Tag Archives: Stanley Cup Playoffs

McAvoy

Charlie McAvoy: What’s Next?

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The 2018-2019 NHL season is rapidly coming to a close. The Boston Bruins have clinched the Eastern Conference and are four wins away from winning the Stanley Cup. This would be their first time in eight years and the seventh time in franchise history. The Cup is close to coming back to Boston. No matter what happens, the off-season is looming in the near-future, and with it contract negotiations.

Photo by Joshua Kloke

Contract Extension

One of the biggest off-season moves for the Bruins is extending defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who becomes a restricted free agent at the end of this year. McAvoy has been a reliable staple on the blue line lately, partnered with Zdeno Chara. He recently turned down a long-term offer by the Bruins, suspected to be due to recent offers to similar players such as defenseman Esa Lindell. Lindell was extended by the Dallas Stars on a 6 year, $34.8 million contract, giving him $5.8 million a year. He scored 11 goals this season and put up 32 points. Making that more enticing is his youth. Lindell is only 25. McAvoy wants a similar contract and why not? The kid’s young with plenty of potential that he’s sure to live up to.

Value

Charlie McAvoy was an integral part of the USA team in the 2017 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship. He received the Player of the Game honor in their gold-medal game win. McAvoy’s also got youth on his side, at 21 years-old, and his stats are impressive this season. He’s missed 28 games due to a concussion, a lower-body injury, and a one-game suspension. Despite that, he has 8 goals and 35 points thus far. McAvoy has the ability to become a superstar on an already star-studded Bruins roster.

(Getty Images)

Salary Cap Era

Unfortunately, we live in the salary cap era. Dallas can afford to pay Lindell $34.8 million over 6 years because they have the cap space. The Bruins aren’t as fortunate. GM Don Sweeney is still filling the hole that was dug by former GM Peter Chiarelli. McAvoy would be in the upper-echelon pay scale of Bruins players with a contract similar to Lindell’s. He’s a great defenseman who looks to only get better, but is he worth paying as much or more than someone like David Pastrnak? More to the point, is he worth paying so much against the cap that the Bruins can’t afford to keep some of their other top-tier players for much longer? The Chicago Blackhawks did that a few seasons ago with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and it hurt the team.

What Can Be Done

One potential solution is extending the time on the contract. An amount such as $30 million over four years is unrealistic, but over six or seven years could be manageable. It comes down to McAvoy and what he’s willing to accept versus what he feels he’s worth. Would he be willing to take a pay cut to stay in Boston? Furthermore, what happens if the Bruins win the Stanley Cup? The way McAvoy plays combined with his ice time would be factors in that win, giving him a much larger bargaining chip. However, the salary cap is ruthless and inflexible. Only time will tell but this will certainly be an interesting and potentially exciting off-season.

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.

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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 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

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Bruins vs Leafs

FINAL COUNTDOWN: Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 7

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Here we are again. Game 7 in Round One of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The familiar noises and heart-attack inducing feelings are back again at home as the Boston Bruins face the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second straight season. It’s been the match-up that was foreseen as the regular season came to a close with both teams evenly matched.

SETTING THE STAGE

In an all too familiar scenario that saw the Bruins back up against the wall in a pivotal Game 6, the B’s came out fighting for their season and forced a Game 7. Toronto scored first, but soon thereafter the Bruins tied up the game and eventually took a 3-1 lead over the Leafs. Toronto’s star Auston Matthews netted a goal making it 3-2.  With Toronto threatening to even out the score, Boston defense came up huge and managed to keep the Leafs at bay.  In the final minutes of the third period and with an empty Maple Leafs net, Bruins own Brad Marchand netted his second goal of the game, making the final score 4-2.

“…When the season’s on the line, you want to play hard, you want to leave it all out there…We’re playing for our season again next game. You don’t know how it’s gonna play out, but we’ll have fun doing it.”

Bruins Brad Marchand
Bruins vs Leafs
(Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

FINAL MOMENTS

As both Toronto and Boston Bruins fans gear up for the final showdown this season, the end result will come down to simply which team wants it more. With the momentum coming out from the huge win in Toronto, Boston will need to continue to get their hustle, hitting and better puck control. While the Bruins teams have won its last two Game 7 against Toronto, the past is just that: the past. Toronto is a different team as are the B’s. The Bruins team currently has players that have experience in a do-or-die situation.

“Experience matters. I think it was just the compete level. Our guys, they knew what was at stake (Game 6) if we didn’t perform. I think it showed that they were ready to play. I think we responded well after every loss in the series. That’s a testament to the guys. Going forward, experience matters…It helps me because I haven’t been around that long. Some of the players have been through it more than I have. Our veteran guys have been through it a few times. I assume they’ll draw on different experiences.”

Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy

STAYING ON TOP

Fans will remember that Boston Bruins took a 3-1 series lead last season when they faced Toronto.  The Maple Leafs however came back and tied the series-forcing a Game 7 in Boston. Toronto had the lead in the third period when Boston scored four unanswered goals.  Once again, Boston will face a hungry Maple Leafs team and judging from Sundays game, the Bruins are playing back to their identity.

Bruins vs Leafs
(Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“To me, that’s the recipe that has been successful for us most of the year, even in this playoff series. They’re a good team that doesn’t give you much. The space is very tight on the ice and when we simplify our game and bring it into their zone, that’s where you want to play obviously. I think it about doing a lot of what we did in Game 6, for sure.”

Bruins Patrice Bergeron

As of this morning, Coach Bruce Cassidy announced that there will be no changes to the line-up for tonight’s game.  As the hours count down to puck drop at 7:00pm tonight at the Garden, no matter the outcome, both Boston and Toronto will be do whatever it takes to win.

May the best team win.

Bruins vs Leafs
(Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

(Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

WHEN TO WATCH:  Tonight, with puck drop at 7:00pm, TD Garden

WHERE TO WATCH: NBCSN, NESN

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.

Looking Ahead for the Boston Bruins

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Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand and Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos

TOUGH ENDING FOR THIS SPECIAL TEAM

It’s been a few days since the second round exit of the Bostons Bruins, and things are settling down. As with any team that has been eliminated, everyone has their take on what happened: what went wrong, and was it all on Rask?, Marchand’s “lick gate” antics, what can be improved, lack of defense, etc. When it comes right down to it, Tampa was faster and better at clearing the zone. The Bruins couldn’t adjust and found themselves playing from behind. The officiating was extremely frustrating (to put it nicely), but there’s no question; we need better defense. Despite the loss, this team did a lot. If you think about it, they weren’t even projected to make it in, never mind being mixed in the playoff conversation. Things looked tough in the beginning of the season, but the season turned around and Boston fans got to see some really great hockey.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

Image result for boston bruins vs tampa bay lightning, charlie mcavoy

In the beginning of the 2017-2018 season, the Black and Gold knew they would be in the rebuilding phase, which is why the Bruins weren’t expected come out as they did. Boston had many first year guys, mixed with a few veterans, with no playoff experience. Let’s not forget, Bruce Cassidy was in his first full season as head coach of the Bruin. He had his work cut for him. In the preseason, the Bruins looked pretty good, but things had to improve. As the regular season rolled around, the Black and Gold had a tough start. Injures started and some of the new guys started to pick up some slack. The cohesiveness wasn’t there yet. and after a trip out west, the Bruins started winning games. They gelled. They became that special team.

MANY FIRSTS

Fans were able to witness many first NHL goals for many of the young guys- seven to be exact. The youth movement was in full swing. But injuries were plaguing this team. As we saw, the Bruins showed not only the rest of the NHL, but themselves that nothing would stop them. As one guy went down, another stepped up and every line contributed. The Bruins steamrolled through their opponents and became that team no one wanted to face. Our first line alone was one of the best in the NHL. But even in this series, they were having a hard time producing any offense, despite combining 23 points over five games.

boston bruins vs tampa bay lightning, david pastrnak

The mentality and strong resiliency did not go unnoticed by their opponents. As Jon Cooper, head coach of Tampa stated,

“All right, I’ll tell you — I guess I can say it now. Boston set the bar for us. And we played them three times late in the year, and the first two times we played them, they literally manhandled us. The scores were tight, the first one was 3-2 and then they beat us here, and it was men amongst boys. And we knew if we were going to go anywhere when we made the playoffs — or if we made the playoffs — that we had to be as good as Boston. And it happened. We beat them 4-0 (in the final regular-season meeting), and that gave us a bit of confidence. Well, it gave us a lot of confidence. But they set a bar for us to better our team. And ultimately, we carried that through into this playoffs round.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

boston bruins vs tampa bay lightning

Admittedly, it’ll be sad not to write about the Bruins doing the improbable: a team in their rebuild phase winning the cup. It’s about exciting as having a team like Vegas making into the playoffs in their inaugural year. Winning the Stanley Cup is one of the hardest trophies to win, and hockey isn’t for the weak. It’s a tough sport with tough athletes. They give their bodies for this sport, playing through a car wreck of injures. This year’s Bruins team won as a team and they lost as a team. For fans, understand this year’s Bruins were a treat. There were lots of ups/downs and Don Sweeney will no doubt look make some moves. They made it in with a bunch of young, fresh-faced players who will now have the experience needed for the new season.

CLOSING QUOTE

Captain Zdeno Chara had some great insight:

“If we’re gonna look back throughout the whole season, I think there is a lot that we can be proud of. There’s a lot that we can take from this and use as a positive. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be a playoff team. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be a 50-win team. And we were fighting for the first position in our conference.

“We went through some challenges and obstacles this season and we handled it very well. There’s a lot to be proud of and a lot to be looking forward to next season.”

For this writer, October can’t come soon enough.

To the Boston Bruins, thank you for one hell of a season.

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter: @pastagrl88