If the pieces fall into place and the 2014 Eastern Conference Final involves the Boston Bruins, there has to be some comfort in knowing that there’s now a 100 percent chance that that game will be played at Boston’s TD Garden. With a chance to clinch home-ice throughout the first three rounds of playoff play with a win this afternoon, a three-goal third from the B’s did the trick against Ray Emery and the Philadelphia Flyers as Boston swept the season series by way of a 5-2 final.
But in the second meeting between these two Eastern rivals in less than a week’s time, the Flyers came out with the urgency best described by Zac Rinaldo’s open ice leveling of Milan Lucic just moments into the first. Popping the B’s top liner with a clean, hard check, the 6-foot-4 Lucic didn’t particularly care for Rinaldo’s contact (much like linemate Jarome Iginla last week), and tried having a go with him. Rinaldo (wisely) declined, and Philly went to the power play.
“We knew from how last game went and especially how it finished in that third period in Philadelphia that they were going to come out that way and try to be physical and try to make a statement off the bat,… Lucic said after the win, adding, “But that’s our kind of game as well, so we never shy away from these types of games, so it was good to have a response after how hard they came out.
“I wasn’t feeling very good before the game, but definitely when you get hit like that right off the bat it does wake you up and get you engaged right off the start, so yes it definitely did wake me up.…
Just like last Sunday, though, the Flyers struggled to put any real pressure on Tuukka Rask and the Boston penalty killers, stumbling to an 0-for-1. And though Jay Rosehill and Boston’s Shawn Thornton threw some bombs at one another midway through the period, the lone strike on the scoreboard came from the Bruins’ David Krejci 16 minutes in.
With bodies jamming around Emery and the Philly defense, the puck found its way to Krejci, who wristed home his 17th of the season (and 13th at home this year).
After one, the Flyers’ scoring drought was now over 150 minutes, and it didn’t look like help was on the way. That was until a penalty on Torey Krug for playing with a broken stick gave Philadelphia their third chance on the power play. And on the Flyers’ third chance of the afternoon, Wayne Simmonds, a 6-foot-2 forward that’s been a nightmare at the top of goaltenders’ creases this season, struck on a wicked angle, tying things up at 1-1.
His emphatic banging of the glass behind the Boston net said it all for a Philly club that’s been driven straight up mental by their inability to put the puck in the net over their last few games.
But the joy on coach Craig Berube’s bench didn’t last long, as Lucic called for the puck, got it, and struck for his 23rd goal of the season just a whopping 19 seconds later. Not even two minutes later though, the Flyers tied things up once again, with enforcer Jay Rosehill dangling through and scoring his second goal of the year (on just his 10th shot of the year no less).
“I’m just trying to do what I can out there. Playing with some guys that can get me the puck sometimes. And luckily I did there, and just happened to get one, but this team’s been playing a lot of good hockey since the Olympic break,… said Rosehill after today’s game. “I haven’t been a part of a lot of it, so it’s my job to stay ready and luckily I got in there today and was able to help out a little bit.…
In a tied third period, with the Bruins assaulting Emery and the Flyer defense, a blast from Johnny Boychuk right off the faceoff beat the 31-year-old Emery for Boychuk’s fifth of the year, put the Bruins up by one with just over six minutes to play.
And from there, the Flyers’ implosion began.
30 seconds later, an energetic attack from the Bruins put the puck on Lucic’s stick, and once more in the back of the Philadelphia cage. Less than a minute after the fourth goal, captain Claude Giroux took a slashing penalty against the Bruins’ Matt Bartkowski, putting a two-minute hold on any Philly comeback attempt. Holding Philadelphia at bay for the rest of the afternoon, an empty net dagger from Chris Kelly with 21 seconds put this one on ice.
Oh, and from Boychuk’s go-ahead goal to the end of the game, the Flyers put zero shots on net. Zero.
“We got to come out and initiate a third period with the game on the line, a tied game here. I thought that we competed hard up to then and were in good shape,… a frustrated Berube said after the loss, the club’s fourth in a row (two regulation and two overtime). “We have to go out and initiate the third period. We can’t sit back and can’t let teams match you and I thought that’s what we did.…
Fatigue? Berube “didn’t want to hear that.… Confidence? Perhaps. Either way, the Flyers know that they’re not exactly picking the best time for a four-game skid in a topsy-turvy Eastern Conference.
“We need to just be patient with our game. Like I said we kind of tried different stuff, we tried different plays that maybe it’s not there and that’s when we get in trouble,… Giroux admitted to reporters after the loss. “When we stick to the game plan, we’re a pretty dangerous team.…
The victory gave Boston their 30th home win of the year, the most by any Julien-coached Bruins squad (they had 29 in 2008-09), and tie that club’s 53-win mark. (There’s still four games to go.)
Eriksson shines in bigger role
For the second time in three games, the Bruins were without the services of Jarome Iginla.
Kept out of Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings with what the team called a ‘lower-body injury’, the team confirmed that today’s absence wasn’t to get No. 12 some much needed rest, instead calling it a ‘very minor issue’ that he’s battling here in early April. Without Iginla, the Bruins juggled their lines a bit, and put Loui Eriksson back into the top six and on the Krejci line.
The end result? The second four-point game of Eriksson’s career and a team-high seven shots.
Eriksson’s final line was a sight for sore eyes, all things considered. Between the battles with two concussions, struggles to find the back of the net, and everything in between, Eriksson’s first four-point night since Nov. 5, 2010 came at a perfect time for the Black-and-Gold. It also gave a sellout Garden crowd a preview of just what can happen when the Swede is confident in his own game.
“I thought the Olympics helped me a lot. I got some games there and I’m just trying to build off of that,… the 28-year-old winger noted. “I’m just trying to get better every game and it’s definitely nice to play on this team, it’s a really good team to play for, and I’m really excited to get going here with the playoffs and everything. It’s pretty easy to play with Krejci and Lucic, they are two great players to play with and they are making some great plays out there and tonight we had a good game.…
Eriksson now has one goal and 14 points in 20 games since the Olympic break.
Reilly Smith wins NESN Seventh Player Award
Part of the deal that sent Tyler Seguin to Dallas on the Fourth of July this past year, you woulda been laughed at had you told your friends that Reilly Smith would score 19 goals and 49 points in 78 games for the Bruins this year. They would’ve laughed at you and you would have had a miserable time while watching fireworks. And nobody wants that.
But in his first year with the club, Smith’s become a dependable complementary piece to the Boston offense, making the annual NESN Seventh Player Award an easy call for No. 18.
If nothing more, the award brings some credibility back to the fan-voted award, which has been put under a major microscope after its post-Cup winners included Tyler Seguin in 2011-12 and Dougie Hamilton last year, a definite joke giving those players’ respective ceilings.
“It’s a good experience; you know some of the names that have won that award it says a lot just to be a part of that group,… Smith said of the honor, adding, “I think I’ve worked pretty hard this year and it’s nice to see it pay off a little bit.…
While there were certainly other players that could’ve been considered for the award -- namely Carl Soderberg and Chad Johnson -- it seemed as if Smith’s closeness in terms of making this time and then making the most of his ice-time pushed him above everyone else. I mean, this is a player that battled against Jordan Caron for the final roster spot, not one that led the Swedish Elite League in scoring last year (Soderberg) or gave to Boston with a small-but-strong sample in net last season (Johnson). Again, nobody saw Smith’s contributions coming.
“You set different goals for yourself, and as you hit one you move on to the next one,… said Smith. “Months ago sitting here in training camp just trying to make the team, that was my first goal. There’s been a few that I’ve achieved this year and there’s still a lot more that I’m striving for.…
Past recipients of the award include Lucic (2007-08), Krejci (2008-09), Rask (2009-10), and Brad Marchand (2010-11), and the award is known for giving the winner a brand new car. But according to the 22-year-old Smith, that’s not the case this time around.
“I don’t think I get it. I think it goes to the fan, or whoever they picked there,… Smith said. “I don’t really know, but apparently I don’t get it. I’m a little bummed about that, it would have been nice.…
Give the man a car! He earned the car!
Up next
The Bruins head to Minnesota to take on the Wild on Tuesday night. Boston won a St. Patrick’s Day affair against the Wild a few weeks back, and will take to the ice of the XCel Energy Center with a 23-11-4 record away from the Garden.