Bruins Clinch Northeast, Await Playoff Foe
In what was likely the last "biggest game of the season" until the playoffs start, the Bruins effectively re-shook the ugly Etch-A-Sketch drawing that was their last month or so and wrote in the more visually pleasing "Northeast Division Champs" after their return-to-form 4-1 victory over the NJ Devils, the team that has been up their ass for the Wales' top seed. The win not only gave the Bs the division title, it gave them a five point cushion in the standings (a loss would've shrunk the lead to one game with Jersey still having a game in hand). But most importantly, the team reverted back to the simple recipe that brought them so much success in the first 3/4ths of the season: skating, hitting, shooting, getting in front of shots, going to the net, and top-notch goaltending (even if they took their foot off the pedal a bit in the 3rd while holding a three goal lead, getting outshot 17-3). They'll have five full days to savor their accomplishment as they're off until Saturday's tilt with the Leafs.
Once again, Vezina favorite Tim Thomas led the way with his 41 saves, the only goal against coming on a tip from just past the crease. He thoroughly outplayed his Hall of Fame-bound counterpart, Marty Brodeur, who wasn't at his sharpest and had a couple of bad bounces---the type of bounces that the Bs were on the shit end of during their slide. The game was a typical, chippy, tight-checking, face wash-littered affair we've come to expect from these two.
Mike Ryder got the Bs on the board with his 25th when a Mark Recchi centering pass caught a piece of Ryder, hit NJ d-man Paul Martin, then blew past Brodeur for the power play tally. Early in the 2nd, Chuck Kobasew, playing on one of the team's most effective lines of late alongside Patty Bergeron and Rent-A-Recchi, notched his 18th on a wraparound to Brodeur's left that the NHL's all-time win king would no doubt like a mulligan on. Marc Savard's 23rd, a put-back of a rebound past a sprawling Brodeur, made it 3-0 less than halfway through the game with another PP goal. But the rout is seldom on in this post-lockout NHL and Andy Greene's tip past Thomas cut the lead to 3-1. But Big Looch, whose play of late had hit a bit of wall, restored the three goal lead after an apparent feed to the slot beat Brodeur after hitting Devil Mike Mottau's stick. The insurance goal was set up nicely with a subtle Phil Kessel pass up the left wing that sent Lucic charging toward the net.
Despite being outplayed in the 3rd, Tank kept the score the same to ensure the division win and no worse than a #3 seed in the Wales. The Bs could be the only squad from the former Adams Division that qualifies for the playoffs this season if the Habs, currently in the 8th slot with Florida just one point behind them, can't squeeze in (and that would be such a shame, what with them celebrating their 100th anniversary and all). Though still mathematically alive, Toronto (playing hard but building for the future), Ottawa (too little, too late), and Buffalo (all done once Ryan Miller went down) can start shining up the Pings.
The Bruins have nine more games remaining, four at home and five on the road. If the Bs go 5-4 for the rest of the season, the Devils would need to go 8-2 to steal the conference's top seed---exemplifying just how big yesterday's win was. However, the Bruins' quest for the President's Trophy is going to be much tougher, as their 102 points trail both San Jose's 106 and Detroit's 105 and the teams out west each have a game in hand on the Bs.
The next few days will give the squad some time for both a mental and physical rest, both of which they no doubt could use with the playoffs on the horizon. They just need to make sure to remember how they played yesterday when they resume work Saturday in Toronto.