Editor’s note: Starting Tuesday, March 24, NESN will re-air memorable games from the Boston Bruins’ Stanley Cup run. Up next is Game 4 of the 2011 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia Flyers. See the full schedule by clicking here.
The result of Game 4 in the Boston Bruins’ 2011 second-round playoff series was far different than in the 2010 installment.
After blowing a 3-0 series lead in 2010, the Bruins closed the door on the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 in 2011, completing the sweep of a team that embarrassed them a year prior.
It was a tidy 5-1 win for the Bruins, who finished the series having outscored Philly 20-7.
Here are five things you might have forgotten about Game 4, which viewers can watch at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday night on NESN.
1. Milan Lucic scored his first goal of the playoffs
Given the offensive behemoth Lucic was early last decade, it’s hard to believe it took him 11 games to bury his first goal in the 2011 playoffs.
But alas, better late than never, as he potted a pair of goals in the clinching game against Philly. The first was right on the doorstep while on the man advantage to open up scoring in the first period, then he scored again in the third to make it 3-1.
2. There was another “Johnny Rocket”
During the third period with the game tied, the blueliner unloaded an absolute missile from the point, as he was known to do, for Boston’s game-winning goal.
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3. Sean O’Donnell had a weird assessment of the series
Considering the Bruins throttled the Flyers in the series, it seemed apparent they deserved to be the group moving on.
But Flyers defenseman Sean O’Donnell did have this kind of weird remark after the game.
“I’m not going to say the better team won, but the team that was playing better is moving on,” O’Donnell said, via The AP.
Technically, the Flyers were the better team during the regular season. But it was a bit of an unusual statement after getting swept and outscored 20-7.
4. The game was not nearly as lopsided as the score indicated
Things actually were level-pegging through much of the game, which entered the final period tied at one.
But Boychuk’s bomb and Lucic’s secon to made it 3-1 before Brad Marchand and Daniel Paille knocked in empty-netters.
5. Patrice Bergeron left the game
There actually was a little bit of angst following the win, as Bergeron played just 13:26, leaving the game due to a big hit from Claude Giroux in the third period.
That angst wasn’t totally unfounded, either. The injury ultimately ended up keeping Bergeron out until Game 3 of the conference final.
