Bruins Look To Keep Momentum Going Against Blackhawks
BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Bruins are hoping to keep their strong play of late going all the way into the playoffs.
"We want to still play great hockey and build some momentum and keep this thing going," 21-year vet Mark Recchi said. "We've played three really good games out of our last four and we want to keep the momentum and keep building on making sure that come playoff time we're not trying to find our game, we're actually there and ready for it."
After losing six of seven, the Bruins have won three of their last four, outscoring opponents 13-3 during the stretch.
"We want to make sure that we don't coast into the playoffs," forward Milan Lucic said. "We want to make sure we're still being sharp and playing the way we know we can play."
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The B's have also gotten the power-play working, scoring on four of their last 13 man advantages.
"In the past six, seven games we were moving the puck real well, the chances were there," Patrice Bergeron said. "They were making good saves and we couldn't get to loose pucks in front. I feel like we're more in front now, (we have) better net-front presence. Not just from the guy in front by the guys from the sides coming down, making sure we're ready for the rebound."
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"We need it to be something that we can count on to get us a big goal at key moments and it's been doing that lately," Lucic said.
With seven games remaining on the schedule, the Bruins have a chance to move up from their third place spot in the Eastern Conference. They currently trail the Washington Capitals by four points for the second seed, with a game in hand on the Caps.
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Of course, the Bruins have to play a few desperate teams along the way. It starts Tuesday night against the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, who hold a slim three-point lead over the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
"That's a desperate team," head coach Claude Julien said of the Blackhawks. "Those kind of games should be helpful for us to stay on top of ours and realize if were not ready for games like that, you can get embarrassed pretty easily. Those are the type of games we need to prepare for the playoffs."
"This is a team that has a lot of skill, in the offensive zone they're very creative," Julien added about Chicago. "If we don't have our heads on a swivel in the (defensive) zone we could get ourselves in a lot of trouble."
98.5 The Sports Hub's coverage for Tuesday night's Bruins-Blackhawks game will start at 7 p.m. with the Dunkin Donuts Bruins Pregame show.
