Final, Bruins 6-0: The Bruins finish off a dominating 6-0 win in Philadelphia.
Tim Thomas earns his 30th career shutout with a 31-save effort, but he had plenty of support with six different goal scorers and 12 Bruins with points in this rout of the Flyers.
The Bruins and Flyers are now tied atop the East standings with 43 points. The Bruins have more wins (21-20), but the Flyers have more wins in regulation and overtime (20-18). The Bruins next return home for a matchup with archrival Montreal on Monday.
Third Period, 18:29, Bruins 6-0: One more (final?) penalty as James van Riemsdyk gets Daniel Paille up high and goes off for a high-stick.
Third Period, 16:35, Bruins 6-0: The penalties continue as Brad Marchand's night ends early with a 10-minute misconduct.
Third Period, 16:33, Bruins 6-0: The Bruins didn't get a goal on that power play, but did get some guys like Thornton, McQuaid, Hamill and Paille some well-deserved time on the man advantage.
Third Period, 14:33, Bruins 6-0: The Bruins go on the power play as Zac Rinaldo goes back to his favorite spot in the rink — the penalty box. This time he goes off for cross-checking.
Third Period, 12:12, Bruins 6-0: The Bruins add another goal to make it an even half dozen as Tyler Seguin scores.
Seguin fired in a shot from the slot as he used a defender for a screen.
Third Period, 11:58, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins continue to generate offensive chances with no signs of letting up. Boston has been in total control of this one throughout the contest.
Third Period, 8:22, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins kill that penalty off with ease as well, as the sides are back at even strength.
Third Period, 6:22, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins will be shorthanded again as Chris Kelly is sent off for hooking.
Third Period, 1:59, Bruins 5-0: The refs looking to take the life out of this one, as Rinaldo is given a 10-minute misconduct for yapping at Brad Marchand.
Third Period, 1:21, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins have killed off the major penalty as Boston's penalty kill continues to be perfect through the last three games.
Third Period, 0:00, Bruins 5-0: The final frame is under way in Philadelphia, with the Bruins looking to kill off the rest of the major penalty to Milan Lucic and close out what would be a huge win.
Second Intermission Notes: The Bruins extended their lead to 5-0 and remain in complete control of this matchup with the Flyers.
Zdeno Chara completed the Gordie Howe hat trick with an assist on Nathan Horton's power-play goal in the second. Horton is just an assist away from a Gordie of his own, as he battled Zac Rinaldo later in the second. Chara has 1-1-2 totals, four shots and two hits in 15:44 in his first game back from his leg injury.
Milan Lucic has a goal, but he won't get a chance to add to his totals. He was tossed for a check from behind on Rinaldo late in the second. Lucic didn't get any games for his controversial hit on Ryan Miller earlier this season, but this one might catch the league's attention now that he's already on Brendan Shanahan's radar.
Tyler Seguin has an assist and four shots, but still hasn't completely broken out of his funk. Claude Julien has used Shawn Thornton on that line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand a few times in this one in yet another effort to wake up Seguin.
End Second Period, Bruins 5-0: The middle frame comes to a close with the Bruins still in control. They have to kill off the rest of that major penalty and play without Milan Lucic in the third, though.
Second Period, 16:21, Bruins 5-0: Tempers flare again after a Milan Lucic hit from behind draws the ire of the Flyers. Wayne Simmonds tries to get after Lucic, but they can't get going in a big scrum.
Meanwhile, away from the pile, Zac Rinaldo and Nathan Horton square off and trade some big punches. Rinaldo appears to land the better of the punches. The Flyers also get the advantage in the calls, as Lucic gets a major and game misconduct for checking from behind, while Horton and Rinaldo just get matching fighting majors.
Second Period, 15:18, Bruins 5-0: Bobrovsky has been sharp since coming on in relief in goal. He robs Pouliot on a redirection in front there for his latest save.
Second Period, 10:59, Bruins 5-0: The penalties have all expired and the sides are back at even strength.
Second Period, 8:59, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins even the manpower as Benoit Pouliot takes a roughing call for a gloved shot on Max Talbot in front of the benches.
Second Period, 8:22, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins have another power-play chance as Daniel Briere is called for goalie interference.
Second Period, 7:06, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins add another power-play goals as Nathan Horton bangs in a rebound.
Chara had the initial shot from the left point, and Horton followed with the rebound at the left post. That completes the Gordie Howe hat trick for Chara. The Flyers have pulled Bryzgalov for Sergei Bobrovsky.
Second Period, 6:08, Bruins 4-0: The Bruins will go on another power play. James van Riemsdyk is called for roughing, as the refs are trying to keep a tight leash on this one.
Second Period, 3:00, Bruins 4-0: The Flyers have announced that Sean Couturier will not return to this game after taking that shot off the side of his head in the first period.
Second Period, 2:10, Bruins 4-0: The Bruins are back on their heels a bit to open this period, which has been played almost entirely in the Boston end so far.
Claude Julien uses his timeout in response, as he doesn't like what he's seen so far in this frame.
Second Period, 0:00, Bruins 4-0: The middle frame is under way in Philadelphia as the Bruins look to build off a dominant opening period.
First Intermission Notes: The Bruins made quite a statement in that opening period. Now they just need to continue their strong play for two more periods to close out a huge win in Philadelphia.
Zdeno Chara wasted no time getting involved in his return. He took on Flyers heavyweight Jody Shelley early, then added a goal on the power play. Chara just needs an assist to complete the Gordie Howe hat trick. He's also got two shots and two hits in 7:48 and has shown no signs of any lingering issues from his leg injury.
Lots of penalties in the first, and the Bruins are dominating the special teams battle. The Bruins are 2-for-4 on the power play, including their first 5-on-3 goal of the season. Meanwhile, the penalty kill continues rolling, thwarting Philadelphia on all three of its chances. The Bruins are 13-for-13 on the PK in the last three games and 39-for-41 over the last 11.
End First Period, Bruins 4-0: The Bruins kill off that penalty and go into the break with a commanding four-goal lead following one of their most impressive frames of the season.
First Period, 19:11, Bruins 4-0: Flyers rookie Sean Couturier is down and hurt after taking a shot off the side of the head while setting up in front of Thomas on the power play.
First Period, 18:12, Bruins 4-0: A wild scramble in the Bruins crease after the puck goes off the post. Thomas manages to keep the puck out and tempers flare again with a huge scrum. Rich Peverley and Jakub Voracek get matching minors for roughing out of that melee.
First Period, 17:48, Bruins 4-0: The gloves are off again, as Scott Hartnell takes a run at Brad Marchand and Johnny Boychuk takes on Hartnell. Boychuk gets the extra penalty for instigating.
First Period, 17:10, Bruins 4-0: The Bruins convert late in the two-man advantage, as Milan Lucic tips in a Joe Corvo shot.
Lucic redirected the blast from the right point in front for Boston's first 5-on-3 goal of the season.
First Period, 15:26, Bruins 3-0: And the Bruins now have a two-man advantage for 1:56 as Braydon Coburn is called for delay of game for clearing the puck over the glass.
First Period, 15:22, Bruins 3-0: The parade to the penalty box continues, as the Bruins get another power play with Scott Hartnell called for tripping.
First Period, 12:40, Bruins 3-0: The Bruins kill off that penalty as well, though Scott Hartnell did force Thomas to make a tough stop on a one-timer from the slot.
First Period, 10:40, Bruins 3-0: The Bruins can't convert that power play despite a golden chance in front for David Krejci off a nifty passing play. The Bruins then get caught with too many men themselves as the penalty expires and the Flyers will go on the power play.
First Period, 8:38, Bruins 3-0: The Bruins go right back on the power as Max Talbot is called for roughing Johnny Boychuk on a hit along the boards.
First Period, 8:08, Bruins 3-0: The Bruins waste no time taking advantage as Zdeno Chara blasts one home from the left point.
Milan Lucic provided the screen in front as Chara is now two-thirds of the way toward the Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
First Period, 7:59, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins get their first power-play chance with a bench minor to Philadelphia for too many men.
First Period, 7:52, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins kill off the penalty and nearly score shorthanded at the end of it as Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly break in on a 2 on 1. Peverley gets the puck to Kelly for a chance all alone in front, but this time Bryzgalov does make the save.
First Period, 5:52, Bruins 2-0: The Flyers get the first power-play chance of the game, as Joe Corvo takes an interference call. Even worse, he drove Max Talbot down on Tim Thomas' right arm. Thomas looked a bit shaken up, but remains in the game.
First Period, 2:50, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins strike again, cashing in on the momentum of the Chara fight as Daniel Paille scores his third goal in the last two games.
He bangs in a rebound at the left post, and the Flyers take their timeout to try to regroup.
First Period, 2:13, Bruins 1-0: Zdeno Chara announces his return right away, as he drops the gloves with Flyers heavyweight Jody Shelley.
They have words before the faceoff in the Boston end, then drop the gloves as soon as the puck is dropped. Lots of jersey jabs by both and Chara may have slipped in an uppercut before they fall and the linesmen get in.
First Period, 0:27, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins jump out to a quick lead, as Benoit Pouliot scores just 27 seconds into play.
Pouliot redirected a puck in front as he drove hard to the net on the game's opening shift. The play was reviewed, but the goal is good, as there was no kicking motion on the play.
First Period, 0:00, 0-0: This matinee matchup is under way as the top two teams in the East clash. in Philadelphia.
1 p.m.: Zdeno Chara will be in the starting lineup for the Bruins in his return, opening on the blue line with Dennis Seidenberg. Benoit Pouliot, Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley start up front, with Tim Thomas in goal.
The Flyers counter with Wayne Simmonds, Daniel Briere and Matt Read up front, Andrej Meszaros and Matt Carle on defense and Ilya Brysgavlov in net.
12:55 p.m.: With Steven Kampfer and Jordan Caron down in Providence, the only scratch for the Bruins is Gregory Campbell, who is back in Boston with a fractured foot.
The Flyers' list is a bit longer, with Matt Walker, Tom Sestito out along with injured Claude Giroux, Blair Betts, Brayden Scheen, Erik Gustafsson, Andreas Lilja and Chris Pronger.
12:30 p.m.: Tim Thomas and Ilya Bryzgalov led the teams out for warm-ups. That will be the goaltending matchup for this one.
12:10 p.m.: The Bruins and Flyers will faceoff in a key clash between the top two teams in the East in about an hour, and the Bruins will indeed have captain Zdeno Chara back in the lineup.
Chara returns after missing just two games with a left leg injury suffered last Saturday in Columbus.
With Gregory Campbell remaining back in Boston with a fractured foot, Zach Hamill will remain in the lineup centering the fourth line.
11:19 a.m.: NESN's Naoko Funayama has confirmed that Zdeno Chara will indeed play in this one.
8 a.m. ET: After beating Ottawa 5-2 on Wednesday, the Bruins will wrap up their two-game road trip with a visit to Philadelphia on Saturday as the top two teams in the Eastern Conference clash for the first time since the Flyers spoiled Boston's banner-raising on opening night by handing the Bruins a 2-1 defeat.
The Flyers are enjoying a December similar to Boston's November. Philadelphia is 7-0-0 so far this month and sits in first place in the East with 43 points and a 20-7-3 record. Boston went 14-0-1 in November and continues to pile up wins.
The Bruins have won three straight and are 17-2-1 in their last 20 games. That puts them at 20-9-1 overall for 41 points. They can pull even with Philadelphia with a win, but the Flyers would remain in first place by virtue of having all 20 of their wins coming in regulation or overtime, while three of Boston's victories have been in shootouts.
The Bruins appear like they will get Zdeno Chara back for this one, as they sent defenseman Steven Kampfer, along with forward Jordan Caron, to Providence for the weekend. Chara returned to practice on Friday after missing the last two games with a left leg injury suffered last Saturday in Columbus.
The news on the injury front hasn't been nearly as good for the Flyers, who learned this week that Chris Pronger will miss the rest of the season with post-concussion syndrome, while leading scorer Claude Giroux is out indefinitely with a concussion of his own.
The puck drops at 1 p.m., so check back here for updates on all the action.
