BSJ Game Report: Bruins 5, Sabres 0 - Bergeron scores 400th goal, Ullmark posts shutout

Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 5-0 win over the Sabres, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

The waiting game continues in terms of playoff foe: In what should be their final full-squad tuneup ahead of the postseason, the Bruins received some much-needed clarity in many areas on Thursday night.

At long last, the Bruins’ power play finally snapped what was an 0-for-39 slump — with both David Pastrnak and Taylor Hall lighting the lamp just 2:14 apart in the third period en route to an eventual 5-0 win over the Sabres. 

Add in Patrice Bergeron's hat trick (and another career milestone) and Linus Ullmark’s first shutout (37 saves) in a Bruins sweater, and the Bruins have to be feeling pretty good about their game just ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The only issue, of course, is that the Bruins still don’t have any clarity on where exactly they’ll be playing next week.

While it sure seems like a Bruins-Hurricanes first-round meeting was inevitable after the last couple of days, Boston still had a slim chance of leapfrogging the Lightning if Boston closes out the regular season with two wins — and the Bolts drop their last two games. 

We’re halfway to such a scenario playing out, as Boston took care of business against the Sabres and Tampa promptly fell to the rebuilding Blue Jackets, 5-2.

 As such, if the Bruins (who will likely be rolling out a B squad) beat the Leafs up in Toronto on Friday, and Tampa falls to the Islanders, the Bruins will indeed be heading up to Toronto for Round 1 — and putting themselves on a much tougher road through the Atlantic Division this postseason. 

Looks like we’re going to have to be keeping close tabs on what was thought to be a pretty boring regular-season finale up in Canada. 

The Bruins might have their hands full regardless of who they battle in Round 1, but a trek through the Atlantic sure seems a lot more arduous than what the Metro could offer. 

Swayman wins the 7th Player Award: Well, I called it.

Despite tabbing Erik Haula as my No. 1 pick in terms of deserving candidates for the Bruins’ 7th Player Award, I noted that the player who most likely WOULD win the award was Jeremy Swayman — given the charismatic young goalie’s popularity with the fans. 

And sure enough, it was Swayman who took home the hardware — which is doled out annually to the B's player who exceeded the expectations of Bruins fans during the season. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, Swayman is still a very deserving candidate, especially for a rookie. In 35 games, Swayman posted a record of 20-11-3 with a .916 save percentage. And even if Ullmark has the likely edge in terms of a Game 1 start against Carolina/Toronto, Swayman’s February-March surge following Tuukka Rask’s retirement helped spark Boston’s subsequent second-half run.

Still, given the high expectations that Swayman generated for himself following that impressive debut last season, I still would have given the edge to Haula, who came out of NOWHERE to anchor Boston’s second line in wake of David Krejci's departure. 

Alas. 

Bergeron scores 400th career goal: Well, that’s quite the way to (likely) close out another regular-season slate. Bergeron etched his name into the record books once again on Thursday night, becoming just the fourth Bruin in franchise history to record 400 career goals. And to reach said milestone with a hat trick? Icing on the cake. 

FOUR UP

Patrice Bergeron and top line: Bergeron’s hat trick and career milestone will take most of the headlines, but it’s good to see this entire top line starting to get back into a groove just ahead of the postseason. Bergeron might have done most of the damage, but Jake DeBrusk also left his fingerprints all over this one by generating quality chances thanks to his straight-line speed. DeBrusk also gets a stick tap for some strong play behind the net on Bergeron’s second goal. 

Linus Ullmark: Yes, the Buffalo Sabres may not exactly be the Hurricanes/Maple Leafs or one of the many other high-octane offenses that Boston will face in the postseason, but Ullmark was sharp all night between the pipes, stopping all 37 shots that came his way. In his last 12 appearances, Ullmark is 9-1-0 with a .945 save percentage.

David Pastrnak: Quite the relief for Boston to finally snap that power-play drought, and it was only fitting that it was Pastrnak that finally got the B’s out of this slump — with the B’s top sniper reaching the 40-goal threshold for the second time in the past three seasons.

ONE DOWN

Third line: Boston’s top-six unit is humming right along and the club’s power play finally has new life. But … you’d likely want this third line of Frederic-Coyle-Smith to start stringing together consistent O-zone shifts once again. In what has been a concerning trend over the last few weeks, this third line didn’t make much of an impact on Thursday, with Boston landing just one shot on goal in their 8:42 of 5v5 ice time together. 

PLAY OF THE GAME

LOOSE PUCKS 

Good on the Bruins for giving head athletic trainer Don DelNegro a video tribute (and a subsequent standing ovation) on Thursday night. A fixture behind the scenes for Boston for years, DelNegro will retire at the end of the season after 29 years with the Bruins. 

Also, very cool to see a few former B’s give their thanks to DelNegro in the tribute video, including Zdeno Chara, Milan Lucic and David Krejci. 

LOOKING AHEAD

The Bruins will close out the 2021-22 regular season on Friday with a road matchup against the Maple Leafs. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.