The Boston Bruins slayed King Henrik late in game three

I was warned about Henrik Lundqvist before the series began. I have many friends who are fans of Washington and they had just finished a series against the Rangers and Lundqvist. His entire story was that it wasn’t going to be fun, that facing Lundqvist sucks the life out of fans simply because he rarely makes mistakes. It’s almost impossible to break him. To break him, it takes attrition. It takes a constant barrage of shots, screens and rebound put-backs, and even then, Lundqvist simply doesn’t break.

It was the Boston Bruins who finally became the king-slayers. On Sunday, the Bruins beat Lundqvist as they beat him for five goals, but that was not expected to be the norm. Tuesday night, it was clear from the get go that Lundqvist was on his game. The Boston Bruins kept firing shots at him, but Lundqvist made every save, caught every puck, prevented. Suddenly, all of my fears of this series were coming true. Everything I had heard about playoff Lundqvist was coming to fruition. The New York Rangers did not seem to be the most desperate of teams despite their status in the series. It was Lundqvist who seemed to be desperate and to keep the Rangers afloat in the series. He was trying to get the Rangers into an opportunity to win the game and get closer to the series, and he basically did it too. It was one of those games where the Bruins were doing everything right except scoring, and it was all on Lundqvist.

Leave it to the merlot line to be the ones that finally broke Lundqvist. To take down a king, sometimes it takes a war of attrition, and the Boston Bruins fourth line was the hardest-working group for either team in this game. Both of the Bruins goals were set up by the work down below the goal-line and working it back towards the net. Despite Lundqvist’s play all night, the Bruins finally broke him down. Two goals in the third period were enough for the Boston Bruins to win the game and take a 3-0 series lead.

Despite Lundqvist’s best effort, the Boston Bruins now have what is as close to insurmountable lead in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Through the first three games, the Boston Bruins have been the better team and they have deserved this lead. One more win on Thursday, and the Boston Bruins move on to play either Pittsburgh or Ottawa in the Eastern Conference Finals. For a team that has plenty of injuries and rest that is needed, winning game four and finishing the series could be something this team so desperately needs.

The Jagr skates alone deep into the nice (Kudos to Kevin Paul Dupont, for once)

Jaromir Jagr has had a frustrating playoff season so far. Despite the fact that he continues to play well, he has mostly been off the scoring sheet. When he finally had a brilliant opportunity to put home a goal on Sunday, he was robbed on a diving stop by King Henrik. It has been a long time since The Jagr was slaying the ladies and scoring goals late into the nights with his long, beautiful flowing mane.

There is The Jagr, though, skating majestically with the lights just shining down on him as he practices once again. Long after the Bruins had won game two, The Jagr knows he must get better, be stronger. One must wonder what goes through the mind of the Jagr. Perhaps he is thinking of former times, about the crazy Berlin-orgy of 1991, when The Jagr went into the nightclub looked around and realized that it was his god given mission to christen little Jagr babies all through the night. On that night, The Jagr jumped into his sports-car, brought the roof down to allow the cold German night to whip at his long beautiful air. “In the Air Tonight” was playing on the car radio, and The Jagr wondered if there would ever come a day where he could no longer enjoy the hockeys and explore the lady parts and whether life would be worth living at that point. For that is what The Jagr does. As he was skating around the Garden ice, The Jagr was reminded of that drum solo, how in that moment life was as perfect as it ever was.

Or, maybe he was just thinking about game three and how he could get better. I don’t ‘effing know.

Torey Krug and Dougie Hamilton have given the Boston Bruins a big boost in the playoffs

When the Boston Bruins took to practice today before heading off to New York to continue their series, all eyes seemed pointed towards the Boston Bruins defensemen. Most notably, the status of injured starters Dennis Seidenberg, Wade Redden and Andrew Ference.

In any other post-season, the loss of three starters on the blue-line would be a huge concern simply due to the fact that losing tested players could have an effect on line chemistry. By losing three of them, the chances that a mistake are made because of a roster plug being unaware of where their teammates are increased three-fold. Yet, despite losing three starters, the Boston Bruins blue-line play hasn’t missed a beat and some could argue have even improved. Thanks to three playoff rookies, the Boston Bruins injuries have gone from a concern to a real question over whether or not they become scratches again when the veterans return.

First there is Matt Bartkowski. At 24 years old, he has played a couple of games for the Boston Bruins and has even been a joke in the blog community as it seems as if the Pittsburgh native only plays in games against Pittsburgh. This spring has marked his first playoff appearances and he has yet to disappoint. While doing nothing spectacular, he has played well enough to warrant consideration for continued play if and when the veterans start to return.

The biggest name on the “Young Gun” list is Dougie Hamilton. The highly touted Bruins prospect who was deemed “off-limits” in any trade that the Bruins were discussing since last summer started off this season at a blistering pace. His game readiness may have been attributed to the fact that he was not sitting around during the lockout and instead still playing Canadian Juniors. His pace has slowed down and over the year he begun to show his age making positioning mistakes and turning the puck over in crucial spots. Still, Hamilton might be the best puck-moving defensive player that the Bruins have on the roster and it is evident in how well he plays on the power-play. There is not a single pass he makes that doesn’t seem to be on target, even if Bruins fans wish he would shoot the puck more.

Of all the playoff rookies, however, the biggest surprise has been Torey Krug. Once a Hobey Baker award finalist, Krug has not been given much of a chance at making at the NHL level seeing only two appearances at the NHL level. His call-up after the injury to Dennis Seidenberg in the first round was surprising considering that the Boston Bruins had Aaron Johnson waiting in the wings as a healthy scratch. Krug, however, has been a revelation and a joy to watch play hockey. Already he might have the best skating ability and footwork of any of the Bruins defensemen. His goal on Sunday where he played it off his skate to the stick for a quick snap-shot was beautiful and his kick to keep the puck in the zone to set up Campbell’s goal was also very pretty. Krug flies up and down the ice, generating an incredible amount of speed with every drive of the skate. On the power-play in the Bruins umbrella set-up, he can gain the puck on the wing and quickly carry it to the point to quarterback the office, all while keeping his body facing towards the goal the entire time. It’s beautiful to watch and it has made Krug a pleasant surprise and a candidate to be on the roster next season.

Thanks to their brilliant play, it is now unclear who will and who should play when everyone is back and healthy. It looks as if Ferrence is done for the year, but Redden skated in practice as did Seidenberg, albeit for an abbreviated session. With how Krug is playing, it’s hard to see him getting scratched. Picking either Bartowski or Hamilton to be the scratch might make sense, but scratching one opens up issues with how the Bruins like to play their defensive pairings in terms of stick sides.

This is a wonderful issue for the Boston Bruins to have, wondering who of all the great choices should take a seat. Heading into the series with New York, the fans and the media were wondering how the Bruins defense would respond with three young kids playing. Through two games, the three of them have proven they can hang with the best of them and continue to give the Bruins a chance to win games.

The Boston Bruins won game two fairly convincingly

The past few weeks over here for me have been a blur. With my final finals period at university and graduation and starting a new job, not even the crazy first round series for the Boston Bruins could help me find time to write blog posts. As a result, Boston’s Bettah has been a place where posts have been infrequent and not exactly the place for timely posts.

No longer! Summer is here and despite the fact that I have a new position. It’s time to get back into the swing of things. As a reward, I decided to write a running diary for game two between the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers. Can the Bruins take a 2-0 series lead heading back to New York, or will the blue-shirts tie the series and make me nervous again? Here’s what transpired:

2:55- Welcome live to my living room! Joining me today is the newest hockey disliking roommate Farmer. I am convinced that I will get one of them to like hockey by the end of the playoffs. It’s my goal. Big news in the pregame is that Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden will not play. I also haven’t heard anything about Andrew Ferrence. I swear, if Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski keep playing as well as they have, it may be a blessing in disguise for the Bruins. Fun fact, Andrew Ferrence kind of sucked this season.

3:01-

Every game at TD Garden pregame music gets more & more Vancouver

— Matt Kalman (@TheBruinsBlog) May 19, 2013

WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN KALMAN?

3:04- The pregame show is talking about John Torterella’s comments that Carl Hagelin “stinks” on the power-play. At what point is Mike Milbury going to start wearing crazy suits, talking with his hands and sounding like he just came out of the retirement home? He so desperately wants to be America’s Don Cherry.

3:07- Did I just get unnecessarily excited that America’s Got Talent is coming back soon? Um… no I didn’t and stop asking.

3:10- NBC so desperatly wants us to pretend that the Bruins and the Rangers are rivals. Just because it’s Boston and New York does not automatically create a rivalry as much as they want to think. Ratings? Yeah, they are probably getting those.

3:15-

I’m ready to go. Are you?

3:19- Farmer and now Chris are here and are bashing hockey. Hey I got the television first.

3:24- Early play highlighted by the Bruins getting some wonderful opportunities in the slot for Krejci and Seguin. Tyler Seguin can’t buy a bucket right now.

3:26- Torey Krug is going to have to play every game for the rest of forever. He’s on pace for approximately 20 goals in the playoffs. That one was also beautiful. 1-0 Bruins.

3:29- If Torey Krug’s goal was pretty, then Ryan Callahan’s goal was a complete undressing of Tuukka Rask. Suddenly it is a tie game. At the first commercial break. The Bruins were controlling the game and then they have that terrible turnover and that nasty Ryan Callahan move and its a tie game. Dammit.

3:35- I approve of this name:

McKrug #3rdPair

— Matt Kalman (@TheBruinsBlog) May 19, 2013

3:37- Believe it or not, the Bruins killed a Rangers power-play. I thought our power-play was bad two years ago. The Rangers is atrocious. It still is surprising that nothing really happened there. It hasn’t exactly been the most defensive of games so far. Of course, this means that the game will be 1-1 at the end of the third period.

3:45- More chances for the Bruins and more queffed shots. Also, I think I can convince Farmer to like hockey. He’s seems to be enjoying this. Wouldn’t that be nice.

3:50- Chara just destroyed Derek Brassard’s stick and the Bruins are going on the penalty kill. Hey, if you’re going to take a slashing penalty, that certainly is a hell of a way to do it.

3:53- I’m confused. This Rangers power-play doesn’t look terrible. The period will end though with the game tied 1-1. It’s been a weird first period. On one hand, the Boston Bruins had a ton of chances. They’re seeing the ice really well of the pass and delivering beautiful passes to open guys. The Rangers are recovering and preventing the shots from happening. The Boston Bruins certainly out-played the Rangers, but the fact that it’s 1-1 is worrisome.

4:04- I’m sorry NBC, I didn’t realize that Sidney Crosby was now playing in this series.

4:09- How were the Rangers credited with 20 hits in the first period? That seems like too high a number. Also, what is with everyone bashing Dougie Hamilton on the first goal? Marchand turned it over and last I checked Hamilton can’t skate fifty miles an hour.

4:13- Second period time. More of the same for the Bruins and they should be okay.

4:14- The Rangers almost had their second goal of the game on a terrible turnover. This time from David Krejci. Thankfully Tuukka Rask is there to save our bacon.

4:16- Krug keeps the puck in with his skate at the blue-line and fires a shot at the net. Greg Campbell finds the puck and fires it home. What a play from both Krug to keep it in and Campbell to find the puck and finish it. 2-1 Bruins.

4:18- Of course, Rick Nash beats Chara off the rush and goes backhand to forehand to score his first goal of the playoffs. Would it kill the Bruins to hold a lead for more than two minutes in this game?

4:23- Commercial break. All of a sudden after the Rick Nash goal he looks more awake and they clearly won that four and four. Again, Tuukka Rask is being awesome.

4:27- Rangers hit the post and it slides back down underneath Tuukka Rask’s pads. That was a scary moment for everyone in the black and gold.

Remember Bruins, if you stop starting playing a bit better your luck is going to run out.

— Jon Days of Y’Orr (@JonFDOY) May 19, 2013

4:29- Bruins power-play time after Dougie jumps into a play and gets hooked. Remember the rule is to finish your beer in two minutes because the Bruins likely won’t score.

4:31- The way Torey Krug skates is so fast and with purpose and awesome. He is really excited right now. Bruins have a couple chances on the power-play, but as you could probably guess they don’t score.

4:36- I bet that John Torterella will get fined for that. Johnny Boychuk from the point… GOAL! Bergeron with the screen in front and Henrik Lundqvist never saw it. If there was ever evidence that the Bruins should just decline penalties and go 4-on-4, that is the evidence. 3-2 Bruins.

4:38- What another fantastic save by Tuukka Rask. I could have swore we were about to give up yet another game-tying goal.

4:40- Peverley commits his second high-stick penalty of the game. Someone should tell him that keeping the stick down on the ice is the rule. This is unfortunate because the Rangers power-play hasn’t been terrible today and seems due for a goal.

4:42- Tuukka Rask is the best bruins penalty killer tonight.

4:43- Rask with a huge backside pad save off a terrible Boychuk turnover. All hail king Rask!

4:45- Torey Krug escapes three defenders a pack of wild-dogs and a roving band of marauders to set up another beautiful shot on goal. This must be what rooting for Erik Karlsson feels like.

4:48- I don’t think NBC is talking about Ryan Callahan enough.

4:51- Second intermission. Bruins are up one after they finally realized they shouldn’t give up the game tying goal shortly after the game-winning goal. I would type more, but I’m too busy salivating over Torey Krug’s skating and Tuukka Rask’s beautiful saves.

4:55- One of my friends who I know for a fact hates Ryan Callahan is trolling really hard right now. “Callahan does the little things to win. Callahan does the things to win Stanley Cups. RYAN CALLAHAN IS SO AWESOME AND WE LOVE HIM”. Despite the fact that he is a Caps fan, we get a long really well.

5:02-

Bruins: 12 giveaways, Rangers: 1

— Nicholas W. Goss (@NicholasGoss35) May 19, 2013

That’s not very good. How about we also put in the fact that the Rangers two goals were scored off two of the Boston giveaways? Thankfully, Tuukka Rask brought his A game today. Far and away the reason the Boston Bruins are winning this game.

5:09- Third period starts and the Boston Bruins basically run the same play they won game one with. Bergeron to Marchand for a 4-2 lead.

5:20- Nothing crazy has really happened in the past 11 minutes. Just a lot of Rask saves and a bunch of conversations in the house about rent prices and stuff. Exhilarating.

5:24- The Jagr is robbed on the doorstep by King Henrik. If the Rangers come back and win this game. Remember this save. Holy shit.

5:29- Dougie scoops it into the zone and the Bruins chase it into the zone. Krejci misses on the doorstep but Lucic is there to put it home. That should end it.

5:30- Campbell goes after Dorsett on a check. Dorsett takes offense for some reason and drops the gloves with Campbell. Dorsett wins the fight pretty clearly, but again, the Bruins are up on the scoreboard.

I’m closing this down now. Boston Bruins simply earned this win today. They skated better, they were more physical and they were more skilled than them. Most importantly, they had the better goalie. If there was ever a question about whether or not Tuukka Rask could be a playoff goalie, a game like game one and game two just goes to show that. After the Bruins took the lead in this game 3-2, the Rangers had a couple of fantastic opportunities and Tuukka shut the door on all of them. He was excellent in this game and a big reason why the Bruins are 10 wins away from the ultimate prize.

Time to move on. Game three is on Tuesday in Madison Square Garden and the Boston Bruins have got to keep plugging away. Win on Tuesday and the series should feel over, although I guess we said that last time.

This is general manager Peter Chiarelli shortly after the Boston Bruins tied the game at four goals apiece in game seven. Normally one would be jumping out of their seats in pure, unadulterated joy, but not Peter Chiarelli. No, he is the mastermind that put this whole thing together. You can clearly see the moment where Chiarelli starts thinking manically. After the fist pump and the rock backwards into the chair, Chia drifts back into his own thoughts.

“Everything has happened as I have foreseen”

Hey, if dark powers helped the Bruins last night, I’m all for evil PC.

Game seven will go down in Boston lore

Glory Days Grill is a popular chain of sports bars in the Maryland/DC area and for the longest time the one in Burke, Virginia could not have been a more depressing place. On one hand, Washington was getting blown out in their own game seven on home ice and this happens to be in Washington territory. The other side of things is that a small conglomerate of Boston fans were gathering in a corner of the bar, watching the Boston Bruins play Toronto in game seven of their playoff series and slowly getting blown off of their own home ice. In that Glory Days, there seemed to be no other fans. Just Boston fans and Washington fans just hopping their salvation could be found in a burger or in a bottom of a glass. It certainly was not coming from the hockey games getting played on the television.

My friend Sully and myself were part of the Boston fans while some of my other friends – Washington fans – were at a booth trying to enjoy a game that was not easily enjoyed. Between the second and third period I went over to their table and offered cheers to my friend. What it was too was shared misery, shocking considering how the Boston Bruins started game seven. Their fire and energy in the beginning of the game made it seem as if they were going to put games five and six behind them and return to the Boston Bruins team that showed up in first half of the series.

Then, almost as suddenly as they had started, the Boston Bruins let off the gas pedal. After the second goal of the game, one by Toronto, the Boston Bruins barely managed any shots on net. Instead of shooting at the net, they got cute and tried to pick corners. When they dumped the puck, they half-skated into the corners and gave an “eh” effort in an attempt to win the puck. If a puck needed to be cleared in their own defensive zone, the Boston Bruins were more than content to just let the Maple Leafs take another chance at goalie Tuukka Rask. It would be easy to blame the fatigue, to blame the injuries that were ravaging the back-line of the Boston Bruins, but the Boston Bruins had been making excuses all year. All they could do at this point was blame themselves. They had not showed up to play.

Despite the Boston Bruins no show, it was only 2-1 at the beginning of the third period. In a change from the regular season, the Boston Bruins had actually been playing the third period’s of their playoff games. Of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs scored the first two goals of the third period and were well on their way to winning their first playoff series in almost ten years. The Boston Bruins were booed off the ice by a fan base that had become sick of their shit from the regular season and the post-season and continued to no-show game seven. The talks were not about who the Boston Bruins would go out and acquire in the off-season. Instead they were focused on who on the Boston Bruins would not be back the next season.

Nathan Horton’s goal at 9:18 of the third period felt like the biggest tease in the world. It made it 4-2 in a game that the Boston Bruins didn’t deserve to win. Another Boston fan sitting at the counter with us had gone to eating his burger, simply watching our faces for reaction of what was going on in the game. Just two Boston fans making jokes about the game, sipping from a beer and slowly realizing that the season was slipping away. To make matters worse, Horton’s goal all but assured that the game-winning goal would be credited to Phil Kessel, the former Bruin who was finally making his past employer pay for the trade that sent him to their division rival.

Then, Milan Lucic scored with just over a minute left in the period and both Sully and myself moved from laying on the bar to poking our heads up a little bit. Suddenly, there was a chance. The Bruins had a minute to score one more goal completing what could only be described as one of the most shocking comebacks in NHL history. Down the boards the puck went with Horton and captain Zdeno Chara battling for it before winning it back to the point. Jaromir Jagr moved it to Patrice Bergeron who moved it to David Krejci who moved it back to Patrice Bergeron.

At this point, the Boston Bruins appeared to be moving the puck back and forth between the point, a habit that has caused more angry minds among Bruins fans than anything else this season. It’s why their power-play failed. Their unselfishness had made them unwilling to ever shoot the puck. The expected play was for Bergeron to either move it back to Krejci or Jagr. At no point do I or any Boston Boston Bruins fan believed a shot was coming, which was about the point that Bergeron looked up and saw the mess of jerseys in front of him. He took the shot.

Goal.

Boston and its fans erupted. Only minutes ago they had been left for dead and suddenly the Boston Bruins embodied everything that had made the city great over the past few months and over time. If there was one thing that the bombings at the Boston Marathon reminded us about Boston is that it is damn hard to keep the city down. In the days after that, Boston Strong became a rallying cry for a city that always fought back against adversity. Yet, these Bruins all season long seemed to do the opposite. Once the darlings of the Boston sports scene when their will carried them to a Stanley Cup championships, the Bruins were becoming a team that was hard to like. They didn’t fight back, they made excuses, they were simply becoming harder and harder to root for. On Wednesday night in TD Garden, down three goals and facing elimination, something finally clicked in their consciousness. When Milan Lucic put the third goal in the net, the camera zoomed in on him and it was easy to read his lips as they said “Let’s fucking go”. It may not sound like much, just another rallying cry of a team trying to do the impossible, but it was the most fight I had seen from the Bruins season.

Bergeron’s goal tied the game at four and the joke quickly became how the Boston Bruins would now break our hearts again, making the comeback just another footnote in another game seven loss. Somehow in the back of our minds, between Lucic’s fiery face and Bergeron’s center-ice fist-pump and the pretty yellow towels littering the ice,  we knew the Boston Bruins wouldn’t lose. That was more apparent after the first Toronto rally in overtime fell short. The Boston Bruins were not losing, not after everything they put themselves through. Of course it was the people’s captain who put it into the net to send the Bruins to the second round.

At this point, anything goes for the Boston playoffs. Obviously, the Boston Bruins and their fans want this run to keep going all the way to the finals and hoist the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years, but hockey is a cruel sport sometimes. The chances of it happening are low, especially considering what happened tonight in Boston, but the Boston Bruins now have given their fans one special moment that will be told and mythologized for years to come. Boston fans know where they were when they saw the snow ball or the Finals comeback or the ALCS Game 4 and the Boston Bruins have provided one of those moments. For a city and region that continues to show its pride and perseverance in the recent months, the Boston Bruins provided another chance to show just how strong the city can be.

David Krejci is awesome

What a hockey game. Both teams skated their asses off and both deserved to win. In the Boston Bruins first overtime playoff game of the 2013 post-season, the fans were quickly reminded about how god awfully awesome it is to watch your team play in an overtime playoff game, and if that didn’t make sense to you then you haven’t been watching enough hockey.

Honestly? I’m spent and I have a final exam in the morning and have the failure to write something that makes sense. Just know that Tuukka Rask saved the Bruins’ bacon with timely saves in the third period and overtime. His glove save in the middle of the third period quite literally saved the game for the Boston Bruins.

Rask made that save on Lupul look easy. It wasn’t. I’ve seen goalies whiff slower shots #laser

— Kirk Luedeke (@kluedeke29) May 9, 2013

Then there is David Krejci. Just let it be known for the record that I have never, ever, ever said anything bad about David Krejci. Ever. If I did, that person is impersonating me…

I’M SO SORRY DAVID KREJCI FOR ANY MEAN THING I HAVE EVER SAID! CAN WE PLEASE BE FRIENDS AGAIN? I WILL NEVER YELL AT YOU FOR NOT SHOOTING THE PUCK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT!

David Ortiz’ hitting streak is starting to reach historic levels

A couple of years ago, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins ended one season on some pretty absurd hitting streak. I don’t remember what it was on account of I’m not a Phillies fan nor am I motivated enough to look it up, I just remember it was a pretty long one. More importantly, it was getting a lot of fan-fare for its length as he was approaching records in Major League Baseball.

Now the sports world is still too wrapped up in the playoffs in both basketball and hockey and probably would rather talk about last month’s NFL Draft, but all of a sudden there is another hitting streak that has gone over the off-season that is starting to approach historic levels. It also, by my accounts, approaching at an extremely quiet pace. That hitting streak is the 27 game one of Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.

Perhaps it is based on the fact that I am sitting in the suburbs of Washington D.C instead of in front of a television watching NESN or CSNNE or listening to 98.5 Sports Hub but David Ortiz has gone about this hit streak in what feels like a quiet manner. Ask most people what they know about David Ortiz in 2013, and the first thing that will probably come to mind is his speech at the first home game back at Fenway after the Boston Marathon. Remember the “This is our fuckin’ city!” speech? That’s what comes to mind about 2013 Big Papi.

Thing is, David Ortiz is smoking at the plate. A couple of weeks ago, it was Mike Napoli carrying the offense, but since Papi’s return it’s reverted back to his job. In only 15 games this season, Ortiz already has 4 HR, 17 RBI and has an OPS at a ridiculous 1.2. Not bad for a player that a lot of people wanted to cut the cord with due to his advancing age. Even if his pace tapers off a little bit, Ortiz would still be at least offensive MVP by a large margin for the Boston Red Sox.

Most notably, however, is David Ortiz’ hitting streak. The biggest issue behind legitimizing it is the fact that it started last July before Ortiz missed the rest of 2012 with an Achilles injury. It still doesn’t take away the fact that Ortiz now is tied for the fifth longest hitting streak in Red Sox history, tied with some guy named Manny Ramirez and some guy named Dom DiMaggio. Not big names at all. Even if Ortiz’s hitting streak started last year, it still takes a lot of skill – and a little bit of luck – to carry it for 27 straight games.

Tonight, Ortiz looks to continue his hitting streak against Minnesota. Sitting only 7 games away from tying DiMaggio for the longest in Red Sox history, Ortiz continuing to hit would do two things for the franchise. On one hand, it would be a baseball human interest story that would be fun to follow. More importantly, it would continue to power an offense for a team that is right now one of the best in baseball.

The Boston Bruins have a chance to essentially end their first round series tonight

Leaving the Verizon Center after game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals a year ago, the thing I kept saying to myself was that the Boston Bruins were going to have an opportunity to essentially end the series. After splitting the first two games of the series in Boston, the Bruins went into Washington and outplayed Washington to take a 2-1 series lead. Winning game 4 and going back to Boston up 3-1 would have been the finishing blow to an overachieving Washington hockey club.

In game 4, the Boston Bruins came out flat with an intensity that screamed of a regular season game. In reality, it was no surprise that they lost that game considering how they played. What was surprising was the fact that the Boston Bruins came out flat again, at home, in game 5 and were forced to fight back for the rest of the series in order to try and win the series. They didn’t do that, losing in Game 7 at home.

This is important because the Boston Bruins, one year later, see themselves in a similar situation. Having played their best game of the series against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night, the Boston Bruins see themselves in an opportunity to essentially end the series. Game 3, much like last year, was their best game of the series, a game where the Boston Bruins looked like a real good candidate to hoist the Stanley Cup at some point in June. Maybe the Leafs aren’t the best playoff team out there, but the way the Boston Bruins played, it is hard to imagine any team beating a Bruins’ team playing like that.

Winning game 4 in Toronto would push the Maple Leafs to the brink with a “Dead Man Walking” flight back to Boston awaiting them. It was the exact same situation that the Boston Bruins had last year, and they failed to do it.

Tonight, the Bruins’ have a chance to right the wrongs of last year. Win game 4 and put this series, essentially to bed. With the problems that the other top teams in the Eastern Conference are facing, ending this series now can only be beneficial to the Bruins in the long run.

Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic are finally playing like first line players

Most Bruins’ fans always had the “real” first line and the “people’s” first line. The real first line – the one that is listed on the depth chart as the first line – is the line made up of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton. For two years, however, the line that was sent out whenever the Boston Bruins needed a big play was the one made up of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Tyler Seguin. The big reason is consistency. The “first” line has been inconsistent, made up of an overpaid forward, a center that forgets how to shoot the puck and a wing that goes cold for long stretches of time. Bergeron’s line wins face-offs, works well in the cycle, plays defense and scores timely goals.

At least, they did that in the regular season. Through three games in the playoffs, the Bergeron line has yet to really show up in the games. Sure, their creativity entering the zone has still been there, but they haven’t been generating nearly enough sustained chances in the offensive zone. Ask most Bruins fans if they imagined being up in a series where the Bergeron line would have 1 point through three games. They likely would have asked what they were smoking.

The Boston Bruins are up 2 games to 1 even with an anemic showing from the Bergeron line. It helps that the “real” first line is finally playing like a first line.

Game 3 in Toronto highlighted how well the Boston Bruins first line was playing. Starting from the center with David Krejci, who won in the face-off dot, quarterbacked the offense and helped create scoring chances through the offensive zone.  Bruins fans – including this one – would like to see him shoot the puck more, but when he is passing and creating this well, it is hard to be angry at him. People are asking who the Bruins’ MVP is so far in the playoffs. If he keeps playing at this high level, the question is who is even close to David Krejci.

The play that highlighted the Boston Bruins first line and all of the potential that they have was the goal that ended up being the game-winning goal. After a season of having everything questioned about him, Milan Lucic has showed up in the playoffs. Lucic takes a puck through the neutral znoe, throws a self pass off the boards into the zone, and beats his defender using a combination of size and speed to win the puck. Nathan Horton, a man known for timely playoff goals, comes down off the opposite wing. Lucic finds him, delivers a perfect pass and Horton simply taps it in. The Bergeron line may have been more consistent all year long, but they can only hope to replicate the potential of the size, speed and skill can only be replicated by the Boston Bruins first line. They have 17 points through three games. That’s pretty good.

Now the question becomes whether or not the “real” first line can continue this play. As previously mentioned, they were not the consistent line through the season and every so often they show these flashes like the early part of the this playoffs. They just have yet to show the consistency and hoping they carry the Bruins is only asking to be disappointed. Still, Bruins fans’ can enjoy this high-level of play from the Bruins’ first line as they are showing when all the elements of hockey come together into one beautiful package.