BSJ Game Report: Bruins 2, Hurricanes 1 - Veterans deliver as B’s punch ticket to 2nd round

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Hurricanes in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

HEADLINES

Veterans lead the way as B’s knock out Carolina: Unsurprisingly, it was the usual suspects up front that helped the Bruins snuff out the Hurricanes on Wednesday evening, as Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci combined for four points in what was a series-clinching 2-1 victory in Game 5.

With the win, the Bruins advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where their next opponent has yet to be determined. 

Trailing 1-0 for over 25 minutes of regulation, the Bruins eventually countered by way of special teams — with Krejci recording his eighth point of the series by knocking home a ricocheting puck past Petr Mrazek at 15:20 in the second period. 

Just 4:36 later, the Bruins struck again and took the lead for good — with Bergeron catching Mrazek sleeping in the crease and banking a puck off his skaters and into twine with just four seconds remaining in the second period.

Clinging to a one-goal lead for the remainder of the contest, Boston tightened things down and snuffed out any chance of a Hurricanes rally — with Carolina limited to just eight shot attempts and one shot on goal during 5v5 play in the third period. Jaroslav Halak bounced back from a disappointing showing on Monday, stopping 23 of the 24 shots that came his way in Wednesday's victory.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1296216264260694016

Bruins face tough road ahead: As of Wednesday evening, the Bruins still don't have an idea of who their second-round opponent will be. Currently, the Bruins, Golden Knights, Lightning and Avalanche have punched their ticket to the next round of playoff action — while the top-seeded Flyers will have a chance to put away the Habs later tonight.

Here's how the scenarios can play out in the coming days:



If the No. 1 Flyers win tonight and the No. 7 Islanders beat No. 3 Capitals? It's  No. 1 Flyers vs. No. 7 Islanders / No. 2 Lightning vs. No. 4 Bruins in the second round.

If the No. 1 Flyers win tonight and the No. 3 Capitals rally back and beat the No. 7 Islanders? It's No. 1 Flyers vs. No. 4 Bruins / No. 2 Tampa vs. No. 3 Capitals in the second round.

If the No. 8 Canadiens rally and beat the No. 1 Flyers and the No. 7 Islanders beat No. 3 Capitals? It's No. 2 Lightning vs. No. 8 Canadiens / No. 4 Bruins vs. No. 7 Islanders in the second round.

If the No. 8 Canadiens rally and beat the No. 1 Flyers and the No. 3 Capitals rally back and beat the No. 7 Islanders? No. 2 Tampa vs. No. 8 Montreal and No. 3 Capitals vs. No. 4 Bruins.

Get all that?

Given that both Philly and New York hold commanding 3-1 leads in their respective series, the most likely outcome will have the Bruins on a collision course with the Lightning — the club that bounced them from the 2018 playoffs and arguably the best pound-for-pound club in the NHL.

We'll have plenty of scouting breakdowns in the days ahead, but if the odds currently hold, this motivated Bruins club is in line for one hell of a fight next week.

FOUR UP

David Krejci: What a dominant showing from Boston’s second-line center this series. With another goal and assist on Wednesday evening, Krejci has racked up three goals and five assists over five playoff outings this season. The veteran center also made plays down the other end of the ice, denying Jordan Staal with a clutch block in the first period. 

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1296188577647403008

Patrice Bergeron: Just a fantastic play from Bergeron on Boston’s eventual game-winning tally. To recognize in real time that Mrazek was napping and to attempt a shot from this angle is just great in-game awareness from the B's top-line center. Bergeron finished with a team-high seven shots on goal in his 18:04 of ice time — while also winning 7-of-14 faceoffs. 

https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/1296228937538904064

Penalty kill: While Boston's power play cashed in twice against Carolina, it was the B's penalty kill that was arguably the MVP of this series — as it limited an eighth-ranked Hurricanes power play in the regular season to just a 2-for-15 showing over five playoff games. Even those numbers are skewered a bit, with one of those 5v4 strikes being that gift goal that Halak coughed up to Nino Niederreiter in Game 3.

Jaroslav Halak: After a shaky outing in Game 4, Halak tightened things down in the clinching game — only relinquishing one goal on 24 total shots on goal. A much better showing from Boston's new No. 1 netminder — who actually has some pretty absurd numbers in elimination games.

https://twitter.com/_TyAnderson/status/1296216646827286528

ONE DOWN

Brad Marchand: While his linemates managed to get points on the board in Wednesday's win, Marchand had a bit of a rougher go of it in Game 5. Along with posting just a 37.04% shot share at 5v5 play, Marchand put Boston in a bad spot in the opening period, staying out far too long on a shift that caused Joakim Nordstrom to play catch-up in Boston's zone. Before Boston could react, Haydn Fleury uncorked a laser that sailed past Halak to open the scoring in Wednesday's game.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Classic Bergeron — thinking one or two plays ahead here. What a great read here.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1296202963426385922

PARTING THOUGHTS

Well, if this isn’t the most depressing thing ever. 

https://twitter.com/NHLBruins/status/1296174441458786308

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We found ways to win, probably different ways each game, different people in the lineup, different goaltenders playing. So that was the best part of this first round. And I think our lineup now will get a little more solidified as we go. Hopefully Pasta is no worse for the wear tomorrow, Jaro’s got the net, make a few tweaks here and there on the third line so to speak and you put Cliffy in, but in general it looks like we're better prepared now in terms of chemistry and stability in our lineup going forward." - Bruce Cassidy

Second place goes to:

"I'm losing the bicep contest today by a mile." - David Pastrnak, after sitting next to Zdeno Chara on today's Zoom call.

https://twitter.com/ConorRyan_93/status/1296224281958002688

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will now sit and await news of their second-round opponent. More likely than not, it will be Tampa Bay that stands in the way of a trek out to Edmonton for the Eastern Conference Final.