Author: Mike Cratty

Five Potential Fits For The Bruins With The 30th Overall Pick

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment

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(Photo Credit: MIKE HENSEN, The London Free Press)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

The 2019 NHL Entry Draft will get underway this Friday, a long-awaited day for many hockey fans. Who will go first? Jack Hughes? Kaapo Kakko? Who will go third after those two? Those questions and many more will be answered.

Don Sweeney’s time to shine for the Bruins will come much later in the first round and beyond than those decisions in relation to top prospects like Hughes and Kakko.

The Bruins hold the 30th overall pick in the first round. Below you will find five players that I believe would be great fits for the Bruins near the end of the first round. I will save my number one guy for last, although some of you probably already know who it is.

Albin Grewe – C/RW – Djurgårdens IF J20 – SuperElit

Amongst many questions that this Swedish forward fielded at the NHL Draft Combine, one of them was to say who a player he likes was. His answer? Bruins forward Brad Marchand. Grewe spoke to 23 of the 31 NHL teams at the combine. When you watch Grewe play, you’ll see the similarities to him and Marchand.

Their frames are very similar, Grewe is slightly taller than Marchand, and their both tenacious, shifty wingers who are tough to knock off the puck. If you look at his profile on eliteprospects.com, you’ll see things like this:

“He’s a strong skater, who’s relentless on the forecheck, and a serious trash talker who gets under the skin of his opponents each night, EPrinkside.com 2019

“He is at the top of the food chain, a t-rex, eats everything and thinks everything is under him, Robert Ohlsson (Coach) 2018

Getting under the skin of his opponents is certainly similar to Marchand, but what I like the most is what his coach, Robert Ohlsson had to say. What an epic way to be described. My first thought when first evaluating Grewe as a player was that he plays like a junkyard dog, but being the top of the food chain and being a t-rex are perfect descriptions. Grewe earns his space and isn’t afraid of much, and when he finds a scoring chance, he has good vision and a very quick release.

Last season with Djurgårdens IF J20 of the SuperElit league, Grewe was over a point-per-game player with 34 points (13-21-34) in 25 regular season games. He can also play both center and right wing. Who doesn’t love versatility? In my eyes, Grewe would be a perfect fit with the style of play that the Bruins bring to the table as a whole. Below you can find highlights of Grewe playing internationally for Team Sweden from this past year.

(Video Credit: bigwhite06 on YouTube)

Philip Tomasino – C – Niagara IceDogs – OHL

This one is sort of unlikely, but the draft can be unpredictable. I say this because there is a good chance that Philip Tomasino will not be on the board at pick 30. But if he is, Don Sweeney and crew should totally consider drafting him.

Fun fact about Tomasino, for a brief time this past season he was a teammate of Bruins prospect Jack Studnicka. This was after Studnicka was traded from the Oshawa Generals to the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL. Studnicka gave Tomasino some pointers before the combine. Tomasino spoke to 30 teams at the combine

Tomasino: NHL combine interview (Audio provided by @markscheig on Twitter):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fl7pi6tmryvn715/Philip%20Tomasino.m4a?dl=0

Another fun fact, Tomasino is still only 17-years-old, and will be until July 28. What strikes me the most about Tomasino is his skating ability. His stride is not only smooth, but his speed is effortless it seems, and he has a soft set of hands to boot.

Last season was a breakout season for Tomasino, tripling his 24 points from the year before with 72 (34-38-72) in 67 games.

His combination of being a prolific skater and puck handler makes him very hard to knock off the puck, making life tough for opposing players. The Bruins’ prospect core could use another top center prospect to go with Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic, and Tomasino would be a great pick if available at 30th overall.

(Video Credit: HSD Prospects on YouTube)

Nathan Légaré – RW – Baie-Comeau Drakkar – QMJHL

Nathan Légaré is another player who may not be available at 30th overall, but could be on the Bruins radar if he drops that far. He is a pure sniper, who was second in the QMJHL in goal scoring this season with 45 goals, only trailing the newest Providence Bruin Samuel Asselin who had 48 goals.

Like Tomasino, Légaré tripled his point total from the year before, going from 29 points to 87 (45-42-87) in 68 games and established himself as a deadly CHL scorer. The way he skates, shoots, and handles the puck is reminiscent of Colorado Avalanche star forward Nathan MacKinnon. This is not me saying Légaré is going to be as good as MacKinnon, but I definitely see similarities in their skill sets.

Légaré would give the Bruins a top-flight young scorer on the right side, something they could certainly use along with right-wing prospects like Zachary Senyshyn and Oskar Steen.

(Video Credit: Hockey Prospects Center on YouTube)

Bobby Brink – RW – Sioux City Musketeers – USHL

Like Tomasino, Bobby Brink is also still 17-years-old, but until July 8. As the trend continues, there is a solid chance that Brink is not on the board at 30th overall. But, if he is, it would be a no-brainer for Don Sweeney to take such an electric young winger.

Brink was one of the top players in the USHL this season. With 35 goals, 33 assists, and 68 points in 45 games, Brink’s goal totals were good for second in the league, top-20 in assists, and fourth in points. Lastly, his impressive 1.58 points-per-game was third in the league behind Alex Turcotte and Jack Hughes, who are both top-5 prospects in the draft.

He is a small, shifty winger who is a threat to score every time he touches the puck thanks to a very quick release and hard shot. Two seasons from now, he will take his talents to Denver to play for the perennial Frozen Four-bound Denver Pioneers in the NCAA. Whichever team drafts Brink is drafting a polarizing, young scorer who is only going to improve over time.

(Video Credit: Hockey Prospects Center on YouTube)

Connor McMichael – C – London Knights – OHL

Here’s my guy, my ideal fit for the Bruins at 30th overall, Connor McMichael. Playing mainly third line minutes for the London Knights last season, McMichael managed to post a scoring line of 36-36-72 in 67 games — that’s pretty impressive. He spoke to 29 teams at the combine.

McMichael: NHL combine interview (Audio provided by @markscheig on Twitter):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t0n2s2ben21d4q4/Connor%20McMichael.m4a?dl=0

McMichael possesses high-end skating ability, hands, and explosiveness that makes him extremely hard to contain. When asked at the combine who some players he models his game after are, he mentioned Sean Monahan, Bo Horvat, and Auston Matthews. I see the Auston Matthews in his game the most out of the three. Again, this is not me saying McMichael is going to be as good as Matthews, but I definitely see similarities in the way McMichael skates, shoots, and carries the puck.

On top of his offensive prowess, McMichael can handle himself well in all three zones, making him a threat wherever he is on the ice. His high hockey IQ not only allows him to score a lot, but also find his linemates and create high danger scoring chances. He holds the potential to be a legitimate threat in all three zones, which will make him a tough player to gameplan for. All of these things make McMichael a potential can’t miss guy for Sweeney if he drops to 30th overall.

(Video Credit: Hockey Prospects Center on YouTube)

Sweeney and crew could go for one of these guys at 30th overall, or go totally off the board. If he goes with one of these five guys, I’ll be thrilled, and I think you should be too. It will surely be interesting to see how things pan out this weekend in Vancouver. It’s going to be an exciting two days.

Bruins Post-Game Recap: SCF Game 4: Boston at St. Louis: 6/3/19

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment

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(Photo Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: St. Louis Blues

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Backes

Johansson – Coyle – Heinen

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Acciari

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Moore – Clifton

Goalies

Rask

Halak

St Louis’s Lineup

Forwards

Schwartz – Schenn – Tarasenko

Sanford – O’Reilly – Perron

Blais – Bozak – Maroon

Barbashev – Sundqvist – Steen

Defense

Edmundson – Pietrangelo

Bouwmeester –  Parayko

Dunn –  Gunnarsson

Goalies

Binnington

Allen

First Period

The goal scoring started really early, 43 seconds in off of a wraparound from Ryan O’Reilly. Tuukka Rask made the initial save on a point shot from Vince Dunn, but O’Reilly buried the quick wraparound very shortly after. The Bruins were forced to battle some early momentum from St. Louis from the get-go. Just what the Blues wanted.

The Blues continued to push the pace after scoring the first goal, outshooting the Bruins 7-3 through the first 6:53 and outhitting them 11-5. After that, the Bruins made some headway in terms of creating offense, but struggled with finding puck luck.

That all changed when Charlie Coyle got on the board for the ninth time in the playoffs. Danton Heinen took a hit to make a play and Coyle’s chance initially came off of a Zdeno Chara shot, before potting his own rebound. Chara’s assist was his fourth. It was 1-1 with 6:46 to go, goals in three straight games for Coyle.

Vladimir Tarasenko got lost in coverage and scored to take back the lead for the Blues with 13:14 left in the period. Tarasenko is the last person on the Blues you want to have a golden opportunity to score.

The Blues controlled play for much of the period, and also laid some pretty solid hits, which was a big reason as to why they were succeeding. They were the better team in the first period. Two big advantages for St. Louis in the first came in shots at 13-9 and in hits at 24-16.

Score: 2-1 St. Louis

Second Period

Things were fairly standard early until Chara had a Brayden Schenn shot deflect up and off of his face, bloodying the Bruins captain and forcing him to get repairs.

The first penalty of the game came 5:47 into the period when Coyle high-sticked Carl Gunnarsson. The Bruins killed off the penalty without one of their main penalty killers in Chara.

A Bruins power play came shortly after thanks to a delay of game penalty on Colton Parayko. The Bruins had a massive opportunity to tie the game, but they did not convert and the Blues held their one-goal lead.

Connor Clifton went to the box for an illegal check to the head of Tarasenko after a lengthy stint of offensive zone time for St. Louis. But who else but Brandon Carlo to tie the game with a shorthanded goal with 5:41 left? Carlo’s first career Stanley Cup playoff goal was assisted. Patrice Bergeron (8) and Brad Marchand (13) has the assists. The goal made Carlo the 20th Bruin to score a playoff goal this season. That’s a franchise record.

It was not a perfect period for the Bruins, but Carlo’s late shorthanded goal was massive. The Bruins took the hit advantage this time, 13-8, but the Blues held the shot advantage, 12-10. After two, shots were 25-19, hits were 32-29, both in favor of the Blues. Chara did not return to game action after taking a puck up high. The Bruins needed to feed off of the energy from the Carlo goal into the third period.

Score: 2-2

Third Period

Good news for the Bruins came in the form of Zdeno Chara’s return, with a fishbowl on his helmet. Bad news came in the form of a Danton Heinen tripping penalty just 2:08 into the period. Rask made a series of huge saves on the penalty kill, helping the Bruins kill it off. Through four and a half minutes and after the Heinen penalty was killed, the Bruins held a 13-3 advantage in blocked shots.

Coyle drew a high sticking penalty with 13:18 remaining to give the Bruins their second power play of the game. Up to this point, Chara remained on the bench for the whole period. Not a whole lot of cohesiveness came on the power play, and as a result, the Bruins failed to score.

Oskar Sundqvist has certainly made some noise in different ways in this series. That’s one way to put it. David Backes decided to flatten him.

O’Reilly added to his monster performance in this game, and he got rewarded for it when he quickly buried a rebound. Poor coverage in front of the net did not help Rask after a tough shot to contain up high and O’Reilly found an open spot in the chaos. Not too long after, Rask made a big stop on Patrick Maroon on a 2-on-1. St. Louis remained ahead by a goal with 8:44 to go. Shots to this point in the period were 9-3 in favor of St. Louis.

Things were pretty bad for the Bruins for the remainder of the third. Not a lot of cohesiveness and a bad turnover by Clifton that led to Schenn’s empty-net goal. The Schenn goal came with 1:29, 4-2 St. Louis. With 25.7 seconds remaining, Alex Pietrangelo and Torey Krug went off following a scrum. Another scrum happened at the buzzer. Chara went the whole third period without a shift, he was there to rally his troops.

Next up is game five in Boston on Thursday at 8 PM ET. The shots were 13-4 in favor of St. Louis and the hits were even at 12. ST. Louis clawed their way back into the series with force. A pivotal game five awaits.

Final Score: 4-2 St. Louis

Bruins Post-Game Recap: SCF Game 2: St. Louis at Boston: 5/29/19

/ Mike Cratty / 1 Comment

Alexander Steen of the St. Louis Blues mixes it up with Jake DeBrusk and Connor Clifton of the Boston Bruins during the second period in Game 1 of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on May 27, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

(Photo Credit: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Boston Bruins

Away: St. Louis Blues

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Backes

Johansson – Coyle – Heinen

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Acciari

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Clifton

Goalies

Rask

Halak

St Louis’s Lineup

Forwards

Schwartz – Schenn – Tarasenko

Blais – O’Reilly – Perron

Fabbri – Bozak – Maroon

Barbashev – Sundqvist – Steen

Defense

Edmundson – Pietrangelo

Bouwmeester –  Parayko

Gunnarsson –  Bortuzzo

Goalies

Binnington

Allen

First Period

A game one win for the Bruins that had featured plenty of fireworks set up for an epic game two. David Backes got right into the fray after a bust game one, this time with Patrick Maroon just 2:04 in front of Tuukka Rask.

The first power play came following a Sammy Blais collision with Rask. Charlie Coyle made it hurt and scored 49 seconds into the power play. Coyle’s seventh of the playoffs was assisted by Jake DeBrusk (5) and David Pastrnak (9). Their power play struggled in game one, but set the tone early thanks to Coyle’s five-hole goal.

The Blues didn’t waste too much time before they responded off of a Robert Bortuzzo shot that snuck by Rask and in. The puck deflected off of Matt Grzelcyk before finding its way to the back of the net.

But wait, there’s more. Joakim Nordstrom buried one on the backhand. Another five-hole goal, Nordstrom’s third of the playoffs, was a product of Sean Kuraly’s fifth assist.

Yet another response goal came with around five minutes left. Rask made the save initially, as did Chara afterward, but Vladimir Tarasenko buried the third chance to tie the game at two.

Oskar Sundqvist went off for two minutes as a result of an iffy hit from behind on Matt Grzelcyk and a large scrum ensued. Grzlecyk left the ice and went to the locker room with the assistance of his teammates and Head Athletic Trainer Don DelNegro. The Bruins failed to convert on the power play before the end of the period.

The Blues outhit the Bruins 18-9 and outshot them 10-8. It was a rollercoaster of a period that ended in suspense as a result of the Grzelcyk injury.

Score: 2-2

Second Period

Tarasenko went to the locker room within the first minute of the period after sliding awkwardly into the boards with Nordstrom in pursuit — not what the Blues wanted. Grzekcyk was not on the Bruins bench to start the period.

In better news, Bill Belichick went out of his way to talk to Todd Angilly after he waved the banner before the game.

Connor Clifton was the first to head to the box in the second for interference with 16:26 to go. St. Louis didn’t convert. Backes is not messing around when it comes to getting amongst the physicality and tension with his former team.

Tarasenko returned to the Blues bench, Grzlecyk did not return to the Bruins bench. Similar to what happened between Clifton and Edmundson happened with DeBrusk and Edmundson, with DeBrusk on the receiving end and Edmundson going to the box for tripping. Edmundson also gave DeBrusk a stinger beforehand with a slash. No dice on the power play for the Bruins.

Zdeno Chara was not pleased with the effort level in the period, as the Bruins were getting outplayed.

The penalties kept coming, this time in the form of a Clifton high-sticking penalty on Tyler Bozak that drew blood. The Bruins had a double minor penalty to kill of before the end of the second period.

Nordstrom did his best Gregory Campbell impression on the power play, eating two huge shot blocks. Just past halfway into the extended St. Louis power play came a goaltender interference penalty against Jaden Schwartz, creating a 4-on-4.

Torey Krug found himself with his helmet off again, this time he was tangled up with Colton Parayko. In the final seconds, before the Bruins pulled the goalie with 1.2 seconds left, Krug was amongst a scrum in front of Jordan Binnington being an agitator. Known agitator Brad Marchand was doing his thing at the end of the period too.

The Blues advantages in the first two periods in hits and shots stayed true through the second. The hits were 15-10, and the shots were 14-6 in the period, bringing the totals to 33-19 and 24-14 respectively. The Bruins needed a response in the third period. The absence of Grzelcyk was hurting them, amongst other things.

Score: 2-2

Third Period

Grzelcyk was not on the bench for the third period either, leaving the Bruins shorthanded on the back end again. Also, Clifton blocked a shot with his forehead and Krug made a huge defensive play to stop a cross-crease chance.

The plays the Bruins were trying to make in the second period and into the third just weren’t very cohesive for the most part, and St. Louis was not letting up on them.

An opportunity for a momentum shift came in the form of a power play with 6:38 left in the period. Brayden Schenn helped snap Noel Acciari’s stick in the middle of a shot, along with the flex on the stick. Some chances came and went for the Bruins, but nothing concrete and the game remained tied.

A hectic end to the period followed and no one scored, leading to overtime.

Third period: Hits: 12-12, Shots: 9-9

Regulation: Hits: 45-31 St. Louis, Shots: 33-23 St. Louis

Score: 2-2

Overtime

Bad news came during the intermission and free hockey ensued.

The Blues had the Bruins pinned in their own zone for the large majority of the first three minutes. Shortly after Brandon Carlo drew a delayed call, a Carl Gunnarsson slapshot from the point beat Rask through an Alex Pietrangelo screen to end it. The Blues had four shots to zero for the Bruins and won thanks to their suffocating forecheck and zone pressure. Rask made 34 saves on 37 shots and was a huge reason as to why the game made it to overtime.

Game three in St. Louis is up next on Saturday at 8 PM ET. The Bruins will need to be much better going forward.

Final Score: 3-2 St. Louis

Star Power, Consistency Amongst Keys To Bruins Defeating Carolina

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment
USATSI_12719193.jpg

(Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

By: Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Last time I wrote an article like this, it was about a more grueling type of series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Although this wasn’t an easy series for the Bruins, despite winning it in a four-game sweep over the Carolina Hurricanes, this series had a different feel to it.

I won’t pinpoint every reason why they won the series because praise can go all around, but here are some of the main things that led to the team’s triumph as a whole, with a shot at the Stanley Cup on their minds.

Tuukka Rask is still really good

The list goes on for Rask. Bruce Cassidy even spoke to his focus and the zone he is in after last night’s series-clinching win in game four. The man is locked in. Letting up just five goals to the Canes all series, and stopping 109 of 114 shots had a massive influence on the team’s success. It’s comforting to play in front of a goalie that is playing out of his mind, and Rask surely is.

Team defense has been spectacular

The Bruins have won their last seven playoff games, and have outscored their opponents 29-8 in that span. Eight goals in seven games, that’s mind-boggling. I’m sure Rask would be the first one to tell you that the team defense in front of him as of late has been phenomenal.

Even in the absences of Charlie McAvoy in game one, and Zdeno Chara in game four, the overall defensive structure was pretty rock solid. That speaks to the depth and determination of this group. Rask provided a little more clarity from his perspective after the game last night, he gets into it around the 45-second mark of the video below.

Prowess and on the penalty kill and power play

Carolina’s power play was ineffective against the Bruins, and credit there goes back to Rask, again, and the penalty killing units in front of him. The Canes were 1/14 on the power play against the Bruins, with the lone goal coming three minutes and 42 seconds into the first period of game one.

On the other side of things, the Bruins were 7/15 (46.6%) on the power play. A huge reason as to why they were so successful on the man advantage was the simplicity of the puck movement and shot selection. They were calm and moved the puck efficiently. Their power play struggles when they are not doing those things, which we have seen previously in this playoff run.

The first two goals of game four were on the power play, making it, so Carolina had to play from behind with their backs already up against the wall. Special teams were a serious difference maker.

The top line showed up big-time

Most recently, the top line showed up on each of the four goals in the Bruins’ game four win last night, as shown in the videos above. The top line took some criticism earlier in the playoffs, saw some line juggling take place, and then they responded in a big way.

Game four stats:

Patrice Bergeron: 2G, 1A

Brad Marchand: 1G, 1A

David Pastrnak: 1G, 2A

That helps. One cannot overstate their importance, because the Bruins literally wouldn’t have won the game without them and Rask last night. The top line combined for six goals and eight assists in four games against Carolina, bringing their combined playoff totals to 22 goals and 24 assists in 51 games. That’s really good, can confirm.

Players stepping up in the absences of teammates

First, it was McAvoy in game one. Steven Kampfer slotted in due to McAvoy’s one-game suspension, and even scored the first goal of the series, in his first career Stanley Cup Playoff game — and he did it just 2:55 into the first period. What a way to insert yourself into the lineup to fill the shoes of a top line defender in McAvoy.

Chris Wagner and Zdeno Chara were out of the lineup last night, Wagner with a hand/wrist injury due to a blocked shot in game three, and Chara with an undisclosed injury. Noel Acciari and John Moore slotted in due to their absences, and both played solid games last night in one of the team’s better overall performances in the whole postseason, as said by Cassidy after the game.

Sometimes things like that happen, and you need guys to step up, and Kampfer, Acciari, and Moore did when their names were called. The team as a whole was consistently good throughout the majority of the series, and the ‘next man up’ mentality can be credited for that, in part.

Now, the Bruins await the fates of the St. Louis Blues and the San Jose Sharks, who square off in game four of the Western Conference Finals tonight. San Jose currently leads the series 2-1. Whoever the opponent is, the Bruins now have some time to decompress until the Stanley Cup Finals roll around.

Bruins Post-Game Recap: ECF Game 3: Boston at Carolina

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment

USATSI_12703779.jpg

(Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Carolina Hurricanes

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Backes

Johansson – Coyle – Heinen

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Clifton

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Carolina’s Lineup

Forwards

Svechnikov – Staal – Teravainen

Niederreiter – Aho – Williams

Foegele – McKegg – McGinn

Ferland – Wallmark – Maenalanen

Defense

Slavin – Hamilton

Pesce –  Faulk

Fleury –  de Haan

Goalies

McElhinney

Mrazek

First Period

Round one in PNC Arena came with high stakes for both teams. Would the Bruins go up 3-0, or would Carolina put the pressure on?

Things started off on a sour note for the Bruins, as the Canes established offensive pressure early, and Teuvo Teravainen somehow missed a wide-open Bruins net. Brandon Carlo then inadvertently gave them a power play as a result of a delay of game call. The power play came just 55 seconds into the period.

The first scrum of the game came after the first whistle on the power play as some real estate in the Bruins heads could be beneficial in making this series interesting. The Bruins killed off the power play in large part thanks to two huge saves by Tuukka Rask in front of the net at the end of the power play on Micheal Ferland and Justin Williams

Carolina’s power-play struggles continued, moving to 5 for 46 after the conclusion of their first man advantage of game three. But, the Canes definitely pushed the pace early on, and Rask stood tall.

The shots were 11-1 Canes through about six and a half minutes. That’s not what you want if you’re the Bruins. At this point, Torey Krug and Justin Williams went off on matching minor penalties, holding for Krug, roughing for Williams, 4-on-4 hockey commenced for two minutes.

The Bruins started to see some good chances come their way at the conclusion of the 4-on-4. The energy was high on both sides in the first period. The high-danger shots were there for Carolina, tasking the Bruins with limiting those going forward if they wanted any chance of winning.

A scoring chance from David Backes, a scrum, and a video review ensued around the halfway point of the period. The principal point of discussion was how the puck crossed the line, but the call stood in favor of the Canes. Shortly after, Williams ate another poop sandwich and was the only one in the penalty box after another altercation with Krug.

Just 45 seconds into the power play, Jake DeBrusk went off for slashing, creating a 4-on-4 for 1:15. That wasn’t all, as six seconds later, David Krejci made it 4-on-3 thanks to a high-sticking penalty. Even after the man advantage became a 5-on-3 for a little bit, the Canes failed to convert, and Rask looked solid again.

A big scrum ensued after another huge save from Rask, keeping with the trend, on Maenalanen. Former Minnesota Wild teammates Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter even went after it. Coyle, Krug, and Maenalanen went to the box following the scrum, Carolina came out with a 5-on-4. Stop if you’ve heard this before, Rask played awesome on the penalty kill and held the Canes scoreless.

The Krug and Williams fiasco extended into the final two minutes, as Williams intentionally went up high and Krug and sat for two as a result.

The Bruins failed to score on the man advantage before the end of the period, but had the 27 remaining seconds bled into the second period for the Bruins. Overall, it was an ugly period, with the final shots sitting at 20-6.

Here’s a visual:

Not great, despite the Bruins winning 61% of the faceoffs. I can’t imagine Bruce Cassidy was very happy with anyone in the locker room, besides Rask.

Score: 0-0

Second Period

The Bruins gave themselves and Rask a pick me up early in the second period. Joakim Nordstrom took a hit to make a play, leading to Sean Kuraly finding Chris Wagner out front to give the Bruins a one-goal lead. The goal made Wagner and Matt Grzelcyk the co-leaders in goals for the series, on both teams — just as everyone expected. Wagner’s second was assisted by Nordstrom (3) and Kuraly (2). What a shift from the fourth line.

Good fortune continued to come the Bruins’ way in the form of a Niederreiter high-sticking penalty on Krejci.

The Bruins made no mistake this time on the power play. Brad Marchand walked into the slot and backhanded on off of Calvin de Haan and in. Marchand’s sixth made it 2-0 Bruins, assisted by David Pastrnak (7) and Krejci (6). The effort level in the second period took a big leap for the Bruins. Krejci’s assist gave him his 100th career playoff point, tying him with Rick Middleton and Johnny Bucyk for third-most in Bruins history.

Just seven seconds before the halfway point, Backes was high-sticked by Ferland to give the Bruins another power play.

Don’t let de Haan’s goal distract you from the fact that Rask did this. But that’s one that Rask wants back. 2-1 Bruins with 6:12 to go.

This happened too.

Things went much better in more areas than not for the Bruins this time around. The final shots for the period were 18-6 Bruins in the second, moving the totals to 26-24 Carolina overall. A huge third period awaited both teams

Score: 2-1 Boston

Third Period

This time, de Haan found his way into the spotlight for a tripping penalty 3:43 into the period. The Bruins were 1/4 on the power play heading into this one, with eight shots.

A point hammer from Krug found its way in, but DeBrusk made contact with McElhinney as a result of a collision with Jaccob Slavin as McElhinney was headed towards the outside of the crease. This had to have been a tough call for the officials, but they ruled in favor of the Canes. The score remained 2-1.

Make of that what you will.

The misfortune continued for the Bruins as Grzelcyk went off for interference with 14:22 to go in the period. Rask continued to make big saves and the Bruins killed off the penalty, making the Canes 0/5 on the power play.

Things were pretty back-and-forth for the rest of the period, at times. Wagner took a Justin Faulk slapshot off his hand and went to the locker room in the final three minutes of the period.

McElhinney was pulled for the extra attacker just around the two-minute mark. The final shots were 36-31 Canes, 10-7 in the period. The final tally was 35 saves for Rask in an epic showing from him, yet again. The Bruins take a three-game lead in the series in a hectic one. Next up is game four on the road again on Thursday at 8 PM ET.

Final Score: 2-1 Boston

Bruins Post-Game Recap: ECSF Game 4: Boston at Columbus

/ Mike Cratty / 1 Comment

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets

(Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Columbus Blue Jackets

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Backes

Johansson – Coyle – Heinen

Nordstrom – Kuraly – Acciari

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Clifton

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Columbus’s Lineup

Forwards

Panarin – Dubois – Bjorkstrand

Foligno – Duchene – Atkinson

Texier – Wennberg – Dzingel

Dubinsky – Jenner – Anderson

Defense

Werenski – Jones

Kukan –  Savard

Clendening – Harrington

Goalies

Bobrovsky

Korpisalo

First Period

This one wasn’t 100 percent a must-win, but it was pretty close. The Bruins had a series tie in mind heading back to Boston. David Backes hopped on to David Krejci’s line for Karson Kuhlman in this one.

David Pastrnak got the Bruins on the board in a big way early. His fourth of the playoffs was assisted by Charlie McAvoy (5) just 3:33 into the game.

The first power play came for the Bruins in the form of an Alexandre Texier tripping penalty 6:38 into the period. Just 15 seconds into the power play for the Bruins, Brad Marchand tripped Boone Jenner on a partial break, leading to a penalty shot. Jenner missed, to the delight of the Bruins.

The top power play unit made no mistake, as Marchand found Patrice Bergeron open and waiting for a feed, and he buried it. Bergeron’s fourth of the playoffs was assisted by Marchand (6) and Torey Krug (5).

It was thought the puck hit the netting behind Tuukka Rask’s net before Artemi Panarin scored in response to Bergeron’s goal. In this case, the puck hitting the netting, which would have blown the play dead before the goal, can’t be reviewed. A Bruins power play followed soon after the Panarin goal, but the Bruins couldn’t convert.

Dean Kukan hit Backes up high in the corner, leading to a two-minute elbowing penalty and Backes being shaken up on the play. Some good chances came, but no goals, still 2-1.

The always terrible delay of game penalty bit the Bruins in the final four minutes, this time it was Marchand. Luckily for the Bruins, they didn’t pay for it on the score sheet, but Columbus did generate some good chances.

It was a hectic first period, but the Bruins came out of it with the lead. Columbus outshot them 15-13, and outhit them 20-10.

Score: 2-1 Boston 

Second Period

Things were fairly standard until Connor Clifton went off for slashing 6:48 into the period. Following the power play, Columbus saw a flurry of chances stopped by Tuukka Rask. After that, things really got going when it came to the tempo and pace of the game.

Charlie Coyle and David Backes nearly converted on a rush before Adam Clendening interfered with Backes and sat for two as a result.

A sequence of hits around the six-minute mark eventually resulted in a Josh Anderson penalty and opportunity for the Bruins to make some noise. Some excellent goaltending on each side continued and the score remained tied at two.

Rask made a stretch pass to Pastrnak and then to Bergeron that almost ended in a goal before Marchand took Cam Atkinson down and went to the box for tripping at the two-minute mark. A crazy period came to an end with the lead still intact. The shots were even at 12 and the Bruins didn’t manage to get outhit as badly in a scrappy period.

Score: 2-1 Boston

Third Period

A back-and-forth period ensued until Sean Kuraly buried a huge goal to widen the lead to two. He just has a knack for scoring big goals. His second of the playoffs was assisted by Zdeno Chara (2) and Backes (2).

Jake DeBrusk went to the box for tripping shortly after the goal. Rask continued to play great on the power play and the Bruins killed it off. Chara and Brandon Carlo played the entire penalty kill.

With 4:01 to go, Pierre-Luc Dubois grabbed Carlo’s jersey and went off for holding — a crushing blow to a Columbus team that was working towards a comeback. Bergeron buried a rebound off of a Pastrnak shot to widen the lead to three. Pastrnak’s lone assist (5) set up Bergeron’s fifth goal.

A huge win for the Bruins in a hectic game. Tuukka Rask was excellent and made 39 saves, on top of the first line really stepping up when they were needed. The final shots were 46-40 Bruins, 21-13 in the period. Next up is game five in Boston on Saturday at 7:15 PM ET.

Final Score: 4-1 Boston

Why The Bruins Prevailed In A Grueling First Round Against The Maple Leafs

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment
USATSI_12577165.jpg

(Photo Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

When a Boston-Toronto matchup comes to fruition in the playoffs, it is sure to be a battle — the last two, and now three playoff matchups between the two teams are indicative of that. For the third time in the past six seasons, the Bruins came out victorious in seven games over the Maple Leafs. It wasn’t a squeaky clean series from the Bruins, but they found a way to get it done in the end. Sure, the reasons I state aren’t the only reasons the Bruins prevailed, but they are important ones.

Deadline additions come in clutch

The acquisitions of Charlie Coyle and Marcus Johansson were orchestrated by Don Sweeney at deadline time. Coyle didn’t light up the score sheet as a Bruin post-trade deadline, but really helped a third line that saw ebbs and flows throughout the season.

Coyle broke out in the first round, big time. With three goals and an assist, his four points were good for fifth on the team in scoring. The stability of his presence on the third line never faded, and his ability to score and push the pace in all three zones really came through and was paramount in the team’s success. His empty netter last night sealed the deal on the series, but his lone assist of the series in the team’s game four wins was a huge one. Coyle’s importance can’t be overstated.

Despite only playing in five of the seven games, Marcus Johansson made an impact as well. Overall, he had a solid series, but he really came through last night with a huge goal to give the Bruins a two-goal lead. Not to mention a big blocked shot late in the second period of an eventual game four win — the Bruins were up by two goals at the time.

The fourth line came up big when it mattered most

Overall this season, the fourth line has seen its share of ebbs and flows, like the third line. They really got a boost when known buzzsaw Sean Kuraly returned from injury in game five. At times, the fourth line looked pretty rough, but they saw a resurgence when Kuraly’s presence and high-energy style was at its peak.

The bottom line’s most notable performance, with Nordstrom, Kuraly, and Acciari making up the line, came in game seven. In combining for two goals and three assists in the game, the fourth line pushed the pace and put the Bruins over the top to win when it all came down to it. Big-time players make big-time plays.

Tuukka Rask, plain and simple

Tuukka Rask was phenomenal in the first round, and has been for much of the season as a whole. He wasn’t perfect, but he made crucial saves when they were needed most in the end. After the game last night, Rask hinted at being his changed workload in the regular season helping, and he sure gave us a glimpse. Credit can certainly be given to the Bruins’ coaching staff and Jaroslav Halak for this, additionally. Rask finished this series with a 4-3 record, 2.31 GAA, and a .928 save percentage. Here’s arguably the best save he made, if you somehow haven’t seen it already.

Brandon Carlo was consistently excellent

A first playoff rodeo didn’t intimidate Brandon Carlo. Injuries in year’s past robbed him at a chance to show what he could do in the playoffs — this year, he got his shot.

In doing so, Carlo gave anyone watching a real glimpse of how much of a legitimate shutdown defenseman and leader he can be. Everything viewers could have expected and then some. He was the team’s best defenseman and got the recognition he deserved from media. Have a gander at this short thread for some more perspective, in a game six sample size.

Resilience shined through

Individual performances obviously shined through, but so did the resilience of this Bruins team as a whole. They had their backs against the wall after a game five loss with a game six in a hostile Toronto environment on the docket. They battled to win an extremely stressful game six, get back to home ice, and clinch the series on home ice.

Game six saw the Bruins down a goal in the first thanks to Morgan Reilly, but they battled back to eventually win 4-2. Scoring the first goal can often be crippling, especially in a must-win game — not this time.

Speaking of scoring the first goal, Nordstrom helped in that regard last night and the Bruins didn’t fall behind once, despite a dominant second period from Toronto. That resilience that was so huge in their success was huge in the end.

Also, I feel obligated to mention the fact that the camaraderie between Boston sports teams is something special. Most recently with Julian Edelman going crazy at the Garden last night, we also saw members of the Boston Celtics, coach Brad Stevens, and prominent Patriots players like Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady, and James White, amongst others showing their support. All of this that we have seen recently, as well as over the years is too cool not to mention, and the players do appreciate it.

As I said, the importance of the Bruins’ stars and other players who didn’t get a mention in this discussion, obviously contributed to the team’s success as well. The lack of a mention isn’t meant to discredit them. But, these were the factors that stuck out to me the most. It was an epic series, and now the Bruins are on to Columbus.

Bruins Post-Game Recap: ECQF Game 4: Boston at Toronto

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment

USATSI_12549978.jpg

(Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Toronto Maple Leafs

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Heinen

DeBrusk – Krejci – Pastrnak

Johansson – Coyle – Backes

Nordstrom – Acciari – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Moore – Grzelcyk

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Toronto’s Lineup

Forwards

Hyman – Tavares – Marner

Johnsson – Matthews – Kapanen

Marleau – Nylander – Brown

Ennis – Gauthier – Moore

Defense

Reilly – Hainsey

Muzzin –  Zaitsev

Gardiner – Dermott

Goalies

Andersen

Hutchinson

First Period

Shortly after Zdeno Chara flattened Mitch Marner right after the puck dropped, Joakim Nordstrom drew an early penalty on Connor Brown. Charlie McAvoy made no mistake off of a one-timer from Patrice Bergeron’s office in the slot to give the Bruins a one-goal lead early, McAvoy’s first of the playoffs. Charlie Coyle’s first assist of the playoffs, and Matt Grzelcyk’s third made it happen. Three former Boston University Terriers in on the goal, solid start for the Bruins.

That wasn’t all, the simplification of the Bruins’ game continued. Effective puck pursuit and smart passing set up Brad Marchand’s second goal of the playoffs. Two goals in 3:35. Bergeron (1) and Heinen (2) had the helpers. 2-0 lead less than seven minutes in.

Fast forward to the 6:31 mark and Bergeron found himself in the box for interference. Toronto was held to just one shot and no goals on their first power play, but their second power play came in close proximity to the end of their first one. This time in the form of an interference call on McAvoy.

Toronto failed to score on either power play, but Zach Hyman managed to get a piece of a Morgan Reilly shot and deflect it past Tuukka Rask. This came shortly after the second power play and cut the Bruins’ lead to one with 2:05 remaining in the period.

The Bruins managed to hold a one-goal lead heading into the room, but needed to find a way to stifle Toronto’s momentum in the second frame. Overall, Rask played well in net and the team came out on a mission, but there will still 40 minutes to go. The shots were 14-12 Bruins in the first period.

Score: 2-1 Boston

Second Period

Auston Matthews wasted no time capitalizing on Toronto’s momentum from late in the first period, tying the game at two.

David Pastrnak responded 2:09 later, redirecting a feed from Marchand past Andersen and in, regaining the lead for the Bruins. Pastrnak’s first of the playoffs assisted by Marchand (3) and Bergeron (1).

More good fortune came their way, not for McAvoy, but for the team in the form of a roughing penalty on Matthews. Persistence in the vicinity of Frederik Andersen from the Bruins’ first power play unit led to a second goal for Pastrnak, giving the Bruins a two-goal lead. Marchand’s fourth assist of the playoffs was the lone assist on the goal.

Despite holding a two-goal lead again, things were not peachy for the Bruins. Toronto did not slow down offensively and generated some solid chances. Amongst these chances was a huge stop by Rask on Connor Brown.

By the final two minutes of the period, the Bruins had 18 blocked shots to the seven for the Leafs. One of those came in the form of Marcus Johansson going slowly to the bench off a big block on a Travis Dermott shot from the point. Despite chances coming from Toronto, the Bruins remained resilient.

Although they were outshot 14-8 in the period, a huge response from David Pastrnak and the Bruins had them back on top by two heading into the final frame.

Score: 4-2 Boston

Third Period

The Bruins’ wise leader, Zdeno Chara took his time at the blue line and made it a three-goal lead for the Bruins 5:39 into the period, a huge, unassisted insurance goal. The goal marked Chara’s first of the playoffs.

At the 8:18 mark, Hyman took a high stick from McAvoy, putting McAvoy in the box for a second time. Matthews got on the board for a second time early in the power play, making it 5-3. During their next offensive zone stint, Toronto saw a couple more near goals come their way, but Rask said no.

Dermott cut the lead to one on a second chance opportunity from the point. Toronto was thriving on the momentum, the Bruins needed a response. Mike Babcock pulled Andersen with less than two minutes to go with a comeback on his mind.

After a hectic final two minutes, Nordstrom buried an empty netter with two minutes left to seal the deal. Nordstrom’s first of the playoffs was assisted by David Krejci (1).

The series is tied at two heading towards game five on Friday at 7 PM at TD Garden.

Final Score: 6-4 Boston

Bruins Post-Game Recap: ECQF Game 3: Boston at Toronto

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment

Image result for bruins maple leafs

(Photo Credit: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Toronto Maple Leafs

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak

DeBrusk – Krejci – Kuhlman

Heinen – Coyle – Backes

Nordstrom – Acciari – Wagner

Defense

Chara – McAvoy

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Kampfer

Goalies

Rask

Halak

Toronto’s Lineup

Forwards

Hyman – Tavares – Marner

Johnsson – Matthews – Kapanen

Marleau – Nylander – Brown

Moore – Gauthier – Ennis

Defense

Muzzin –  Zaitsev

Reilly – Hainsey

Gardiner – Dermott

Goalies

Andersen

Hutchinson

First Period

After a crazy game two from start to finish, the series shifted to Toronto for game three in what could be a pivotal game in the series. Big news came ahead of the game in the form of a series-long suspension for Nazem Kadri, forcing William Nylander to the third-line center position for Toronto.

A fast and loud start set the tone for game three from the beginning and it was another physical bout. Tuukka Rask made a lot of big saves early on in the period. He really needed to be as Toronto came out hard. A late interference call on Ron Hainsey put the Bruins on the man advantage in a game, to this point, that was up-for-grabs. Unfortunately for the Bruins, they couldn’t grab it.

Toronto got their chance not long after the conclusion of the Bruins power play with 38.8 seconds left, as Charlie McAvoy took a holding the stick penalty. The puck went nearly untouched into the Toronto net as Chris Wagner guarded it in hopes that it would go in. It was a pretty funny sequence that almost ended well for the Bruins. 1:21 remained on the McAvoy penalty bleeding into the second period. The shots were 15-10 Bruins.

Score: 0-0

Second Period

The Bruins were able to kill off the remaining 1:21 of the McAvoy penalty, avoiding danger in the first minute. Toronto struck first 2:38 into the period off of a Trevor Moore rebound. They managed to outshoot the Bruins 8-2 in the first three minutes.

The Toronto lead didn’t last long as David Krejci buried a bouncing puck to even things back up with his first of the playoffs. The goal gave Krejci his 69th career playoff point, third most in Bruins history. Jake DeBrusk and Karson Kuhlman had the assists, their firsts of the playoffs.

A John Tavares scoring chance led to a collision with McAvoy in which Tavares made contact with Rask. After taking some time to recover, Rask stayed in the game.

Exactly halfway through the period, David Backes sat for two thanks to a high sticking penalty. Auston Matthews potted a cross-crease pass on the man advantage to give Toronto the lead past the halfway point of the period.

A questionable hooking call on Matt Grzelcyk gave Toronto another opportunity to convert on the power play and they did. It was 3-1 Toronto with 2:48 left. Shortly after, Jake Muzzin went off for holding within the final two minutes of the period.

A resilient goal on the power play came from Charlie Coyle’s second of the series in the final minute, cutting the lead to two with 37.7 seconds remaining. Danton Heinen and Grzlecyk had the assists, Heinen’s was his first of the playoffs, Grzelcyk’s was his second.

Toronto took over on the score sheet and in the shot department, outshooting the Bruins 16-11 in the period and holding a one-goal lead heading into the third period. Overall, the shots were even through two periods.

Score: 3-2 Toronto

Third Period

Just past the 15-minute mark, Nikita Zaitsev went off for delay of game. The Bruins held possessed the puck fairly well for a good chunk of the man advantage, but couldn’t convert.

Toronto way breaking the puck out of their own zone too easily at times. There just wasn’t much of an offensive x-factor. Some poor decisions with and without the puck made things even more difficult. They needed to channel more of what they had in game two.

Bruce Cassidy pulled Rask in the final two minutes and took a timeout with 1:05 to go. John Tavares was killing Patrice Bergeron on the dot late, winning five straight in the final six and a half minutes. The Bruins’ effort late simply wasn’t enough, and Frederik Andersen came up huge for the Leafs. The final shots 36-34 Bruins. Next up is game four on Wednesday in Toronto at 7:00 PM.

Final Score: 3-2 Toronto

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Bruins Post-Game Recap: Boston @ Minnesota: 4/4/19

/ Mike Cratty / Leave a comment

USATSI_12473792.jpg

(Photo Credit: David Berding-USA Today Sports)

By Mike Cratty | Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Cratty

Home: Minnesota Wild

Away: Boston Bruins

Boston’s Lineup

Forwards

DeBrusk – Bergeron – Pastrnak

Johansson – Coyle – Senyshyn

Heinen – Frederic – Kuhlman

Nordstrom – Acciari – Backes

Defense

Krug – Carlo

Grzelcyk – Miller

Clifton – Kampfer

Goalies

Halak

Rask

Minnesota’s Lineup

Forwards

Donato – Staal – Kunin

Zucker – Eriksson Ek – Fiala

Greenway – Sturm – Rask

Foligno – Fehr – Brown

Defense

Suter –  Spurgeon

Brodin – Hunt

Bitetto – Pateryn

Goalies

Stalock

Dubnyk

First Period

This one featured plenty of storylines coming into it. For the Bruins, it marked the NHL debut of 2015 first-round pick, Zach Senyshyn. Additionally, Trent Frederic was called back up, and David Krejci, Brad Marchand, Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, and Chris Wagner sat to rest before the quickly approaching first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The goaltending matchup was Jaroslav Halak vs. Alex Stalock.

Additionally, Charlie Coyle’s first game as a Bruin in Minnesota was set to get underway, as well as Ryan Donato’s first game against the Bruins as a member of the Wild. Minnesota had a debut of their own, as former Clarkson University captain Nico Sturm joined the team on an entry-level deal as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of Clarkson’s season.

It was a milestone game for Bruce Cassidy, as this marked his 300th NHL game behind the bench. His record coming in was 163-98-38. Steven Kampfer also hit a career milestone with his 200th NHL game.

Good chances came on both sides throughout the first period, but no one could break through. Part of this on the Bruins end was undoubtedly due to the roster fluctuation ahead of the postseason. Sensyhyn showed a willingness to get amongst the action in the first period. With good chances and tempo, it’s a little surprising that we didn’t see any scoring on either side. The shots were 9-8 in favor of Minnesota.

Score: 0-0

Second Period

The second frame got off to a rough start early on as Kevan Miller and Jordan Greenway brushed shoulders and Miller slid awkwardly into the boards. He was helped off the ice.

The Bruins came out hard to start, outshooting Minnesota 6-2 throughout the first six minutes of the period. It was just a matter of breaking through.

That all changed with a persistent forecheck from the Bruins fourth line, and good puck movement on the blue line. Joakim Nordstrom eventually buried his seventh goal of the season, assisted by Noel Acciari (8) and Matt Grzelcyk (15).

The first penalty of the game came against Luke Kunin for roughing with 5:05 to go in the period.

Good news came late in the period as Miller returned for the Bruins. For Minnesota, well, Alex Stalock was having quite a bit of fun. Here are a couple of examples.

That wasn’t the only time he went far out of his crease to play the puck, he did so on the defensive zone boards to his left. Oh yeah, he even did a bunny hop in his crease too.

Stalock’s antics were quite the spectacle. Otherwise, the Bruins took control and doubled the Wild’s shots at 18-9 for the period. Despite such domination in the shots on goal and scoring chances categories for the Bruins, their lead sat at just one.

Score: 1-0 Boston

Third Period

The plot thickened for Kevan Miller as he was not seen on the bench to start the third period.

Brandon Carlo and Kunin both went off for roughing just less than two minutes in, neither team scored with the extra space to operate on the ice. Clifton then went off for interference about four minutes later, no dice for Minnesota.

Besides the Nordstrom goal, neither goal was giving an inch. Karson Kuhlman did ring the post one time, but the goaltending battle commenced. This was until David Pastrnak buried his 38th of the season to make it 2-0 towards the end of regulation. Jake DeBrusk (15) and Patrice Bergeron (48) had the assists.

Zach Senyshyn scored his first career NHL goal on an empty netter set up by Marcus Johansson (17) and Steven Kampfer (2).

The final shots were 35-26 in favor of the Bruins. The last game of the regular season is up next for the Bruins when the Tampa Bay Lightning come to town for some matinee hockey at 1 PM on Saturday.

Final Score: 3-0 Boston

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