luckily the edge is given to Boston. Aside from the Stanley Cup, Boston has faced and won against St. Louis in the NBA Finals (1957-W, 1958-L, 1960-W and 1961-W), the Super Bowl (2002-W), and have split the World Series (1946-L, 1967-L, 2004-W, 2013-W).

Expect this series to be very physical and low-scoring, with Boston looking to outskate to get past a big-bodied Blues defense. Either team will need to take advantage of special teams when given the opportunity. Both goaltenders are playing hot lately, and each team has had a chance to rest. Coach Bruce Cassidy stated recently:

“I think they’re very similar to us, the way they play, forechecking yeah… they play pretty North-South, use all four lines, fourth line particular gets a lot of assignments like ours… think they’re a bit of our twin, so to speak…I see a lot of similarities.”

WHEN TO WATCH: Tonight at 8:00 PM

WHERE TO WATCH: NBC

STANLEY CUP FINAL SCHEDULE:

Game 1: Monday, May 27 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) – NBC

Game 2: Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) – NBCSN

Game 3: Saturday, June 1 at 8 p.m. (Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO) – NBCSN

Game 4: Monday, June 3 at 8 p.m. (Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO) – NBC

Game 5: Thursday, June 6 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) – NBC*

Game 6: Sunday, June 9 at 8 p.m. (Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO) – NBC*

Game 7: Wednesday, June 12 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) – NBC*

*IF NECESSARY

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Boston Bruins

Stanley Cup Finals: Boston Bruins Advance

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The Boston Bruins are advancing to the Stanley Cup Final, their first since 2013. After a hard-fought sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes, Boston will now have reached the finals for the 20th time in their history.

All About That Line

It was a night that belonged to not only the Finnish brick wall that is Tuukka Rask, but to Boston’s formidable “perfection line”. David Pastrnak got the Bruins on the board when he tipped in a power-play goal fed from his line-mate Brad Marchand early in the second. Patrice Bergeron notched in the second power-play goal of the night, after a pass from Pastrnak. Later in the third, Bergeron once again had a snapshot towards an open Carolina net after a pass from Pastrnak. The nail in the coffin came by way of Brad Marchand when he netted an empty-net goal late in the third, making the final score of 4-0, completing the sweep. That top line combined for eight points in last night’s win.

“The last few games, we knew we could be a little bit better than what we’ve been. With the situation we’ve been in, being up 3-0, everyone in the room wanted to be at their best”

Bruins Forward Brad Marchand
Boston Bruins
(Photo Courtesy NHL Bruins)

The Bruins 20th appearance in the Stanley Cup Final is fourth in the league. They join Montreal, Detroit and Toronto. There are also a few Bruins players that will be making a third appearance in the Finals with the club: Bergeron, Chara, Krejci, Marchand and Rask. Last night’s win also marks the teams’ seventh straight postseason win.

It’s Tuukka Time

Rask continued his brilliance in net, stopping 109 of the 114 shots he faced this series. He also made 24 stops last night in the 4-0 shutout, and has now surpassed both Gerry Cheevers and Tim Thomas for most series-clinching shutouts in B’s history. He is now also ranked first in the NHL postseason among goalies for goals-against-average (1.84) with a .942 save percentage. Rask is now the seventh goalie in NHL history to have a win in more than eight appearances in the Conference Finals.

“Tuukka’s been very consistent. If you’re gonna get on a roll, your goaltender’s gonna have to be there for you… he can’t have a bad night if you’re gonna string together that many wins.”

Head Coach Bruce Cassidy

Number 37

Bergeron’s night of power-play goals have him ranked second in Bruins post-season history to Cam Neely’s nine in 1991. He is also fifth in Bruins history to have the most postseason goals with 39, surpassing Peter McNab.

Zdeno Chara rested last night after it was reported he was suffering from an undisclosed injury. The Captain, however, did not miss the opportunity to join his team on the ice after the win. Coach Bruce Cassidy addressed the concern about Chara’s injury and has stated the 42-year-old defenseman should be ready to go in Game 1.

As San Jose and St. Louis continue their series in the Western Conference, the Boston Bruins will be enjoying some time off, which hasn’t been typical for this team. No official times have been set for the Stanley Cup Final, however more than likely it’ll start the last week of May.

Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Silence Hurricanes; Rask Tremendous

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The Boston Bruins knew going into Tuesday night that they would be facing a desperate Hurricanes team. Up 2-0 in the series, Boston had to be ready. And if it weren’t for the outstanding performance by goaltender Tuukka Rask, things could’ve been a lot different.

CALM BEFORE THE STORM

The ‘Canes were coming off a perfect 5-0 winning streak at home in the playoffs, and were looking to make a huge push from the get go. From the drop of the puck Carolina was all over Boston, as they drew the first penalty 55 seconds into the first. In the first of many penalties of the period, Rask mimicked a brick wall and shut down every Carolina shot. As more Black and Gold jerseys sat in the box (at one point they were down two players), Rask kept things alive. Boston was able to keep the Hurricanes scoreless in the first, with Carolina out-shooting the Bruins 20-6.

(Photo Credits: AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

RASK KEEPING IT IN

In the second period, the Bruins quickly found their legs as Chris Wagner opened up the scoring. And within a few moments Brad Marchand tallied one of his own, giving Boston a 2-0 lead. Carolina did not rest however, as they continued to shoot point-blank at Rask as their frustration continued to build. Rask kept the night rolling, allowing only one shot to get past him. A potential goal in the third by the Bruins would’ve seen the score 3-1, however after review by the officials, it was taken off the board due to goaltender interference.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits:AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

The Boston Bruins are now up 3-0 in the series and have a chance this Thursday to sweep the Hurricanes to advance into the Stanley Cup Finals. With the emerging success of the fourth line, and the continued tremendous play by Tuukka Rask, the Bruins are this close to achieving that goal. Boston’s Head Coach Bruce Cassidy offered some insight about Rask’s performance last night:

“I think he was our best penalty killer for stretches there. What it does for the team, obviously, is it allows you to take a deep breath knowing you go into the first period intermission haven’t played our best, but it’s 0-0.”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

Rask made 35 saves last night, and now boasts the second best goals-against-average in the post-season at 1.69. His save percentage is .939, and he leads the league with 11 wins.

“Being in the zone, nobody knows what that means. The way I usually want to play, I want to play calm and make myself look big and maybe even tough chances, try to make it look easy. If that’s in the zone then so be it. I just try to be focused and give us a chance.”

Bruins Goalie Tuukka Rask

NOTES

As the Bruins gear up to face an even more desperate Hurricanes team on Thursday, there may be a possibility that Chris Wagner will be out. Late in the third period, he blocked a slap shot by Justin Faulk with his wrist. In obvious pain, Wagner was seen going down the tunnel. David Krejci played his 100th career playoff game, hitting a personal milestone.

NEXT GAME: Boston Bruins at Carolina Thursday May 14th.

WHERE TO WATCH: NBCSN with puck drop at 8:00 PM

Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Eliminate Blue Jackets: Heading Into ECF

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The stage was set for Game 6 in Columbus and the Boston Bruins came out victorious, denying the Blue Jackets a Game 7 back in Boston. The battle in the net had emerged as the story throughout the series, and both Tuukka Rask and Sergei Bobrovsky played outstanding. Last night, Rask earned a shutout against the Blue Jackets 3-0, and led the Bruins to the Eastern Conference Finals—their first since 2013.

TUUKKA TIME

Rask made 39 saves last night in the shutout, as the Bruins won their third straight game in a best of seven games.  He is the third goaltender in Bruins history to record two-series clinching shutouts.

The Bruins scored first when Sean Kuraly netted one past Sergei Bobrovsky in the first period, however it was ruled as goaltender interference. David Krejci then scored at 12:13 of the second, officially getting the Bruins on board. Both Rask and Bobrovsky made it a tight game, keeping it a 1-0 game until the third when Marcus Johannson scored, making it 2-0. David Backes added more cushion as he extended the Bruins lead 3-0 later in the third.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: Boston.com)

MISSING THE NET

Columbus had plenty of opportunities to sneak one past Rask, however, only managing to hit the post and crossbar multiple times as they peppered the Bruins net. Despite having four power-plays, Columbus was unable to capitalize, despite coming into the series with the best power-play in the playoffs.

“You’ve got to create your own luck, obviously, but it would have been nice to see at least one of those go in. I think if one of those goes in it’s a whole different ballgame just because of the momentum you create of just getting one past him. We peppered him…Just disappointing…I thought we played really well tonight, just didn’t get a result. It’s frustrating for a game where I really thought, I wasn’t planning on sitting here talking to you guys about this. Don’t really have much to go on tonight, just one of those games. We had chances, just didn’t bury them.”

Columbus Captain Nick Foligno

COMING TO AN END

Columbus’s Seth Jones saw his effort diminish, as Rask made a stop which saw the goaltender’s mask fly off. Zach Werenski also made an attempt, but saw that attempt hit the left post. Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves in net. This was the Blue Jackets fourth time being eliminated at home in a qualifying game during the Playoffs. Columbus certainly had great looks during the series, but Boston surged back and was the better team in the end.

“We want to create the storm. We’re not interested in weathering any storm. We wanted to go out there and be aggressive and let them know we’re here to play be assertive, and I thought we did a pretty good job of that.” 

Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy

The Boston Bruins will be back on home ice as they face the Carolina Hurricanes, a date which has not been announced yet. Charlie McAvoy will reportedly have a hearing on the the illegal check in last night’s win.



Boston Bruins

Game 5 | Round 2: Boston Bruins vs Blue Jackets

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TD GARDEN, BOSTON–The Boston Bruins head home after a wildly frustrating game in Columbus that saw the Black and Gold winning 4-1, tying the series at two-a-piece. Tonight, the Jackets will be looking to take the series lead after a shaky Game 4.

FIRST LINE SPARK

Patrice Bergeron scored off of two power-play goals with an assist from David Pastrnak (who started things off scoring minutes into the first period). Ohio’s own Sean Kuraly scored in the third to give the Bruins a 3-1 lead. Columbus lone goal of the night came after a controversial play that saw the puck hitting the protective net. It was ruled that it was continuous play, with Artemi Panarin scoring.

HOT BETWEEN THE PIPES

Despite a love/hate relationship from the Boston Media, goaltender Tuukka Rask has been outstanding in this series, while Sergei Bobrovsky has been incredible in net for the Blue Jackets. Solving the Bobrovsky equation has been a sticky point for the Bruins team, however with the 4-1 win the Boston Bruins have shifted the momentum. Rask has two wins with a 1.80 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. Bobrovsky has a .934 save percentage with a 2.23 goals against average.

Boston Bruins
(Photo Credits: JAMIE SABAU/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)

The Blue Jackets were hit with multiple penalties in Game 4 and will be looking to keep out of the box:

“We let our emotions get the best of us last game. We took a lot of dumb penalties. They’re going to try to get in our heads but we need to keep our composure.”

Columbus Forward Cam Atkinson

Both the goaltending and special teams have dominated the series so far, and both teams will be looking to take the lead. Boston has the advantage in the 5-on-5 offense, however, both teams need to up their game. The Bruins top line was key in Game 4 and will need to continue to overcome their postseason struggles.

“Hopefully that fuels them to get going and you keep it up…when your best players are your best players, we’re generally going to be a tougher team to beat.”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

UPDATES

It was announced that Noel Acciari is a game-time decision. Chris Wagner may possibly play if Acciari can not.

WHEN TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop at 7:15 PM, TD Garden, Boston

WHERE TO WATCH: NBC