At times, the Rangers showed a little bit of spark here and there, but by and large, the Bruins were far and away the better team on their way to winning the series 4-1. Following Boston’s 3-1 win in the deciding game (the same score as the game between the two teams on opening night), the Rangers admitted as much.

“They deserved to win,” Rangers head coach John Tortorella said. “They were the better team. They deserved to win.”

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who pointed to “lucky bounces” as the reason for the Bruins’ success in the series’ early games, also gave the B’s their respect. The goalie, who sat for about 10 minutes with his head in his hands in his dressing room stall after the game, eventually stood in front of the media and praised Boston for its play.

“After their power-play goal, they just took over the game,” Lundqvist said. “I just felt like in this series — I just wanna start by saying congratulations to Boston. They played a great series. They did so many things really well. Forecheck, power play, PK … they’re a great team. I wish them the best. Like I said, we lost ourselves a little bit after their first goal. When they got going in each game, we had a tough time matching it.”

It was fairly clear after just a couple of games that the Bruins had a distinct advantage in depth. In the end, that’s what ended up making the biggest difference.

“I think they’re a deeper team than we are, so we needed to play at a different level,” Tortorella said. “We needed to get a number of different things from different players more consistently, but I watched our team fight tonight to try and extend this series and we get it on the big guy’s stick in the third period with a chance to tie it, and that’s the way it goes.”

“They’re a great team,” Lundqvist added. “The style they play it made it really tough for our D. They play physical, and the only game they gave us something was [Game 4]. They played a really solid game I think and like I said, we stepped up our game in the last couple of games. I stil think we had another level in the first couple of games [that we didn't get to] and when you play a good team like Boston, you can’t afford that.”

With the win, the Bruins advanced to the Eastern Conference finals where they will meet the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Torey Krug continued his unlikely run as a playoff hero by scoring the tying goal in the second period, and Gregory Campbell followed up with the game-winner and an empty-net goal to boot.

Despite a desperate effort by the Blueshirts, the grit of Boston’s fourth line was too much for Henrik Lundqvist to withstand, and the depth of the Bruins forwards won out over the goalie’s superior effort.

Tuukka Rask fended off the Rangers attack from there on out with some help from his teammates, and the Bruins are moving on to face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals.

Click here to see the best photos from Game 5 >>

The Bruins have 20 minutes of hockey standing between them and a date with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the next round of the playoffs. Who would have thought that Torey Krug would be the one leading them there?

The rookie defenseman has dazzled again in Game 5, pushing the Rangers to the brink in a must-win game for New York. NESN Nation’s Dan Duquette is hoping the Bruins can finish this one in style. See more in the above video.

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Third period, 19:10, Bruins 3-1: That might do it.

Gregory Campbell just had a relentless effort, diving and getting just enough of the stick on the puck to push it into an empty net, and the B”s look like they’re gonna have to start getting ready for the Penguins.

Third period, 17:34, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins aren’t slowing down. The David Krejci line just turned in its best shift of the night, and while they didn’t score, they ate a lot of clock and had a few great chances.

Third period, 14:53, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins got a scare as a scrum near the net leads to Ryan Callahan bowling over Tuukka Rask. I’ve seen goalie interference called for less, but apparently they’re gonna let them play.

Third period, 12:43, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins still lead 2-1, but it could have been 3-1. Shawn Thornton was robbed by Henrik Lundqvist on a scoring opportunity that would have given Thornton the Gordie Howe hat trick.

Third period, 11:14, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins don’t look ready to go away, but they did get a huge scare.

Tuukka Rask just made a huge save on a Ryan Callahan breakaway to make sure this game remains in favor of the Bruins.

Third period, 7:55, Bruins 2-1: The Rangers may be a little more than 12 minutes from going home for the summer, but you probably wouldn’t be able to tell judging by their showing here in the third period.

The Bruins are winning the puck battles all over the ice, and the club’s third line is helping that case. Tyler Seguin, Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly haven’t gotten on the score sheet in this one, but they’ve played with good jump through almost two and a half periods.

Third period, 4:57, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins can’t get anything on the power play, and it was a rather ugly showing on the man-advantage.

The B’s did have one golden chance, and that was a Jaromir Jagr wrist shot in front to Henrik Lundqvist’s left. The goalie made the glove save, and frustration has to be setting in for Jagr at this point.

Third period, 2:28, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins have com eout with good legs here in the third, and they’re making it count.

Milan Lucic just skated hard and earned the Bruins a power play, as Derek Dorsett was called for the trip.

Third period, 0:01, Bruins 2-1: The third period is under way with the B’s looking to put this series away.

Second period reaction: That was a tremendous period for the Bruins. The B’s owned that 20 minutes, and they have the goals and the lead to show for it.

Much of the period was spent in the New York zone, and the Bruins were just relentless. Once again, it was Henrik Lundqvist who was the most impressive player on the ice, and he’s the reason the B’s are only leading 2-1 right now. Had it not been for the Rangers goalie, we could be looking at a 5-1 game right now.

That alone should be a reminder to the Bruins as to how quickly this game could shift. They saw that in Game 4 when Tuukka Rask fell, and there’s no excuse (especially given how Lundqvist is playing) for them to come out in the third period like their hair is on fire. The Rangers are vulnerable right now, and the Bruins could put them away with a quick start to what they hope will be New York’s final period this season.

End second period, Bruins 2-1: The second period comes to an end with the Bruins in front 2-1, and the B’s will get 53 seconds of power-play time in the third.

Second period, 18:53, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins are getting another power play.

Derek Dorsett is called for slashing, and the B’s get the man-advantage.

Second period, 13:41, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins have owned this period, and now they own the lead.

Gregory Campbell did a great job of crashing the net, and he was there to clean up a loose puck and beat Henrik Lundqvist blocker side to give Boston its first lead of the game.

Second period, 10:24, 1-1: Henrik Lundqvist has brought the good stuff in the first half of this game.

The Bruins’ first line just turned up the pressure in a big way, with four splendid chances, but Lundqvist turned them all aside.

First it was Nathan Horton in the slot, which the goaltender turned away to his right. That led to a shot from the point that was tipped by David Krejci and stopped by Lundqvist. Seconds later, Milan Lucic’s shot was tipped, but it went right to Horton in the middle of the slot. His shot was stopped by Lundqvist, as was the rebound chance from Krejci just to the goaltender’s left.

Second period, 8:53, 1-1: Nothing doing for the Rangers on their second power play of the game.

Adam McQuaid was very good for the B’s late in the kill, and Matt Bartkowski actually got a breakaway just a few seconds after leaving the penalty box, but he put the shot right in Henrik Lundqvist’s chest.

Second period, 6:39, 1-1: The Bruins, who have a little jump in their steps after the Torey Krug goal, are left to try and kill off another penalty.

Matt Bartkowski was just called for a very iffy tripping penalty, and the B’s will look to cool off the suddenly red-hot New York power play.

Second period, 3:48, 1-1: This is Torey Krug’s world, and we’re all living in it.

The rookie defenseman continues to shine, and he scores on the power play again with an absolute rocket from the right point by Henrik Lundqvist to tie the game early in the second period.

Second period, 2:37, Rangers 1-0: The Bruins’ power play was great in Game 4, and they’re hoping it can get them going again here.

Mats Zuccarrello was just called for hooking Tyler Seguin, and the B’s get their first power play of the game.

Second period, 0:30, Rangers 1-0: The second period is underway.

First period reaction: If nothing else, that was a highly entertaining first period between two teams that have brought the rough stuff to open Game 5.

The Bruins obviously find themselves down on the scoreboard, but they’re getting their chances. They actually outshot New York 9-8 in the first period, and that included a couple of brilliant saves by Henrik Lundqvist who has been fantastic. That’s the problem, though. Through the first period, it looks like the Bruins are getting the good Lundqvist, the version of the Vezina finalist that had many leaning toward the Rangers in this series. So while the B’s are getting chances, you already start to get the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they won’t be able to crack him in this one.

There’s still a long way to go, however, so we’ll save that talk in earnest for a little later on. The first period was a physical one, for sure. That was highlighted by Shawn Thornton’s fight with Derek Dorsett early in the period, but it wasn’t limited to just that. The two teams have gotten chippy after whistles, and we’ve already seen a couple of glass-rattling body checks. One of the best had to have come from Milan Lucic who pancaked Dorsett in the corner after Lucic did a terrific job of back-checking.

The Rangers, in addition to getting a great period from Lundqvist, have also found a little mojo on the power play. The Rangers snapped a nasty cold streak in Game 4 with Brian Boyle’s power-play tally, and they added another one here in the first on a Dan Girardi blast from the point. Other than that, Tuukka Rask was solid with a couple of nice pad saves, including one that likely saved a goal on a Ryan McDonagh shot late in the period.

End first period, Rangers 1-0: An entertaining, rather quick-moving first period just came to an end with the Rangers leading 1-0 after 20 minutes.

First period, 14:58, Rangers 1-0: Henrik Lundqvist has been absolutely fantastic so far. Just ask Milan Lucic.

The Bruins forward has been robbed twice already by Lundqvist’s glove, including a splendid chance a few minutes ago in the slot that Lundqvist calmly grabbed out of midair.

Rich Peverley was also turned away on a shorthanded chance that ramped up Ryan McDonagh’s stick, but Lundqvist turned it aside with a shoulder save.

First period, 10:39, Rangers 1-0: The Rangers’ power play has awoken.

Dan Girardi just ripped a shot from the point that beat Tuukka Rask glove side to give the Rangers the 1-0 lead midway through the first period.

First period, 9:45, 0-0: This has been by far the most physical game of the series, and apparently the referees don’t like how chippy it’s been played so far.

David Krejci just got the game’s first penalty, as he was called for cross-checking. New York, which got its power play going in Game 4, gets the first chance of Game 5.

FIrst period, 6:49, 0-0: This building is about as loud as it’s been all postseason, aside from Game 7 of the Toronto series, and we have Shawn Thornton to thank for that.

The Bruins enforcer finally decided to oblige Derek Dorsett with a fight at center ice in which Thornton tried to rip Dorsett’s head off, I think.

Great action up and down the ice in the early going.

First period, 0:01, 0-0: Let’s go. Game 5 is under way.

5:25 p.m.: The Bruins have made it official, and Dennis Seidenberg will return to the lineup. Dougie Hamilton is the scratch.

The B’s will start with the Patrice Bergeron line, while the Rangers will go with Ryan Callahan’s line.

5:15 p.m.: On the New York end of the ice, forward Brad Richards was not on the ice for the pregame warmups, so it looks like he’s a scratch again.

Anton Stralman and Arron Asham are both out as well, meaning the Rangers appear to be going with the same lineup for Game 5.

5:10 p.m.: The Bruins and Rangers are still on the ice for pregame warmups, and it looks like Dennis Seidenberg will return for the Bruins.

The veteran blue liner was skating alongside Zdeno Chara for all of warmups, so it looks like he’ll get the nod. Who he’ll replace, however, is still up in the air. Dougie Hamilton would seem to be the odd man out, but he was also taking a turn or two with Adam McQuaid in place of Torey Krug. It’s kind of hard to believe Krug would sit, but we’ll have to wait and see.

4:26 p.m.: Claude Julien didn’t offer any real update to his lineup situation other than to say Dennis Seidenberg will take part in the pregame warmups. Julien said they’ll know better after that.

4:10 p.m.: New York head coach John Tortorella just got done meeting with the media, and he he really didn’t have much to offer, which is no real surprise.

The highlights:

Tortorella says his room has never gotten down, but they’re hoping to gain some momentum from the Game 4 win and make that carry over today.

There is no update on Anton Stralman.

The coach likes what the fourth line gave him in Game 4, and he likes what they can do in terms of generating energy by doing things like getting to loose pucks and succeeding at other little things like that.

Tortorella says that Henrik Lundqvist is so good the head coach doesn’t even pay attention to his goalie, and he also said that Ryan McDonagh is going to “play a ton” in this one.

That was about it really.

3:40 p.m.: Good afternoon from TD Garden where the Bruins and Rangers are about an hour from getting under way in Game 5 of this second-round series.

Bruins coach Claude Julien is about 40 minutes from taking the podium for his pregame news conference where hopefully he’ll clue us in on what he’s going to do with his lineup in terms of who’s in and who’s out on defense.

Both Wade Redden and Dennis Seidenberg skated at practice Friday, and they both appear to be getting closer and closer to returning. Who one or either of them would replace in the lineup is something we hopefully find out in a few minutes.

8 a.m. ET: All it takes is one win sometimes. The Rangers are hoping that’s the case in their second-round series with the Bruins, and they’ll look to prove that on Saturday in Game 5 against the Bruins.

The B’s, who have made a habit out of making things very, very interesting in series over the past few seasons, have some thinking they’re in the position to cough upf another big lead. The Bruins took a 3-0 series lead into Game 4 on Thursday night, and quite frankly, Boston played one of its worst games of the playoffs. Despite taking a 2-0 lead midway through the second period, the Bruins saw that lead evaporate before losing Game 4 in overtime on a Chris Kreider game-winning goal.

Boston had a great chance to sweep the series and earn themselves a pretty nice rest over Memorial Day weekend. Instead, they made a handful of costly errors en route to the OT loss. Now the Bruins head home looking to put things away with the Pittsburgh Penguins waiting for their Eastern Conference finals opponent.

The Bruins may have a decision to make on the blue line entering Game 5. Dennis Seidenberg is getting healthier, and despite the contributions from a trio of rookie defensemen, it might make most sense to reinsert the veteran defenseman for a pretty important Game 5.

Puck drop is slated for 5:30 p.m. at TD Garden.

Brad Marchand is affectionately known as the “Little Ball of Hate” around Boston. He is sure to have many more colorful nicknames elsewhere if you ask fans in other cities.

The Bruins forward has made a living in the postseason drawing the ire of opposing teams and fanbases alike, and the 2013 campaign has been no different. This time, it is the Rangers’ Derick Brassard who has been the focus of much mischief, although Marchand has done a good job of staying out of trouble for the most part against New York.

MSG broadcaster John Giannone joined the Bruins Face-Off LIVE crew before Game 5 to discuss Marchand’s play against the Blueshirts so far in the series. Check it out in the video above or on NESN’s YouTube channel.

The Bruins are up 3-1 in their Eastern Conference semifinals against the Rangers. Why does it sometimes feel like it’s the other way around?

Boston’s history with 3-0 series leads isn’t the greatest, admittedly, but even a shaky closeout against the Maple Leafs in Round 1 shouldn’t be enough to derail the team’s momentum this postseason. After all, the Bruins didn’t even play particularly well against the Rangers in Game 4 — and even then, they almost won.

NESN Nation’s Dan Duquette is hoping the B’s can take care of business on Saturday night. See why in the above video.

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Maybe he made Richards a healthy scratch just so he could get someone to ask him about it at the after-game news conference, and then use it as an excuse for a Tortorella classic.

Tortorella got all over a reporter who dared to ask Thursday why Richards and his beaucoup salary were out for Game 4. While Tortorella usually revels in the art of brevity, he gave a full speech to defend Richards.

Tortorella went on about how great a player Richards is, saying he’s won a Conn Smythe trophy and that he just wants to help Richards figure out how to get back to form.

“So none of ya’s — don’t put words in my mouth,” he said. “It’s not blaming Brad Richards. I’ve already heard enough of that crap already, as far as this is concerned. … Kiss my [expletive] if you want to write something different.”

Tortorella mixed his share of salty language into the diatribe. Check it out in the video below.

Click here for John Tortorella’s Top 10 Rants >>

New York has new life. That’s the diagnosis after a tough Game 4 loss for the Bruins, who allowed a couple of bad goals and squandered a couple of leads in letting the Rangers extend the series for at least one more game.

With a chance to close out the Eastern Conference semifinals on the road, the B’s let the Blueshirts capitalize on a couple of big mistakes. That means the series will head back to Boston for a Game 5 that, through the early part of the game on Thursday night, looked like the Rangers had no interest in playing.

But play they will, and NESN Nation’s Dan Duquette is hoping that it will go better than Game 4 did for the Black and Gold. Check out his postgame thoughts in the video above and vote for your player of the game in the poll below.

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Chris Kreider‘s game-winning goal 7:03 into overtime allowed the Rangers to stave off elimination in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Bruins.

After goals by Nathan Horton and Torey Krug gave Boston a 2-0 advantage in the second period, consecutive goals by the Rangers knotted the score just over a minute into the third.

Tyler Seguin finally tallied his first goal of the playoffs to put the B’s back ahead, but a power-play goal by New York’s Brian Boyle tied the game at 3-3 just two minutes later. That deadlock would last through the end of regulation and into the extra session until Kreider’s deflection past Tuukka Rask ended it.

Still holding a 3-1 series lead, the Bruins will have another chance to close out the Blueshirts in Game 5 on Saturday at TD Garden.

Check out the best photos from Game 4 >>

Rick Nash feeds Kreider, and the former Boston College Eagle beats Tuukka Rask.

Overtime, 6:52, 3-3: The Bruins just tilted the ice with a few great scoring chances from the Patrice Bergeron line. All three players had a chance to score.

Overtime, 3:21, 3-3: Tuukka Rask opens overtime with two big saves on Risk Nash and another on Chris Kreider.

Overtime, 0:10, 3-3: Overtime is underway.

End third period, 3-3: The Bruins were able to keep the game tied in the final seconds, and we’re going to overtime.

Third period, 19:06, 3-3: We’ve got under a minute to play here in the third.

The Bruins, with their fourth line on the ice, just iced the puck. Claude Julien intelligently takes his timeout.

Third period, 14:25, 3-3: The Rangers had a great power play, but they weren’t able to score.

They came real close just after the penalty expired, though, as Brian Boyle got a shot on in the slot. The rebound wasn’t controlled by Tuukka Rask, which gave Boyle another chance. He put a shot that looked destined for the back of the net at Rask, but the goalie made an unbelievable arm save to keep the game tied.

Third period, 12:00, 3-3: The Rangers get another power play, this time thanks to Chris Kelly.

The Boston forward was called for tripping, and the B’s are back on the kill.

Third period, 10:00, 3-3: The Rangers just made the Bruins pay for a bad penalty, and it’s a tie game again.

Brian Boyle just beat Tuukka Rask after a gorgeous centering pass, and Boyle sniped it by Rask.

Third period, 8:55, Bruins 3-2: Now the Bruins have to go back on the penalty kill.

They got caught in a sloppy change, and they were called for too many men on the ice.

Third period, 8:06, Bruins 3-2: Tyler Seguin finally breaks through, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bruins.

Seguin was turned away by Henrik Lundqvist on a one-timer after a gorgeous pass from Dougie Hamilton, but Seguin put home his rebound to give the Bruins the lead.

Third period, 6:04, 2-2: A play that was almost a disaster for the Bruins turns into a power play.

The Rangers had a 3-on-2 in the Boston zone with plenty of speed, but Ryan McDonagh crashed the net a little too hard and bowled over Tuukka Rask.

He gets two for goalie interference, and this is obviously a huge power play for the Bruins.

Third period, 1:15, 2-2: Derek Stepan just abused Zdeno Chara and Tuukka Rask, and it’s a tie game now.

Stepan muscled a puck away from Chara behind the net and beat an out-of-position Rask with a wraparound goal.

Not the way the Bruins wanted to start the third.

Third period, 0:10, Bruins 2-1: The third period is underway.

Second period reaction: For the first time since this series shifted to New York, we saw a little bit of something from the Rangers in the second period. The unfortunate thing for them, however, is that the Bruins scored twice in the second.

The B’s took full advantage of the hapless Blueshirts early in the period with a pair of power-play goals. The Bruins were able to easily move the puck on the power play, and they made New York pay. It also didn’t help that Henrik Lundqvist let a puck through the five-hole on the Nathan Horton goal. The Torey Krug goal, meanwhile, would have been a tough one for anyone, as he may have never seen the youngster’s blast from the point.

The Rangers really shouldn’t even be on the board right now. Tuukka Rask fell and then did a poor job of recovering, and that’s the only reason the Rangers have a goal right now. However, they did get that aforementioned jump after the weird goal, and they brought it for a few minutes after that. The stretch following the goal, which lasted a few minutes, was the best New York has played all game. They got into the Boston zone and established possession. Rask did a great job of bouncing back after the ugly goal to keep the lead intact.

End second period,  Bruins 2-1: The second period comes to an end with the Bruins leading 2-1. The Rangers have 20 minutes to save their season.

Second period, 16:47, Bruins 2-1: The Rangers weren’t able to get anything on the power play, but they did have a chance just after the penalty expired.

A loose puck bounced to Derek Stepan in the slot, and he just kind of whiffed on it. That gave Daniel Paille just enough time to clear the puck out of danger.

Second period, 13: 28, Bruins 2-1: The Rangers, who are gaining momentum after that fluky goal, are going on the power play.

Jaromir Jagr pulled down Derek Stepan, and he gets called for holding.

Second period, 8:39, Bruins 2-1: Just as quickly as the Bruins take the 2-0 lead, the Rangers respond with a weird goal.

The Rangers were entering the zone with a little bit of momentum as they chased the puck. That’s when Tuukka Rask caught an edge and just fell down. The puck was shot by Carl Hagelin and blocked by Johnny Boychuk before it just rolled by Tuukka Rask.

Second period, 7:41, Bruins 2-0: Torey Krug, ladies and gentlemen.

There was plenty of traffic in front from two Rangers defensemen, but Krug blew a slap shot by Henrik Lundqvist. That was just a rocket.

Second period, 6:04, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins will get a chance to add to their lead on the power play.

Michael Del Zotto was called for interference.

Second period, 4:39, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins have the game’s first lead, thanks to a power-play goal, of all things.

Nathan Horton just sneaked a shot through Henrik Lundqvist’s legs, and the B’s have the 1-0 lead.

Second period, 3:09, 0-0: Kris Newbury just bowled over Tuukka Rask. You can’t do that. The Bruins get the power play.

Second period, 0:10, 0-0: The second period is underway.

First period reaction: The stats certainly say the Bruins dominated the first period, and while that may be a little misleading, I certainly think the Bruins have been the better team.

The Bruins are certainly pressuring the Rangers, and they’re forcing New York to make some uncomfortable plays. The B’s are already outshooting New York 12-4, and the Rangers didn’t get their first shot until about six minutes into the game.

John Tortorella said after Game 3 and before Game 4 that his players needs to do a better job of possessing the puck. So far, they haven’t done that very well. Tortorella also said they needed to get in on the forecheck in order to get the puck. They haven’t done that, either. I really think that’s the difference so far. There hasn’t been much urgency, which is puzzling, really. You would have thought that the Rangers would at least come out with a big jump in the early going, but that wasn’t the case.

It certainly looks like the Bruins are the team that wants it more, and they look like the team that’s down 0-3, not the Rangers.

End first period, 0-0: Twenty minutes in the book, and we’ve got a scoreless game.

First period, 15:00, 0-0: The Bruins kill off the penalty, and the Rangers’ struggles continue.

They did look somewhat competent on the man-advantage, and Tuukka Rask made a big save on Rick Nash.

First period, 12:29, 0-0: Now it’s time for the Rangers to go on a power play, which has been good news for the Bruins when it’s happened so far in this series.

The Rangers are 0-for-10 with the man-advantage in this series, and they are just 2 for their last 38. Matt Bartkowski is the guilty party, as he was called for slashing.

First period, 6:10, 0-0: The Bruins didn’t get much of anything at all going on the power play, and we’re scoreless because of it.

The new Rangers’ fourth line looks like it’s all about trying to mix it up. They took a couple of runs in their first shift opposite Boston’s fourth line, and Derek Dorsett tried to get Adam McQuaid to engage in a fight to no avail.

With how well the Bruins’ fourth line has played in this series, especially in Game 3, it makes no sense for any of them to drop the gloves at this point.

First period, 1:43, 0-0: The Bruins will get the game’s first power play, and their first power play in New York.

Welcome back, Roman Hamrlik, as he’s called for delay of game as he fires the puck over the glass.

First period, 0:01, 0-0: The first period is underway, and the Bruins are looking to sweep away the Rangers.

6:38 p.m.: The Bruins have taken the ice for pregame warmups, and by golly, no lineup changes.

Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden didn’t even go out for the skate, so they’re out.

On the Rangers’ side, Brad Richards and Arron Asham are out, Micheal Haley and Kris Newbury are in. On the blue line, Anton Stralman is out, and he’ll be replaced by veteran blueliner Roman Hamrlik.

6:25 p.m.: If the Bruins win Game 4, and that’s still a big if, at this point, will John Tortorella lose his job because of it?

John Giannone just said on NESN pregame coverage that he thinks Tortorella will be safe no matter what happens in Game 4 and in the rest of this series. Giannone speculated that since Tortorella didn’t get a full training camp to work out his club, he didn’t get a chance to fully implement his style of play. Quite frankly, I don’t buy that one bit. I do think that Tortorella’s job should be in jeopardy if the Rangers lose this game. It might be time for a change of voice in The Big Apple if the Rangers can’t come back and make a series out of this. It just looks like that team is starting to kind of tune him out. That’s something that should be considered before the lack of a training camp or some other excuse like that.

6 p.m.: It’s almost hockey time.

As a reminder, we’ve got the 7 p.m. puck drop instead of the 7:30 p.m. start we’ve seen in the other night games in this series. Also, pregame coverage is beginning right now on NESNplus.

3:10 p.m.: Claude Julien isn’t going to offer any clue as to what lineup he’ll go with for Game 4.

“Our lineup will be on the ice for warmup tonight, guys,” he told the media in a minute-long session after his club’s morning skate. “That’s all I’m gonna say about that.”

The obvious decision will be what the club does on the blue line with its defensemen. The Bruins have obviously won all three games with a blue line featuring three rookies. However, both Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden are getting healthy; both players were on the ice for morning skate.

However, the Bruins did go with the same defensive pairs during the skate that they have used all three games of this series. Wade Redden and Dennis Seidenberg were paired together as the fourth pair, which would seem to indicate they’ll be out for at least one more game.

It would make some sense, too, given the team’s lead in the series. If the Bruins can close out the series tonight, and they can do so without putting either of those veteran D-men in, why wouldn’t they do it? They’re looking at a few days of rest if they can close it out in Game 4, which would allow both guys time to get healthy. So you can go ahead and add that to the list of reasons it’s big for the Bruins to clinch Thursday night.

3 p.m.: Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist hasn’t necessarily been great in this series, and the Bruins have certainly taken advantage of that.

The New York goalie was great in Game 3, though, but the Bruins were still able to escape with the win. They got a little help with some puck luck, according to Lundqvist.

“”I’ve looked at a few games and they definitely got some lucky bounces,” Lundqvist said, according to ESPN.

See what else Lundqvist had to say by clicking here.

1:10 p.m.: Jaromir Jagr was not on the ice for morning skate, but that doesn’t appear to be much of an issue at all. He skated Wednesday at an optional practice, so he’ll be good to go for Game 4.

1:05 p.m.: So as we said, Brad Richards is out for Game 4, but that’s not the only lineup change the Rangers are making.

Arron Asham and Anton Stralman also appear to be out. Get caught up with all of the lineup changes by clicking here.

12:05 p.m.: The biggest news out of New York in advance of Game 4 is that the Rangers will be without a past Conn Smythe winner, and it’s by the head coach’s choice.

New York forward Brad Richards will not play, as John Tortorella is making him a healthy scratch for a do-or-die Game 4.

8 a.m. ET: The Bruins will be in a familiar position when the puck drops for Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, and they can call on examples of both the right way and the wrong way to handle the situation.

The B’s will take on the Rangers on Thursday night, and they’ll have a chance to end the Rangers’ season. Boston enters Game 4 holding the 3-0 series lead after the 2-1 win over the Blueshirts on Tuesday night. Only a few teams have blown a 3-0 series lead, including this Bruins team, under Claude Julien, just three years ago against the Flyers. Of course, the Bruins bounced back a year later to win the Stanley Cup, sweeping the Flyers in the process.

Boston got another reminder of how important it is to close a series in the first round of this year’s playoffs, too. Toronto pushed the B’s to the brink after the Bruins had a 3-1 series lead before hanging on to win the series with a Game 7 overtime win.

So if anyone knows the importance of closing things out with a big series lead, it should be the Bruins. The Rangers aren’t necessarily inspiring any confidence right now, either. New York has been outplayed in all three games of the series, and even with Henrik Lundqvist standing on his head in Game 3, it just wasn’t quite enough. Making matters worse for John Tortorella’s bunch is that they’re a little banged up following a physical, bloody Game 3. Both defenseman Anton Stralman and forward Chris Kreider both left Tuesday’s game with injuries that will bear keeping an eye on in Game 4.

Other than that, Game 4 will be all about which team is more desperate. The Rangers’ desperation is obvious. The Bruins, meanwhile, would probably love nothing more than to end the series now and get some rest in advance of the Eastern Conference finals.

Puck drop for Game 4 is set for just after 7 p.m. in New York.

The Rangers scored one of the strangest goals you’ll ever see in the second period of Thursday’s Game 4 against the Bruins, and it energized the team. Luckily, the Bruins had an “energy” line waiting to help neutralize the threat.

Now, as the Blueshirts head into the third period of what could be their last game of the year, Tuukka Rask and the B’s have a lead — but the Rangers have nothing to lose, until they lose. NESN Nation’s Dan Duquette has more in the above video.

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The Bruins now have four chances to beat the New York Rangers and advance to the next round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Please, oh please, we hope they only need one.

Because if they need any more than that, that’s when the rumblings start — and the Bruins don’t need any rumblings to distract them right now. With a chance to close out the series now, Bruins fans should be hoping more than anything that they seize it. Because while losing is bad, having to deal with the drama that comes with losing can be even worse.

NESN Nation’s Dan Duquette has more in the above video.

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He was doing just that only a few hours before his team looks to avoid being swept out of the playoffs in Game 4 of their second-round series with the Bruins. This time, it’s the bounces’ fault.

“I’ve looked at a few games, and they definitely got some lucky bounces,” Lundqvist said Thursday morning, according to ESPN.com. “Last game I blame the loss on lucky bounces, but they haven’t changed the way they’re playing. They shoot from the point and they get a lot of people in front of the net. That’s what they do, and they’re good at it. You just have to play them hard and make sure we make it tough for them to get in front.”

Lundqvist turned in his best performance in Game 3 against Boston, when he made a series of highlight-reel saves. However, the Bruins were able to will a couple of pucks by the New York netminder, which was just enough to eek out a 2-1 win to take the 3-0 series lead. It was easily the goalie’s best effort of the series after he allowed three goals and five goals in Games 1 and 2, respectively.

Somewhat coincidentally, Lundqvist was actually helped by a good bounce in Game 3 just seconds before the game-winning goal. The puck went straight up in the air and then down behind Lundqvist before it took a crazy bounce on the goal line and out. That’s when Daniel Paille beat a Rangers defenseman to the puck and banged it home for the eventual game-winner.

The two are now in New York, of course, and Tortorella will go into Thursday’s do-or-die Game 4 against the Bruins without Richards. The head coach has decided to make Richards a healthy scratch for Game 4, a seemingly unprecedented move, even with the forward’s recent struggles.

That’s not the only change Tortorella will make for his Game 4 lineup. Forward Arron Asham will also be a healthy scratch as the Rangers look to climb out of a 3-0 series hole. Kris Newbury and Micheal Haley, who have one Stanley Cup playoff game between the two of them, will be in for Richards and Asham. Defenseman Anton Stralman, who sufferd an injury in Game 3, is also expected to be out. The initial speculation is that veteran blue liner Roman Hamrlik will replace Stralman.

The big story, though, is Richards. The veteran forward has an annual cap hit of almost $7 million after signing a nine-year, $60 million contract prior to last season. He did post 11-23-34 totals during the regular season, but he has just one goal in 10 playoff games this season. He had been skating on the Rangers’ fourth line and averaging about 15 minutes of ice time leading up to the healthy scratch.

Surely Lundqvist would bounce back in Game 3 with a much better effort, perhaps a sterling showing that would steal New York a win and get them right back in the series. But Lundqvist was damn good Tuesday night in Game 3, and even that wasn’t enough. The Bruins, despite being frustrated by big save after big save, eventually did just enough and got enough good fortune to beat Lundqvist and the Rangers.

Boston took Lundqvist’s best shot, and they were even a little bit better. And now, the series is over.

The Rangers’ best chance to win this series was for Lundqvist to play like the best goalie in the world. For two games, he was far from that, but on Tuesday, he started to resemble a Vezina finalist again. He was there to turn away both Chris Kelly and Tyler Seguin on breakaways in the first period. He stopped Jaromir Jagr point-blank. Twice. There was a stunning glove save on Gregory Campbell in the second, perhaps only bested by another glove save on Seguin in the third.

There were only two ways that the Rangers were going to win this series. The New York power play is a train wreck right now, the Rangers have a dearth in depth compared to the ultra-deep Bruins, and, quite frankly, Claude Julien is outcoaching John Tortorella right now. One of the only ways for New York to win was to have the Bruins fall back into that whole Jekyll and Hyde thing and cough up a game or four. The second, of course, would have been to have Lundqvist steal a game or two or the entire series.

He tried — boy, did he try — to steal Game 3. For much of the game, it looked like he was going to do it. The Rangers got the game’s first goal in the second period, and it looked like one was going to be good enough. But one of the differences in the series through games has been the Bruins’ ability to do more of the little things than the Rangers. The B’s, especially the fourth line, started to get to the net. They started to get traffic in front of Lundqvist. As we saw in Game 2, sometimes beating a world-class goalie is as simple as getting in front of him.

They tied it up with tremendous net-front traffic, and Boston won it with more traffic and a lucky bounce.

“It hasn’t been our game so far,” Lundqvist said after the game. “We have to work a little harder to get the bounces. We got closer, but again I’ve got to give them some credit, too, the way they play and the way they show up in front of the net and make it pretty tough.”

Arguably the best chance for the Rangers to win the series was to have Lundqvist stand on his head night after night. While he didn’t do that in Games 1 or 2, he brought his best when his team needed it most in Game 3. He was good — he was really good — and it wasn’t enough. They needed his best, they got his best, and they still lost the game. That, along with a 3-0 series deficit, is just something you just don’t come back from.

The Bruins’ fourth line has been called many things. The players are probably OK with them all, as long as you can call them “winners.”

You can on Tuesday night after a gritty, gutsy performance pushed the B’s to a 3-0 series lead over the New York Rangers. After the dramatic, come-from-behind victory, NESN’s Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley were rinkside at Madison Square Garden to break down the action.

Check out what the two had to say in the above video.

While the contributions of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton don’t always stand out on the stat sheet at the end of games, their efforts certainly don’t go unappreciated. Every now and then, though, their contributions extend beyond the little things and the intangibles.

That was the case Tuesday night in New York, as the Bruins beat the Rangers 2-1 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead in their second-round series. The fourth line was on the ice for both Bruins goals, including Paille’s game-winner with 3:31 to play in the third period.

The fourth line in Boston is one of the best in the league, even if they don’t always get rewarded with goals, points or even a ton of ice time. But you saw how important they can be in Game 3, and that was even before they helped the club to two third-period goals.

“They were working hard,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “They’ve scored some big goals for us in the playoffs. I have confidence in that line, I’ve said it a million times. [Tuesday night] was no exception; they were on for both goals.”

The Merlot Line, as they’re affectionately known because of their wine-colored practice jerseys, was arguably the Bruins’ best line all night. With Henrik Lundqvist standing on his head for the first two periods, the fourth line was going to the net and creating traffic in front better than any of the other Boston lines.

That finally paid off in the biggest way early in the third period. With Thornton standing in the right side of the slot and Campbell parked in front of the net, Johnny Boychuk somehow finagled a wrist shot through the maze of white and blue sweaters. On a night where it looked like Lundqvist might pitch a shutout after allowing five goals in Game 2, the goal obviously gave the B’s a shot of momentum.

That goal sparked the Bruins in the midst of a siege on the New York end that hadn’t quite put the puck in the net. From there, the momentum was sustained until Paille’s goal later in the period that proved to be the game-winner.  It’s not the first time the fourth line has jump-started the Bruins in this postseason, either. At least one shift from Game 4 of the Toronto series stands out as a time when the trio gave the Bruins energy leading up to overtime, where the B’s eventually won.

The end result Tuesday was five combined points for the fourth line in the club’s biggest win of the year. Of course, with the fourth line, it’s not just the scoring. Paille and Campbell both saw a good amount of time on the penalty kill that kept the Rangers from converting on either of their power plays. Thornton, as he’s been known to do, was there to defend his teammate when Brad Marchand got into it with Derek Dorsett in the second period. Thornton had a word with Dorsett, and that was about the last anyone heard from him.

Julien’s insistence to “roll four lines” has been maligned at times over his tenure in Boston, but it’s tough to argue with the results at this point. The fourth line’s impact was immeasurable in the Stanley Cup Final two springs ago, and they continue to do everything that’s asked of them here in this postseason.

“They’re very capable,” Julien understated after the game.  ”You look at Paille’s speed; he puts D’s on their heels. Soupy keeps working hard and Thorty’s a smart player. … That’s been a good line for us. You utilize them because they’re good, not because you have to. “

In Game 3, where it looked like the Bruins might end up on the short side against a dominant goalie and a desperate hockey club, the Bruins’ fourth line was their best line.

Boston’s fourth line was on the ice for both of their goals in Game 3, including Daniel Paille‘s game-winner with 3:31 to play in regulation. Gregory Campbell‘s shot from the left boards ricocheted off linemate Shawn Thornton and over the head of Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. The puck bounced dangerously close to the goal line, but Paille was there to hammer it home, paving the way for the Bruins to take a 3-0 lead in the teams’ Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Check out Paille’s wacky game-winner below.

The Bruins’ fourth line is usually known for its energy and toughness. More often than not, Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton will draw acclaim for punching a player rather than a puck into the back of the net. That wasn’t the case on Tuesday.

Paille’s game-winning goal pushed the Bruins one game closer to eliminating the New York Rangers, as Boston grabbed a commanding 3-0 series lead with the win. If the fourth line keeps clicking as it has all postseason, the B’s could be moving on to the next round quite soon.

NESN Nation’s Dan Duquette is giving Paille our “Fourth-Line Fireworks” player of the game award. Who gets yours?

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With Shawn Thornton turning out to be the latest unlikely player to make major contributions to a victory, the Bruins saved all their scoring for the third period in the 2-1 win. Opportunistic goals by Daniel Paille and Johnny Boychuk helped the B’s take a 3-0 lead over the Rangers in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals.

Thornton recorded an assist on each of those goals, which overcame the second-period tip-in by Taylor Pyatt to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead. Boychuk’s goal tied the game, but Paille’s goal featured a play unlike anything most fans have ever seen. The puck caromed off Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist and high into the air, barely staying outside the red line. But while the Rangers breathed a sigh of relief, Paille sneaked in and tapped the puck into the net for the game-winning goal.

Check out the best photos from Game 3 >>