Will Bruins Duplicate Detroit Domination In Final Game Against Ottawa?
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Confidence in the Boston Bruins' ability to show up and deliver an urgent, exemplary performance in a crucial situation, in the wake of the team's recent struggles to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff race, felt like it had hit an all-time low. It was why the team's 5-2 drubbing of the Detroit Red Wings came to many as a surprisingly strong effort and impressive showing from a team that desperately needed to pick up two points on its opponent.
The Bruins still need help from Detroit and Philadelphia to close out the season, in addition to beating the Ottawa Senators in the final game of the regular season on Saturday afternoon. The Bruins are 7-5-1 this season in games following wins by three or more goals, so on paper it's hard to predict.
Whatever happens on Saturday, the team certainly showed up and did everything they needed to do. It's just a question of whether you'll see the same team, top to bottom, on Saturday.
The Bruins got off to an incredibly fast start, as David Pastrnak took a great rink-length bank-shot feed from John-Michael Liles and buried a sweet scoring chance to make it 1-0. Brad Marchand followed that up just 1:19 later with a one-timer goal from a great cross-ice pass from Torey Krug. ... But will they have a similarly hot start against Ottawa, who are not fighting for their playoff lives as the Red Wings were?
Bruins head coach Claude Julien said he stressed the importance of a hot start, and was glad the team answered the call.
"We wanted to come out strong and we did, and not only that we managed to get some quick goals here so that made a big difference," said Julien. "Obviously, [considering] what we've been going through here, [the goals] gave our guys some real good confidence there and loosened them up a bit and we just took off from there. ... So, there was no doubt that that was one of the keys to the game."
It was not just the Bruins' core players who stepped up Thrusday night. Krug had his best game in what feels like months, culminating with his first goal in 55 games on a second-period power play to put the Bruins up 3-1. Trade deadline acquisitions Liles and Lee Stempniak had their best games in weeks. Speedy youngsters like Frank Vatrano, Noel Acciari, and Colin Miller changed the pace of the game every time they took the ice, contributing to a 9-0 run in shots on goal immediately following the Red Wings' first goal.
But can those players be counted on to deliver the same effort on Saturday? Krug understands that they will need to at least match their effort against the Red Wings when they take the ice against the Senators.
"We played great, but like I said, that game is over-with," Krug said. "We have another big test [against Ottawa], and we've just got to realize that and bring the same effort Saturday."
The much-maligned (in recent weeks) Tuukka Rask also stepped up when needed. He only faced 15 shots, but among them were a handful of critical saves to cover for defensive mistakes, highlighted by a glove save on a shorthanded scoring chance in the slot to bail out a Krug turnover. He made another big stop on Gustav Nyquist on a Bruins penalty kill with the game still at 2-0, and again on a streaking Darren Helm to slow the Red Wings attack shortly after the Bruins went up 3-0.
But will Rask make those same stops on Saturday? He is, at least, aware that such an effort will be necessary to get the Bruins to the playoffs.
"We have to [carry this over to Saturday], there's no other way," Rask said. "I think everybody just needs to bottle up that energy we had [against Detroit] and keep things real simple, and be ready to work hard."
Coaching and front-office decisions aside, the players on the ice are ultimately the ones that will determine the Bruins' fate, and the team's compete level on Saturday could be the deciding factor for their entire postseason run. Unfortunately, those with cynical eyes won't believe the team can duplicate the kind of domination they asserted on the Red Wings against the Senators on Saturday.
The important thing, right now, is that they are aware of what needs to be done, how the team needs to start, how they need to sustain that same effort for 60 more minutes.
"I believe in this team. I know how good we are," said Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron. "When we're at our best and everyone's chipping in, that's when we have the most success, obviously.
"[Thursday night] was a perfect example, and we've got to carry that forward."
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.