Torey Krug during warm-ups in his first time with the Bruins (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Heading into tonight’s game, we knew it was going to be a close race. However, we didn’t expect a snooze fest through the first forty minutes of play. The game started around the halfway point of the third period and the Bruins soared from there. Torey Krug gave them the confidence they needed as he tied the game three minutes in and kept it alive. Through the added minutes the Bruins outplayed the Rangers and with the help of Bergeron, Brad Marchand celebrated his first goal of the playoffs and put the Bruins up 3-2 for a 1-0 series advantage.

As the puck dropped commencing the first period it appeared as though both teams thought it was a charity game instead of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The battles were fairly non-existent and came down to a ‘battle’ of defense. Chara did exactly what he needed to do in containing Rick Nash and keeping him off of the score sheet, meanwhile the rookie d-men proved themselves. Matt Bartkowski and Torey Krug showed their aggressiveness and confidence as they kept the Rangers out of the zone. Through the first twenty, the Bruins did a decent job playing physical and in the final seconds found their momentum as Jaromir Jagr tried to jam one past Henrik Lundqvist at the buzzer.

As the second period got underway, the Bruins found themselves quickly on the power ply, or as our opposition calls it, the power kill (a power play that is so atrocious it turns into a penalty kill). Per usual, the Bruins were unable to convert and the score remained at zero. It wouldn’t be until 12:23 that Zdeno Chara unleashed a bomb at Lundqvist that he initially saved, but as he collapsed backwards with Nathan HOrton racing at him, knocked the puck over the line and into the back of the net for a 1-0 Bruins lead.  However, much like the Bruins, the Rangers didn’t back own and kept the pressure. With 1.3 remaining in the second the Rangers capitalized off of a weak play by Tyler Seguin with Ryan McDonagh blasting a shot from the blue line that sailed over the shoulder of Rask to tie the game at a goal a piece.  Brad Marchand seemingly had his best period of hockey as he stepped up his game through the second frame, using his speed and skill set to beat the Rangers through the neutral zone and create numerous offensive opportunities for the Bruins. Through forty the Bruins held the advantage in hits with 33 and were at a stale mate in shots 21-20 in slight favor to the Rangers.

In much of the same fashion as they ended the second, the Rangers skated right into Bruins territory and snapped a shot past Rask for the go-ahead goal from Derek Stepan. Thankfully, the Bruins held onto their ‘never give up’ attitude and Torey Krug showed exactly why he was the right man for the job in the absence of Seidenberg, Redden and Ference. As the Bruins found themselves on the power play, Krug blasted a shot that beat Lundqvist to tie the game at 2 with 17:05 remaining.  As the period dwindled on and the seconds ticked off, the intensity level finally began to rise out of both sides. With 3:35 on the clock, Patrice Bergeron took a hooking call for Boston putting the Rangers on the power play for all but the last minute of the game. Fortunately for Boston, they’re only 7% effective on the man-advantage and decided to take a penalty of their own as they took an interference call that would put Boston on the advantage through the remainder of the third after 25 seconds of 4-on-4.  Johnny Boychuk blasted shots at Lundqvist right off the faceoff, but was unable to get through.  As Seguin threw the puck over to Chara, he blasted one and Lundqvist kick-saved and Dan Girardi dove in front of the follow-up shot keeping the game tied. Johnny Boychuk released a bomb and it pinged off the goal post as the green light came on ending the third period with Horton diving to try and bank it in.

We knew it would be an interesting game being that the two hadn’t met in the playoffs since the 1970′s, naturally it would result in overtime for game 1 for the first time since 1958, thanks to Torey Krug tying things up. Despite some arena difficulties and choppy ice, the Bruins did their best to contain the Rangers.  As Peverley tried to bring the puck up ice, Dorsett took a run at him landing himself in the penalty box for a man-advantage opportunity two minutes into the extra period. Through the first minutes the Bruins held control of the puck and littered Lundqvist with shots. As the clock hit 16:01 and 22 seconds remained on the power play Lundqvist was able to hold onto it to freeze the clock off of a Seguin blast. As the penalty expired the Bruins still held onto possession with Horton diving to keep the play alive. Once again the post robbed Johnny Boychuk of the go-ahead, game-winning goal and the clock ticked on. In the final five minutes of the extra period Patrice Bergeron brought the puck up the right-hand side of the ice timing a perfect pass over to Brad Marchand that he placed perfectly between the legs of Lundqvist to give the Bruins a 1-0 series advantage.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@ACupABruin) and take a look at what the opposition had to say about tonight’s game.

The Boston Bruins Game 7 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Game against the Toronto Maple Leafs was a thing of history after the B’s overcame a 4-1 deficit to take the game in overtime. Anyone that follows Boston hockey knows never to stop believing in the team and it paid off.

Will Barkowski have another huge game tonight? (Credit: Flickr/ Slidingsideways)

Now we’re in the semifinals facing off against the New York Rangers in what is sure to be another spectacular series. With the Bruins having the higher seed in standings, they once again have home ice advantage and with that the fans of the TD Garden. Tonight is Game 1 in Boston.

It’s expected that it will be Tuukka Rask versus Henrik Lundqvist in net. Yes that means the B’s will have to get back Vezina winner and goalie god Lundqvist but it’s doable. King Henrik has a career 1.67 goals against average and .943 save percentage in 30 career games against the Bruins. Six of those games have been shutouts. He is also currently on a series shutout streak of 120 minutes because in the Rangers last series against the Washington Capitals he didn’t allow goals in either Game 6 or 7.

Noticeably absent from Bruins scoring during the first series was both Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin but it’s not for lack of shots on net. Out of all players in the NHL, Seguin had one of the most shots on net during round one. Unfortunately none of them were able to register for goals. If Seguin wants to score he’ll need to figure out how to get past defenders not relying on just speed because obviously he’s fast. For Marchy, he needs to get back to his “nose faced killah” agitator ways. In regular season the pair scored 34 goals in 48 games. Marchand left the ice this am with what looked like an injury but is expected to be in the lineup tonight.

The Bruins will be relying on younger d-men to carry to team thanks to slew of injuries to the veteran players. Dougie Hamilton and Matt Barkowski were huge in the Game 7 win, with Barkowski even scoring his first NHL goal. They will need to continue to bring that impact with this new series. New to the lineup is Torey Krug who is expected to play tonight. Krug has been a star for the Providence Bruins and tonight has the chance to prove himself in the NHL ranks.

This series isn’t going to be easy for either team. Both clubs are gritty and play a similiar style of hockey aka aggressive so needless to say I wouldn’t be surprised if it came down to a game 7.

With tonight being the first game, a tone will be set and at the end of 60 minutes (ideally) one team will have a game advantage. Puck drops tonight at 7:30 and you can check it out on NBCSN! Unfortunately this means no more commentary from the great Jack Edwards but you can follow his twitter for all his thoughts on the game (which are sure to be hilarious/amazing).

BELIEVE IN BOSTON!

So Monday was hands down one of the most amazing days to be a Boston Bruins fan. With the Bruins moving onto the next round of playoffs, there’s a ton of news that comes along with it. To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled it all here in this easy to read post!

CONGRATS QUAIDER!

1: Bruins/ Rangers Schedule:
Now that the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals are over, the B’s are moving onto the semis against the New York Rangers. Here’s the schedule for you to plan your life around.
Game One: Thursday May 16, 7:30pm Rangers @Bruins
Game Two: Sunday May 19, 3pm Rangers @Bruins
Game Three: Tuesday May 21, 7:30pm Bruins @Rangers
Game Four: Thursday May 23, 7pm Bruins @Rangers
Game Five: Saturday May 25, TBD Rangers @Bruins
Game Six: Monday May 27, TBD Bruins @Rangers
Game Seven: Wednesday May 29, TBD Rangers @Bruins

2: Quaider Masterton Finalist
Today the finalist for the Masterton award were announced and Adam McQuaid was one of the three. The finalists are selected by the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association (PHWA). The Masterton Trophy is given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. For Bruins fans it should come as no surprise that McQuaid got the nod considering how his 2013 season went.

Quaider came back to the ice after facing potentially life-threatening blood clots, that stem from a condition called Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Most athletes miss an entire season but McQuaid overcame that and throw perseverance he returned to the team in time for the start of the season.

McQuaid appeared in 32 games where he notched one goal and three assists with 60 penalty minutes and a plus-four rating. He has skated in all seven Bruins postseason games so far, where he has recorded one goal with a plus-three rating, which is second among B’s defensemen.

3: Bergeron Selke Finalist
For the second year in a row Patrice Bergeron has been nominated for the Frank J. Selke Award. Given how Game 7 went Monday night, this nomination is a given. He won last year and this year could make it two-for-two.

Bergeron finished the 2013 regular season leading all NHL players in faceoff percentage. winning puck drops at a 62.1% (549/884) rate. In general, Bergeron is an ideal player to have on any team and the Bruins are very lucky to have him. He finished the regular season with 32 points in 42 games. His 22 assists rank second on the team.

4: Krug Called Up
Torey Krug of the Providence Bruins was recalled and is expected to join the lineup in Game 1 on Thursday night. The young defenseman will have big shoes to fill as many veteran d-men are currently day-to-day with injuries.

Krug skated in 63 regular season games with Providence this season and registered 13 goals and 32 assists for 45 points with 37 penalty minutes. He led the defensemen in all of the above stats. This isn’t Krugs first time with Boston but it’s his first playoff wise.

On the playoffs Krug Said:

“This is going to be amazing; looking forward to whatever I can do to help the team” (Via Bruins Twitter).

And that’s all the news we have! Check back tomorrow for a Game 1 preview for the Bruins/Rangers series.
BELIEVE IN BOSTON!

“That hockey game will haunt me until the day I die…” -Joffrey Lupul via Twitter

Photo Credit: dougthethughamilton/Tumblr

As Nazem Kadri scored the fourth goal in 5:29 into the third period to put the Leafs ahead by three, an unsettling silence settled through the TD Garden. People rose from their seats to the exit thinking the Bruins had blown it again, they had failed to meet the expectation set in front of them and it was pointless to watch them flounder around. However, as the seats emptied Nathan Horton injected a ray of hope as he snapped a rebound shot up and over the shoulder of James Reimer with just over half of the period remaining. As the period dwindled on, so did the faith from the fans. With under two minutes remaining the Bruins decided to pull out all the stops.

“After Krech’s [David Krejci's] line got that first one for us, it started the climb back. We could see the emotion on the bench and guys starting to believe. That’s what we needed.”- Brad Marchand(via Bruins.com)

As the seconds ticked away, nearing the end of their season, the Krejci line teamed up once again in a push to inch closer. As the clock struck 1:22, Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton camped out in front of the goal and were able to once again bank in a rebound shot to pull the team within one. Thirty seconds later the Bruins cycled the puck around and as Zdeno Chara set a screen in front of Reimer with his seven-foot self, Patrice Bergeron released a bomb from inside the blue line the found the back of the net to tie the game and force overtime. It had never been done in the history of the NHL to have a team down by three and make such a substantial comeback in such a short amount of time.

As the puck dropped commencing the extra period the Bruins knew they needed to bring their momentum to the next level and continue on the push they were on. It took all of 6:05 as the Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin line redeemed their absence of the series and crashed the net to get the go-ahead goal and advance the Bruins to the second round of the playoffs.

“We stayed resilient—I guess that’s what I can say…We found a way.” – Patrice Bergeron

Now the Bruins look to keep the momentum in their favor as they take on a team that has posed a problem to them all season long, the New York Rangers. The first game of the second round is set for Thursday night at the Garden with the puck dropping at 7:30PM.

Milan Lucic netted the only goal for Boston tonight in the final seconds. (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

The Bruins knew they could seal the deal once again tonight with a victory against the Maple Leafs, but failed to show up for the third period for the second game in a row. With a careless mistake the Leafs took control and skated away with it, tying the series 3-3 with a shutout 2-1 victory.

Through the first twenty minutes the Bruins played a fairly solid and sound game. They weren’t overly physical, but used their strengths well. They were able to get the puck in deep and generate some cycling plays to create the opportunities. Their biggest asset came from stronger puck management in the neutral zone, keeping the turnovers at a minimum. Both teams showed they knew what the stakes were as they battled it out for the first twenty. The focus for the second, pushing their momentum to the next level and upping the intensity. They needed to execute their plays better and ensure their shots on net. » Continue reading “Thank you Seguin, Late Blooming and Game 7, Oh Joy!”

Tuukka Rask (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

The Bruins had a golden opportunity to put away the Toronto Maple Leafs and become the first team in the Eastern Conference to advance into the Semi-Finals on Friday evening. Unfortunately, their momentum began to build a little too late and they wound up at the short end of the stick, losing 2-1.

The entire locker room knows what is at stake the second they set foot in the Air Canada Centre tonight for the opening face off.  They have to prepare to set the tone the second the blades make their first cut into the ice and build off of that momentum if they stand a chance at owning this game and ending the series.

In order to set the tone, there is going to have to be solid efforts from every player on the Boston Bruins bench. It is no question the Nathan Horton, David Krejci and Milan Lucic line have been carrying the team through the playoffs along with the Merlot line. Tonight, it is time for Bergeron and company to pick up the pace and find the back of the net. For Seguin, it means taking the time to slow things down and create the plays rather than try to finagle himself through the defense and losing the puck along the way. For Marchand, it means making smart, crisp passes and then rushing to the slot for the given rebounds Reimer is bound to allow.

Tonight the Bruins will have to adjust their defensive pairings once again in the absence of Andrew Ference. Post-skating Claude Julien told the media that Ference is ‘day-to-day’ and did not make the trip to Toronto. In his spot Aaron Johnson filled in while Matt Bartkowski paired up with Adam McQuaid.  Wade Redden skated with the team this morning and is listed as a game-time decision.

Expect Tuukka between the pipes once more as the Bruins try to seal the deal against Toronto once again, this time on their turf and advance to the next round. Face off is at 7:00PM ET and can be seen on NESN.

Last night the Boston Bruins faced the Toronto Maple Leafs for what could rightfully be the last time of the season at the Air Canada Centre.  While the game couldn’t be decided in the allotted sixty-minute time frame, the additional sudden death overtime pushed the Bruins to new limits and put them on top 4-3.

David Krejci is one positive the Bruins have right now! (Credit:Slidingsideways/Flickr)

Scoring got underway early on in the first period as the Leafs beat Tuukka Rask on their first shot on goal with Joffrey Lupul breaking through the defense to light the lamp. The goal came at just 2:35 into the frame, but the Bruins didn’t give up. From that point on they stepped up their defensive game and created a lot of pressure in the offensive zone. Unfortunately, as the clock winded down, the Leafs would find a way to use the Bruins defense as their own screen, with Zdeno Chara blocking the netminders’ view and allowing Cody Franson to net one from the blue line at 18:32. The Bruisd owned the Leafs on the shot clock, but fell short when it came to finding the back of the net, David Krejci seemingly having the best opportunity as he rang a bad angle shot off the post.  Down by 2, the Bruins needed to step up their physicality and find the back of the net.

To begin the second period they used the man-advantage carrying over from the first period to their favor. As Zdeno Chara took a blast, Jaromir Jagr and Patrice Bergeron crashed then net to jam in the rebound just 32 seconds into the frame to cut the Leafs lead to 1.  The power play goal gave the Bruins the added confidence and momentum they had been seeking as their focus dialed in to scoring. At 12:59 Brad Marchand would snipe a shot toward James Reimer that David Krejci would get a piece of for a re-direct and tie the game at 2.  The goal came for the 18th point of the postseason for the Krejci line, a feat unheard of through the regular season. However, the goals didn’t start there as the David Krejci train kept on rolling as just three minutes and some change later he would snap a shot that beat Reimaer once again for the go-ahead goal.  However, it seemed as though the Bruins celebrated a bit too long as just 54 seconds later MacArthur beat Rask to re-tie the game at 3 a piece. The Bruins still held the edge in shots with 29 to the Leafs 23, but were prepared to come out dominant in the final frame in order to come out on top.

The third period consisted of high-paced back and forth puck movement between the two teams. The Bruins managed to get a four-minute powerplay after Nazim Kadri threw a high-stick into the face of Chris Kelly, but unfortunately couldn’t convert. Then there came this:

Joffrey Lupul getting hit with his own stick that resulted in a penalty on Zdeno Chara. How? We’re not exactly sure, but the Bruins were able to fend off the Leafs in what could have been a deciding goal and push the game into overtime.

As we all know overtimes are heart attack city in themselves, let alone the added pressure of playoffs and such, or the fact that they are twenty minutes long as opposed to five. However, the Bruins didn’t give up as they fought through pain and no doubt exhaustion to overcome the Leafs. At 13:06 Nathan Horton took a hit from the Leafs sending his stick flying and himself into a huddle on the ice to create a play for David Krejci and Milan Lucic. As they went up the ice, Krejci slowed the puck down making it look like he was going to pass it to Lucic and then snapped a shot past Reimer for the game-winning goal and his second career postseason hat trick.

The Bruins now head back to the TD Garden in hopes of ending the series and advancing to the next round of the playoffs to become the first Eastern Conference team to advance. Game time is Friday night at 7:00PM ET.

Tonight the Boston Bruins have the chance to go up three games to one against the Toronto Maple Leafs and from that the chance to clinch the series Friday night back at the TD Garden. On the other hand, tonight the Leafs have the chance to yet again even out the series 2-2 and force a game six.

(Credit; Slidingsideways/Flickr)

Monday night was a big night for the Bruins having them not only take advantage of the series, but do it in front of a Toronto crowd that hadn’t seen a playoff game IN Toronto since 2004. Needless to say the crowd was pumped but unfortunately didn’t get the win they’d been looking for. Tonights game is also in Toronto so you can bet the crowd will be just as wild in pumping up the Leafs.

Bringing the Bruins Hockey
The Bruins were simply the better team on Monday night. They were winning faceoffs (45-of-75) and not giving up the puck as easily as they were for Game two. It helps that Tuukka Rask is in net because he shut the door on the Leafs Monday stopping 45-of-47 shots. The past two games, it was the defense coming in HUGE for the Bruins scoring wise but game three it was all about the offense. And particularly the line of Nathan Horton, David Krejci, and Milan Lucic, who combined for two goals and eight points in the game three victory. The line has now combined for five goals and 17 points in the series. The Bruins are one of the few teams that have stars on all four lines of their offense and Monday was a prime example of that. If the B’s can continue to work their offensive magic and get past James Reimer or any other Leaf backup, then they should be to pick up the win.

Toronto Can Talk but Can They Win?
It’s no secret that the Maple Leafs were the more dominant team in Game two but they seemed to have lost all of that momentum in Game 3. The Bruins lead the NHL in faceoffs all year so it’s no surprise going up against a mediocre faceoff team like Torono that the B’s would have the upper hand. However the Leafs are reasoning the B’s faceoff success with cheating something Claude Julien refers to as “crying wolf”.  When in all actuality the Leafs lost because of all their turnovers and the brick wall that is Rask. The Leafs had a season high 47 shots on net Monday night but only managed two past Rask. If Toronto want’s to win they’ll have to figure out what the spark was on Saturday that gave them the edge and use it. Otherwise the B’s offense will complete to run through their defense.

Who’s Hot?
For the Bruins, it’s David Krecji. Krecji right now is easily playing the best postseason of his career with two goals and seven points in just three games. Those stats lead all players in the postseason. Krecji’s liney Milan Lucic is also having a stellar performance thus far with a five-point scoring streak and six assists in the three playoff games. On Toronto’s end is Boston’s fave Phil Kessel who has registered a goal in each of the past two games.

The puck drops tonight at 7pm tonight and you can check it out on NESN!

BELIEVE IN BOSTON!

Emotions were high in Toronto as the Boston Bruins took on the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Once again it would be Tuukka Rask in net against James Reimer. This is the first playoff game played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto so needless to say Toronto fans brought their A-Game with cheers and emotion. At the end of this game, one team would hold a one-game lead over the other.

Adam McQuaid scored his first playoff goal EVER tonight! (Credit:Flickr/Slidingsideways)

Right from the start both teams came out of the gate looking refresh and ready to win. Both Goalies were making the stops and both teams were getting shots on net. It was a pretty back and fourth start to the game. With 6:18 remaining in the first, the B’s would win the face off and with a quick release Adam McQuaid would get the Bruins on the board first. This is Quaider’s first career playoff goal through 35 playoff games. Thus far the Bruins have scored 7 goals in this series and four of them have come from defensemen. Milan Lucic would get his fourth assist of the postseason and David Krejci would get his second. Toronto would get the first power play of the game off of a Jaromir Jagr tripping penalty with just over two minutes left in the game. B’s would kill the penalty and the first period would come to an end. The Bruins would end the first with 17 shots on net, while the Maple Leafs had 12.

Early into the second period, the Bruins would get their first power play of the game after Ryan O’Byrne gets two for an interference call. The B’s PP I would say is a “work in progress” as in it’s been working on getting better for as long as I can remember so needless to say they couldn’t take advantage of the extra man. At 14:03 Jagr with the takeaway feeds it to Rich Peverley who would make it 2-0 for the Bruins. Its the first points for both Pevs and Jagr of the postseason. The Maple Leafs would go on the power play but it would be short lived since they would soon get a penalty of their own. We had ourselves a little four-on-four action and then the B’s would have an extra man for 40 seconds. Neither team would get anything from the PP and at this point Toronto was looking a little desperate. This wouldn’t be the last of the Toronto man advantage in the period and with 6:15 left in the second they would finally use it. Jake Gardner would get the Leafs on the board and make it a 2-1 game. 50 seconds later Nathan Horton would score another goal for the Bruins making it 3-1 B’s. The Bruins would give Toronto ANOTHER PP but this time it would be the B’s who would utilize it with Daniel Paille scoring a shorthanded goal off a pass from Phil Kessel with 3:23 left in the period. THANK YOU KESSEL (it never gets old).

The third period would start with four seconds of 4-on-4 followed by yet another Toronto power play for 1:27 seconds. 47 seconds into that power play, Kessel would get a goal. For the record, I’m not taking back that TY Kessel from above. Now the game is 4-2 and the B’s have a little less breathing room. Four of the seven Toronto goals this series have been on the man-advantage. With the two minute warning, Toronto pulls Reimer hoping to make a comeback but it’s short lived with a Krejci empty netter. Jack Edwards said it best by referring to that goal as a “dagger in the heart” of Toronto.

Bruins would win 5-2 and now lead the series 2-1. They face off again in Toronto for Game 4 Wednesday night.

BELIEVE IN BOSTON!

Dougie Hamilton awaits the puck (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Currently the series between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs is tied at a game a piece, the Bruins winning Game 1 by a 4-1 margin and the Leafs taking Game 2, 4-2.  Tonight the Bruins look to take a series advantage in Toronto for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference QuarterFinals.

Tonight the Bruins lines will once again be shuffled around as Andrew Ference is eligible to return tonight after serving a one-game suspension. With the likely return of Ference to the lineup, rookie d-man Dougie Hamilton will likely be participating in tonight’s game from the stands, supporting his teammates. Aside from the defensemen switching places, there won’t likely be any more line changes.

The Leafs came out Saturday night at the Garden ready to play a strong, physical game. The Bruins unfortunately came up at the short end of the stick as they tried to match the intensity level.  Their first twenty minutes rang of opportunities (literally) with Tyler Seguin using his speed and agility to undress the Leafs defense single-handed.  If the Bruins stand a chance at owning the Maple Leafs through Game 3, they are going to have to be prepared for a fast-paced, strong physical game for the full sixty minutes. Their focus needs to be on breaking out in the neutral zone to create odd-man rushes that nine times out of ten will beat James Reimer.

Saturday’s game ended with Shawn Thornton sending a message to the Leafs, deciding to tango with Matt Fraser. Some may take it as overflowing emotions from a well-fought game, others may say it’s a message being sent for tonight. A message preparing the Leafs to be ready for the Bruins revenge.

The team looks to hit the reset button and own the next three games in order to advance into the next round of the playoffs and need to show the grit and determination that their minor league affiliate has shown against the Hershey Bears. Tonight’s game is being broadcast on NESN and can also be heard on 98.5 the Sports Hub, home of the Boston Bruins radio network.

Who’s Hot…

Johnny Boychuk has been able to record two goals in the past two games for the Bruins, despite a 24-game drought during the regular season. His blue line presence and heavy hitting have been a key factor for the Bruins so far and will continue to be as the series goes on.

Nathan Horton, David Krejci and Milan Lucic have flipped the switch just in time as their line has combined for 3 goals and 3 assists through 120 minutes of play.

Between the Pipes…

With Tuukka Rask getting the nod for the first two games of the series and proving himself as an elite top goaltender, it is most likely he will be between the pipes tonight as well. Through the regular season he sported a 1.97 goals against average, good for top 5 in the League. He will battle against James Reimer at the opposing end of the ice for Toronto.

Author’s Note: We apologize for this post going up later than usual. We were having some technical difficulties. Thanks for your patience.