Twenty-three ticks into their game against the Canes on Tuesday night — the final stop of a seven-game road trip — the Bruins found themselves up 1-0 thanks to another Patrice Bergeron beautiful redirect of a Dennis Seidenberg blast. That early momentum stuck with the Bruins (despite twice having a two-goal lead trimmed to one) and they were able to pull away for a 5-2 win to complete the road trip with a record of 3-3-1, earning seven of a possible 14 points.
The Bruins also escaped another serious injury as X-rays came up negative on Bergeron after he took a shot off his lower right leg late in the third period. So the B's leave town with the roster they started with, and now the focus can finally shift to Thursday's rematch with Matt Cooke and the Penguins.
But what was it that helped the Bruins break a two-game losing skid and end the trip on a high note?
On Monday, Bergeron deflected a Seidenberg shot for a goal, and on Tuesday he was there to do it again. The two are showing a knack for knowing where each other will be, and Seidenberg is showing that he is not afraid to let it rip from the point in the hope that the traffic in front will help the puck find its way through. Seidenberg now has five assists in eight games with the Bruins.
Other forwards need to follow Bergeron's lead and park themselves in front. We know Mark Recchi, even at 5-foot-10, does it every game, so now with a defenseman like Seidenberg who is intent to put the puck on net, bigger players such as Milan Lucic and Blake Wheeler must be waiting when they're on the ice.
The transition game and counter-attack were things of beauty as well for the Bruins on Tuesday, and that was no more evident than on Johnny Boychuk's second-period goal that put the Bruins up 2-0. Matt Hunwick did a great job of getting back to break up a Carolina 2-on-1 chance, and Boychuk was amazing in starting and finishing the play at the other end. Two defensemen led the way on the B's 3-on-2, and the Boston blue-liners need to play more of that aggressive transition game while the forwards are back in case things go awry.
Michael Ryder, too, had one of his better games in recent memory with a goal and an assist, and that was largely a result of his aggressiveness and willingness to forecheck. His linemate, David Krejci, also chipped in with a goal and an assist, and his confidence is clearly back after a great Olympic showing.
Congrats are due to Recchi, as well, on tying Guy Lafleur with 560 career goals and moving into a tie for 22nd place on the all-time goal-scoring list. Recchi, who also assisted on Bergeron's goal, continues to come through for the Bruins as an offensive and emotional catalyst.
It's also worth mentioning Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask, who was brilliant again with 30 saves in earning his 16th win of the season.
Another good sign from the win on Tuesday was that the Bruins didn't crumble when the Hurricanes showed signs of coming back and threatening the Boston lead. The B's stuck with their game plan and, when Carolina twice cut two-goal leads to one, they twice answered with goals.
Now the Bruins must try to carry this momentum into what has now become one of the most hyped games of the season, what with Cooke's cheap shot on Marc Savard on March 7. While emotions are running high and many feel that the Bruins need to get some form of payback, the Black and Gold must also remember that they need points and must somehow accomplish both.
