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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

Boston Bruins vs Blue Jackets

ROUND 2, GAME 3 | BOSTON BRUINS VS. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

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The Boston Bruins are in Columbus as they face the Blue Jackets for Game 3 of the Second Round of the NHL Playoffs tonight.  Boston will be looking to redeem themselves after a loss in a second overtime in Game 2 that was played at the TD Garden. With the Bruins and the Jackets deadlocked 2-2, a penalty call on Patrice Bergeron in the second overtime lead to a power-play goal, with the Jackets winning 3-2.

TOP LINE WOES

Columbus’s Matt Duchene had the winning power-play goal Saturday night. Boston’s special team were roughed up as the Blue Jackets capitalized on penalties called against the Bruins.  While much of the media narrative has focused on David Pastrnak’s lack of scoring, the team itself has had to shuffle things around as the top two lines have struggled a bit in the post-season. Pastrnak had a goal attributed to him after a shot deflected off his skate; he had four shots in Game 2. The Bruins will need to continue to come out with more physicality as seen in Games 1-2. Zdeno Chara, Connor Clifton, and Sean Kuraly all had hits Saturday night.

Boston Bruins vs Blue Jackets
(Photo Credits: NHL.com)

REST FOR THE WEARY

Despite the loss on Saturday, the Boston Bruins team has had a chance to rest after playing a tough Toronto series only to face a fully rested Columbus team a day after winning Game 7.  After playing two overtime games against Columbus, Boston will be looking to get their re-charged legs back on the ice.

“It came at a good time for us to get the two days between games. We had a seven-game series, obviously high intensity, back and forth. It takes an emotional toll as well. Most seven-game series do, but the way we had to come back and then get right into it. I think we fed off that first night…but I think mentally we made some mistakes (Game 2) that we wouldn’t make if we were a little more fresh. That’s where it caught up to us, the seven games. I do believe that. We had some breakdown that typically we don’t do, especially on the PK on the last goal. We broke down. They made a good play, but we weren’t in the right spots and I think that’s part of it.”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

RETURNING HOME

Sean Kuraly will be returning to his home state of Ohio where he’ll face the Blue Jackets in post-season for the first time. A native of Dublin, Ohio, the 26-year-old will be looking to disappoint some Columbus fans tonight as he continues to grind out plays for the Black and Gold.

HEADING BACK TO COLUMBUS

Look for Columbus to continue to shift momentum as they return to their home rink. The Blue Jackets are hoping to improve their 5-on-5 as their last few goals have come from power-plays and 4-on-4 situations. The Boston Bruins recent focus in practice has been their power-play production, and will need to stay out of the box to lessen any opportunities for Columbus to score.

Here were the Bruins practice line-ups:

Coach Bruce Cassidy announced that Karson Kuhlman will be in the lineup with Chris Wagner out for tonight.

Here are the projected lines for Columbus:

Artemi Panarin – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Cam Atkinson

Ryan Dzingel – Matt Duchene – Josh Anderson

Alexandre Texier – Nick Foligno – Oliver Bjokstrand

Riley Nash – Booner Jenner – Brandon Dubinsky

Zach Werenski – Seth Jones

Markus Nutivaara – David Savard

Scott Harrington – Adam Clendening

Sergei Bobrovsky

Joonas Korpisalo

WHEN TO WATCH:  Tonight with puck drop at 7:00pm, at the Nationwide Arena

WHERE TO WATCH:  NBCSN

Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Blow Leafs Away 5-1

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Last night loud cheers and excitement from the Black and Gold faithful flooded Causeway Street as the Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in a crucial do-or-die Game 7. For Boston, the scenario was all too familiar. And for fans on both sides of the fence, this series was poised to reach a Game 7. 

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

For Toronto fans, the hope was that their young team would finally slay the dragon, as they have lost to Boston in the same fashion twice in a row. With Boston up 3-1 in the third, Bruins’ Charlie Coyle would seal their fate by netting a wrist shot in the final few minutes of the period. Within seconds at the end of the period, Patrice Bergeron would end the night as he backhanded another goal, making the final score 5-1.

FOURTH LINE MAGIC

Boston’s fourth line, along with goaltender Tuukka Rask (more on him later) were the heavy stars in last night’s wild victory.  The Kuraly-Nordstrom-Acciari trio proved to be huge in both Game 6 and Game 7. That line started things off for Boston, as Joakim Nordstrom ripped the puck through the pads and glove of Frederick Andersen, giving Boston a 1-0 lead.

Minutes later, fellow Swedish player Marcus Johannson sent one in with a wrist shot, making the score 2-0 Boston. As the lone goal of the night for Toronto (and the only one in the second period), John Tavares netted a goal that shot by Tuukka Rask, making the score 2-1. With Toronto just one goal away from tying the game, Boston’s fourth line would deliver one of the game’s bigger moments, as 26-year-old Sean Kuraly (coming back from a fractured hand) banked a goal that added some cushion to the Bruins lead.

Kuraly has scored five goals in 19 career post-season games. And yes, the Kuraly-leap was back and he was missed:

“We talked about him missing the start of the series. And you talk about a depth guy and think how much you can miss him, but we use him a lot of different ways for us.”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

ALL ABOUT THE GOALTENDING

Tuukka Rask: a name that causes debate among fans and sport pundits alike. Those Tuukka haters are loud and very quick to point out that with Rask in net, the Bruins will never win a cup. And any goal that gets past Rask is a “soft” one, or rather “he should’ve had it!” No matter how you feel about Rask and the holes you can poke into his performance on any regular season game, last night the Bruins goaltender was impressive.

https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/1120887082774409216

Along with a determined Bruins team, Rask was able to keep the Leafs at bay and allowed only one goal. He made 32 saves total for the night.

“I hope fans recognized what he did tonight…hopefully people get behind him and acknowledge that…It’s a big Game 7 win. I believe he was our best player. ”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

“He was a big difference in tonight’s game. He made some big saves, controlled the rebounds, especially in the second period when they started pushing us. They were putting a lot of pucks at the net, creating more offensive zone time. Tuukka was just very strong for us. And we needed that. Sometimes it’s not always going to be perfect breaking out the pucks and making plays, but that’s when you have to rely on your goalie and that we did.”

Bruins Captain Zdeno Chara

NEXT UP: Against the Columbus Blue Jacket, Second Round, Game 1

WHEN: Thursday, April 25th at TD Garden with puck drop at 7:00 pm

Follow me on Twitter @pastagrl88

Boston Bruins

Game 1: Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs

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Tonight, the Boston Bruins face a familiar foe in the Toronto Maple Leafs as they square off in Game One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While it may be déjà vu for fans on both sides, the Bruins and Leafs are hoping to bring some new elements to their game. With the defeat against Columbus, Boston was able to secure home-ice advantage, and will face Toronto for the third time since 2013 in the postseason.

The boys in Black and Gold are still out with a few injuries, namely Kevan Miller, Sean Kuraly and John Moore. It was announced that Providence’s Connor Clifton will be playing in his first Playoff and looks to  be slotted aside Matt Grzelcyk. Providence’s Karson Kuhlman will also be in the lineup as both have proven themselves this season, earning a spot on the roster. David Backes and Steven Kampfer will be healthy scratches. Pulling no punches and offering no real surprises, Coach Bruce Cassidy announced his starting line-up tonight:

Playoff fever is hitting the team for both veterans and newcomers. The Bruins are chock-full of second season players that had their real first taste of playing in the Playoffs last year as a Bruin. And much to the delight of fans, defenseman Brandon Carlo will finally play in his first Playoff game.

NEW FACES

Weymouth-native Charlie Coyle and Walpole-native Chris Wagner will debut in their first Playoff game in a Bruins uniform. Both have contributed immensely to Boston’s success towards the end of the season. The Bruins ended their season with 11 wins and seven losses, posting a 49-24-9 record with 107 points. They went 3-1-0 against the Leafs this year, however Toronto has a slight edge over the B’s during the Playoffs at 8-7.

Boston Bruins
PHOTO: MADDIE MEYER / GETTY IMAGES

Brad Marchand finished the season with a career high of 100 points, David Pastrnak finished with 81 points while Patrice Bergeron finished with 79 points. David Krejci, whom Cassidy calls an “underlying MVP”, has played in almost every single game this season with 81 games. Krejci has quietly been (along with Marchand) one the teams greatest play maker this season, with 53 assist-a career high for the Czech-born players. Back in the 2008-2009 season, Krejci had 51 assists.

LEAFS

Toronto has had the misfortune of losing to the Bruins in critical games during the Playoffs, however are hoping to exorcise that demon with the the addition of John Tavares. Along with Tavares, the Leafs have added more to their depth that includes Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri. Tavares ended his season with 47 goals and accumulating 88 points.

The Leafs finished the season with 100 points and third in the Atlantic Division. They are eight in the league for the power play at 25.8%, and ranked fourth in the NHL in goals per game at 3.49. Much like Boston, Toronto has a roster of young talent that have netted 20 or more goals.

DEPTH

Auston Matthews netted 37 goals, while Mitch Marner had 26 goals. Kasperi Kapanen, Zach Hyman and Andreas Johnsson have all scored 20 or more goals this season for the first time. Marner has nine points against the Bruins during the Playoffs; Pastrnak became the youngest NHL player in history to net six points in a playoff game last year-breaking a Wayne Gretzky record.

For Toronto, shutting down the Bruins first line will be a huge focus, as well as goaltending. For Boston, they will need to limit the movement of Tavares, Matthews and Kadri.

BETWEEN THE PIPES

Expect Frederick Andersen in net for Game 1 for the Leafs. In the final few games of the season, the Leaf’s number one goalie went .898 in save percentage-reminiscent of last postseason against the Bruins, where he posted a .896 save percentage. Unlike the Bruins, Toronto has had a bit more tougher time in regards to having a reliable back-up goalie.

Garret Sparks has gone through a rough skid, and re-joined the team yesterday. He continues to work with the goaltending coach for 10 days. Michael Hutchinson, who had been elevated as Andersson’s back-up, missed practice due to his wife giving birth.

Boston Bruins
Photo: USA Today)

Rask’s record has dipped a little with the lowest being a .762 save percentage in the last game against Tampa Bay. Last postseason run against Toronto, Rask had a .899 save percentage. Expect Rask in between the pipes for Boston tonight.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

“They’re an elite team, and we’re going to have to have all facets of our game working to the best… It’s going to start with, right from the drop of the puck, playing the right way, and I think our team knows what our identity is…we have to be very respectful to our opponent, and we should be.”

Bruins GM Don Sweeney

“We trust all the guys in the lineup and the guys that are out, to be honest with you, have played well for us. Someone shows up sick tomorrow, the guys that are going on, we’d be fine with. We’re trying to put the best lineup out there to give us the best chance to win and see how that plays out.”

Bruins Coach Bruce Cassidy

“…Anytime you have a defeat like last season, it drives you to be even better have year, but this is a different team. There’s new guys on the team so it’s kind of a fresh start.”

Toronto Defenseman Jake Gardiner

“It was tough to watch, sitting out like that. It wasn’t fun, for sure. Being able to know I could have an impact on a game and not being able to play, not being out there with the guys you’ve spent a whole season with is tough, especially to see them lose like that and feel like you could have done something about it.”

Toronto Forward Nazem Kadri

PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

Game 1: Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) – NESN, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
Game 2: Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) – NBC, CBC, TVA
Game 3: Monday, April 15 at 7 p.m. (Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON) – NESN, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
Game 4: Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. (Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON) – NESN, NBCSN, CBC, TVA

If necessary, Games 5-7 will TBD

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Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers

Are Boston Bruins serious Stanley Cup contenders?

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Photo by MatthewReid / CC BY-SA 2.0
Caption: It was 2011 when the Boston Bruins last won the Stanley Cup

The Boston Bruins have only missed the playoffs twice since 2008. They are always in the mix, and though they often have a
lot to give, they haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 2011. But this year could be different. And though the Bruin’s season has
had its ups and downs, you can be sure, but long spells of point streaks and impressive victories over the best teams in the
NHL make them serious contenders for a playoff victory dance.
Impressive Results in Late Season
A rough start early in the season left it looking like the Bruins wouldn’t even make it to the playoffs this year. It all started
with an initial defeat by the Washington Capitals, and it pretty much all went downhill from there.
Constant injuries haven’t helped matters. Nearly every player on the team, bar David Krejčí who has played every game, has
been sidelined with an injury at some point. Still, the early season upsets were not the end for the Bruins, who mounted a
comeback that has now led them close to the top of the table in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins didn’t lose a game between January 19th and March 10th, a point streak that lasted for a total of 19 games. During
this time, the Bruins wrecked the Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the current favorites to win the Stanley Cup, by 4–1. The
streak eventually came to an end against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but since then, the Bruins have gone on to slam the New
York Islanders by 5–0, among other victories.
This season, they have beaten rivals Toronto Maple Leafs by three games to one over the course of the season and have finally
ended their long and bitter losing streak against the Capitals. These results have shot them up to second place in the league,
chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning right to the end.
Determined Roster of Talent


Photo by Sarah Connors / CC BY 2.0
Caption: The Bruins have a talented roster of players.


The Bruins have proven that they can beat the best teams in their division. They look strong, and right now, their roster shines
with talent, both elite and upcoming.
There are currently four players who have more than 20 goals this season. They are David Pastrňák and Brad Marchand, who
both have over 30 goals, as well as Patrice Bergeron with 28 and Jake DeBrusk with 23. Center David Krejčí currently has 19
goals.
The Bruins have always drafted effectively. They picked up Bergeron in 2003 and Krejci in 2004, and then in 2006, went wild
and bought Marchand, Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic. That was the year that they topped the league in points, and it was no
coincidence.
Since then, the drafting has calmed down, but the Bruins also have an excellent eye for homegrown talent and are always
bringing youngsters up through the ranks. The likes of DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy have contributed significantly to the
squad this year, and four out of the top six goal scorers are under 23.
Both the elite players and newcomers proved their worth in the current Bruins squad, which could be a team capable of
winning the playoffs, especially when they brought out the A-team to play.
Who to watch?
The Bruins sit at number two in the Super 16 rankings right now. They have 189 points and a record of 44–20–9, and are right
behind the Lightning, both in the Super 16 and in the Atlantic League. It goes without saying then, that the Lightning will be
one of the ones to watch, and unfortunately, for the Bruins, they will have to play each other before the third round, along with
rivals the Maple Leafs.
Another team to watch, the Vegas Golden Knights have recently surged up the rankings following a winning streak of nine of
their last 10 games. They go from number 11 to number seven and have had an incredible season. The Penguins and Capitals
are others who might take the Stanley Cup, and both have given the Bruins difficulty in the past.
Nobody can say for sure who will win the Stanley Cup. It’s a competition that can have its upsets easily. Though it’s safe to
say the Bruins will have a tough field to get through early on, and every team will be fighting to make the most of the playoffs.
Still, this year is one of the strongest we’ve seen the Bruins in a while, and should they find the form they had in February,
they have every chance of being unstoppable.

The Bruins have proven that they can beat the best teams in their division. They look strong, and right now, their roster shines
with talent, both elite and upcoming.
There are currently four players who have more than 20 goals this season. They are David Pastrňák and Brad Marchand, who
both have over 30 goals, as well as Patrice Bergeron with 28 and Jake DeBrusk with 23. Center David Krejčí currently has 19
goals.
The Bruins have always drafted effectively. They picked up Bergeron in 2003 and Krejci in 2004, and then in 2006, went wild
and bought Marchand, Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic. That was the year that they topped the league in points, and it was no
coincidence.
Since then, the drafting has calmed down, but the Bruins also have an excellent eye for homegrown talent and are always
bringing youngsters up through the ranks. The likes of DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy have contributed significantly to the
squad this year, and four out of the top six goal scorers are under 23.
Both the elite players and newcomers proved their worth in the current Bruins squad, which could be a team capable of
winning the playoffs, especially when they brought out the A-team to play.
Who to watch?
The Bruins sit at number two in the Super 16 rankings right now. They have 189 points and a record of 44–20–9, and are right
behind the Lightning, both in the Super 16 and in the Atlantic League. It goes without saying then, that the Lightning will be
one of the ones to watch, and unfortunately, for the Bruins, they will have to play each other before the third round, along with
rivals the Maple Leafs.
Another team to watch, the Vegas Golden Knights have recently surged up the rankings following a winning streak of nine of
their last 10 games. They go from number 11 to number seven and have had an incredible season. The Penguins and Capitals
are others who might take the Stanley Cup, and both have given the Bruins difficulty in the past.

Nobody can say for sure who will win the Stanley Cup. It’s a competition that can have its upsets easily. Though it’s safe to
say the Bruins will have a tough field to get through early on, and every team will be fighting to make the most of the playoffs.
Still, this year is one of the strongest we’ve seen the Bruins in a while, and should they find the form they had in February,
they have every chance of being unstoppable.

Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers

Game Preview: Bruins vs Rangers

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It’s been a busy few games for the Boston Bruins as they clinched a Playoff berth, Captain Zdeno Chara scored his 200th career NHL goal. and Patrice Bergeron set a new career high when he tallied his 75th point of the season during  their 5-4 loss against Tampa Bay. Despite the recent loss where the Bruins blew a 2 goal lead, the boys will be looking to get back into gear as they fight for home ice advantage in the first round of the Playoffs.

SOME UPDATES

It was announced that Torey Krug and Marcus Johansson will be returning tonight as the Boston Bruins face the New York Rangers on home ice. Matt Grzelcyk and Kevan Miller are “probable for the weekend.” Defenseman John Moore is week-to-week with an upper body injury. Moore left the Tampa Bay game and was seen wearing an arm sling.  Expect Jaroslav Halak (20-10-4) in net tonight. He comes into tonight’s game with a 2.31 goals against average, and a .924 save percentage.

Boston Bruins vs New York rangers
(Photo Credits: Get More Sports)

The Bruins are 10-5 in their last 15 games. Brad Marchand still leads the team with 94 points, and in goals (34). He also leads the team in assists with 60 (so far). David Pastrnak is now second to Marchand in goals with 33.  The top BMP line have netted over 30 goals each. The team is now five points ahead of Toronto with a 46-21-9 record.

Here were this morning’s rushes:

THE BLUESHIRTS ARE COMING!

The Rangers are coming off a 5-2 loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins and will be looking to complete their sweep of the Bruins. Boston has not lost on home ice since January 31st and if they beat the Rangers tonight, it would be their 12th straight victory at home.

Ranger’s Mika Zibanejad has 10 points in is last 12 games versus the B’s. The blueshirts are 9-1 in their last 10 games against the Bruins.  Expect Henrik Lundqvist  in net, who has won all three games (so far) this season when facing Boston. He has an 18-20-10 record wit a 2.99 goals against average with a .909 save percentage.

Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers
(Photo Credits; Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports)

QUICK STATS

Zibanejad leads the team in points (68), goals (28) and in assists (40). Chris Kreider is not too far off with 26 goals and 49 assists . Both Kreider and Marc Staal are considered day-to day as they recover from lower-body injuries. The Rangers are currently out of the Playoff picture as they are seventh in the Metro Division with a 29-33-13 record.

WHEN TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop at 7:30 PM-TD Garden/Boston

WHERE TO WATCH: NBCSN

Follow me on Twitter @pastagrl88

Sean Kuraly

Boston Bruins Sean Kuraly Out

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The Boston Bruins announced an update this morning on center Sean Kuraly. This past Thursday, March 21st, Kuraly sustained a fracture to his right hand after blocking a slap shot from New Jersey’s Steven Santini during the third period. Dr Matt Leibman performed the surgery and recovery time is expected to be four weeks.

ANOTHER MAN DOWN

With the many injuries that have plagued this Bruins roster, Kuraly has displayed hustle, while developing chemistry on his line, especially with Chris Wagner.

sean kuraly
(Photo Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports)

“They’ve been a good pair, whether they’ve been wings with Noel or whoever gets thrown in there. Or if Sean goes to center. I think they both play the same way…Hard to play against, because of their ability to possess the puck, but also to get it behind you and make you earn your way back up the ice.”

Coach Bruce Cassidy

He came up big during the 5-0 victory over the New York Islanders this past Tuesday, netting two goals in that game. The 6-foot-2-inch center has become an important part of the Bruins shut-down line. With Kuraly out, the Bruins have recalled Providence’s Karson Kuhlman on an emergency basis.

Kuhlman made his NHL debut back on February 16th in a game against the Los Angeles Kings, and scored his first NHL goal in a game against San Jose Sharks.

OTHER BRUINS NEWS

The Boston Bruins have also announced that they signed veteran and Captain Zdeno Chara to a one-year extension through the 2019-2020 season worth $2 million, plus an additional $1.75 million in performance-based incentives.

The team is currently down in Florida where they enjoyed a day off a the Jacobs Manor. The Bruins will be facing the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center tonight, with puck drop at 7:00pm. If victorious over the Panthers, Boston will punch their way into the Playoffs.

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers

Bruins Tame Panthers In Wild Win

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As Boston tied the game late in the third and with six seconds left, Saint Patrice would score the winning goal as the Bruins beat the Panthers 4-3, extending their game-point streak to 18 games (the second-longest in Bruins history).

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers
(Photo Credits: Joe Mariski)

FALLING BEHIND AND GETTING BACK UP

After a scoreless first, Florida got on board in the second when Alexander Barkov scored on a power play at 2:48 in the second, with Brandon Carlo being called on a tripping penalty. Boston was once again down a player as Captain Zdeno Chara received a delay of game penalty. Unfortunately, Florida took advantage as Jonathan Huberdeau scored, making it 2-0.

Boston would get on board when David Krejci scored off a feed from Danton Heinen at 10: 29, making it 2-1 in the second. With the third underway, the Bruins once again found themselves in the penalty box, however Patrice Bergeron would net a short-handed goal, tieing the game at 2-2.

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers
(Staff Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

MOOUNTING A COMEBACK

With a Bruins mounting a comeback, Florida would momentarily throw a wrench into their plans when Jonathan Buberdeau found his puck in the back of the net, making the score 3-2 Florida. As minutes started winding down in the third period, Florida would be down a player. Matt Grzelcyk would tie the game at 19:23 on the power-play. In stunning fashion, Patrice Bergeron would net the winning goal seconds later, making the final score 4-3 and handing Florida their sixth straight loss.

Tuukka Rask made 22 saves in net, while Roberto Luongo made 24 saves for Florida. The Bruins are now 41-17-9 and are still second in the Atlantic Divison and in the league. With the loss, Florida is now 28-27-12. Boston will face the Ottawa Senators this Saturday at the TD Garden.

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