Black and Gold are getting it done

At times in the last few years as I got into the team more and more, I honestly never thought the Boston Bruins would reach this point in my entire life.

They are on the cusp of the Stanley Cup finals (for the first time in 21 years) after last night's 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Garden in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

As everyone knows, closing out a team is the toughest part (especially for this franchise) but don't you have the feeling that this year is different?

The B's are up 3-2 in the series thanks to another outstanding performance from goaltender Tim Thomas (33 saves). He made the save of the season (which really shouldn't surprise you if you've watched him for years) on Lightning scumbag Steve Downie which left Downie pouting alone on the bench after the game had long ended. Strange cat.

Tampa Bay gave Mike Smith (17 saves) his first career playoff start and he wasn't good or bad. The two goals that he gave up were impossible to stop by anyone while Boston added an empty-netter to close it out.

The crazy part about the win was that the Lightning came out flying in the first period while the Bruins seemed to be stuck in the locker room, on the tarmac at Logan Airport or at some other undisclosed location.

Simon Gagne gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead 1:09 into regulation after a 2-on-1 break from Steven Stamkos. Andrew Ference got caught up ice and Gagne was able to pot his fifth of the playoffs. If I had been in Boston at the time, I might have jumped off the Tobin Bridge but thankfully the Bruins always always play better from behind as everybody knows at this point.

Thomas held the fort for the rest of the period and his teammates finally woke up from their zombie-like slumber near the end of the frame as they got engaged physically and put four (4!) shots on Smith.

Nathan Horton was one of the only Bruins that was emotionally into it from the start (and that caused two stupid penalties on him) but he tied it up at 4:24 of the second period on a sublime one-timer. Horton's seventh of the playoffs (called by Ryan before the game started) featured a great backhand assist from Milan Lucic and Krejci had the second helper.

Brad Marchand (or as my girlfriend mistakenly called him-The Marshmallow Man) scored the game-winner at 15:56 after an even sweeter feed from Patrice Bergeron. Stationed along the boards, Bergeron whipped a forehand pass to Marchand, who skated past Martin St. Louis and tipped it past Smith (for his sixth of the playoffs). Zdeno Chara had the second assist as he started the play by holding the puck in Tampa Bay's zone.

Thomas made a huge save (helped out by the post) on Adam Hall early in the third period and then came the bananas stop on Downie which barely left the roof on the Garden.

Rich Peverley (second of the playoffs) put it away with an empty-netter at 19:47 of the third period, assisted by Chris Kelly.

So here we are. One more win and the Bruins will get to a place that nobody and I mean nobody predicted they would find themselves this postseason or maybe ever again. Game 6 is tomorrow night in Tampa Bay and Lightning part-time serial killer and head coach Guy Boucher has already announced that Dwayne Roloson is the starter again in between the pipes. It could be some gamesmanship from the Butcher, we shall see. If it's true, advantage Bruins.

Nothing is ever easy for this team or this franchise but for God's sakes, get it over tomorrow night. I don't want to see them in another Game 7 with a trip to the Stanley Cup finals on the line.

Claude Julien's Boston Bruins: Blowing 3-0 leads for life

I can't explain why but no lead ever seems safe when you're a Boston Bruins fan. A three-goal lead in hockey should be analogous to a three-touchdown lead in football or 20-point lead in basketball.

Still, the B's have found themselves on top 3-0 last postseason in Game 7 in the Flyers (how'd that one end?) and this afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals and in both cases, they have lost. I can never recall a team in any sport that was so good playing from behind and yet so consistently terrible playing with a lead. It's insane.

What is it about three-goal leads with the Bruins? That doesn't even count the Game 2 win against Tampa Bay where Boston went up 6-3 but barely survived for a 6-5 win.

Today's 5-3 win by the Lightning, notice they scored five unanswered goals, was a considerable nut shot to the Stanley Cup hopes of the Bruins and their long suffering fans.

Perhaps we should have known the sky would soon fall (it was Judgement Day after all) as Boston quieted the St. Pete Times Forum crowd with a trio of goals in the first period. There wasn't a strong one in the bunch as Patrice Bergeron scored an unassisted goal at 11:47 after a terrible Tomas Kaberle style giveaway behind Tampa Bay's goal.

The B's went up 2-0 on an even stranger goal as Michael Ryder skated in on a 2-on-1, waited too long to pass it but was beyond lucky to have the puck deflect off a Lightning defenseman and behind goaltender Dwayne Roloson (6 saves). Chris Kelly and Kaberle assisted on Ryder's fifth of the playoffs.

The dream first period was closed out with an unassisted shorthanded goal by Bergeron at 17:58. His long shot went right through Roloson's five hole (he would be pulled after the first period).

We all should have known that there was way too much time left for the Lightning and their potent offense. They're not the Bruins, they wouldn't go out that quietly. As Boston retreated back into their defensive shell (thanks Claude), Teddy Purcell scored a quick pair of goals (at 6:55 and 7:58) to pull Tampa Bay within 3-2.

Neither was Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas' (32 saves) fault as they came directly from snipe city. Purcell undressed Adam McQuaid on the first one with a toe drag then scored on a low backhander that Thomas couldn't reach. Simon Gagne assisted on that one.

Mattias Ohlund and Vincent Lecavalier assisted on Purcell's fourth of the playoffs which was a high shot over Thomas's blocker side.

Most coaches would probably call a timeout at that point since the team was in full meltdown mode but not Julien. Nope, best to play it out at that point and see what you're rattled team can do.

To nobody's surprise, Bergenheim tied it up at 10:53 (his 10th of the playoffs) off a rebound from Domenic Moore. Safe to say the Lightning didn't look back from there. A timeout there would have made sense too but no dice. Clearly, Claude doesn't need timeouts. I mean, who could argue with his results?

At this point, if I was a smarter man I would have gone outside and enjoyed the beautiful day (the first in weeks) but no I'm a dumb ass Bruins fan. I knew that they weren't coming out of this one with a win but I sat there like a goon and watch them piss down their leg as always.

The best I can say is that at least they didn't prolong the agony and send it to overtime. Simon Gagne had the game-winner as he scored his fourth of the playoffs at 6:54 from Ryan Malone. Still plenty of time left in the frame but who thought the B's had a prayer at that point? They continued to skate their lane while the conveyor belt of four lines rolled out and not really do much of anything (which could be said of the final two periods) and Martin St. Louis closed it out with an empty net goal at 19:23 (his eighth of the playoffs) from Gagne and Victor Hedman.

Mike Smith (21 saves) played the final two periods and didn't allow a goal but I honestly can't think of one above average save that he had to make. Boston didn't test him at all (and why would you with a goaltender that just got thrown in there?) but regardless, he should get the start in Game 5.

We have Sunday to cry about this latest choke job but then it's back to business on Monday as the teams return to Boston for Game 5 at TD Garden. Who knows what to expect from the Bruins? They could have a short memory and play well or they could have an emotional hangover (helped by their rightly paranoid crowd) and they'll lose again, which will probably signal their demise. So yeah Game 5 is important but good luck guessing what is going to happen.

Fuck My Life: 2009-2010 Bruins edition

If you're going to make history (in the worst way possible), you might as well do it in a way that'll never be repeated. Am I right Bruins fans?

The B's became just the fourth team in professional sports to lose a series after being up 3-0, falling 4-3 to the Flyers last night in Game 7 at the TD Garden.

The final punch to the balls of the Hub of Hockey is the fact that Boston was up 3-0 last night but apparently a three-goal lead, at home in a do-or-die game wasn't enough.

Ugh. It was a dream start as Michael Ryder (from Mark Recchi, Zdeno Chara) and Milan Lucic (Dennis Wideman, Johnny Boychuk) gave the B's a 2-0 lead at 9:02 of the first period with a pair of power play goals.

Looch made it 3-0 and you couldn't help but think maybe they had it in the bag. We should have known better, James van Riemsdyk cut it to 3-1 before the first period ended. A bad omen of things to come.

Scott Hartnell (Ville Leino, Danny Briere) and Briere (Hartnell) tied it up in the second period and we had a brand new game.

After getting dominated in the third period, the Bruins woke up somewhat in the third period. Lucic hit the post on a shot that would have put his team ahead. Then a fateful too many men on the ice penalty cost the B's.

Gagne (Mike Richards, Leino) scored the game-winner on the power play with 7:08 left. Neither goalie played particularly well but Michael Leighton (22 saves) got the better of Tuukka Rask (22 saves) after he filled in for Brian Boucher.

Philly goes on to the Eastern Conference Finals where they host the Montreal Canadiens beginning tomorrow night. It was all set up perfectly for the Bruins and they stumbled and fell, like always. It's a bitter defeat for a franchise and fan base that deserves better.

It's going to be a long summer.

Are the Bruins ready for one of the worst collapses in sports history?

It's not easy being a Boston Bruins fan and this postseason just confirms that.

After looking like a sure thing a week ago (up 3-0 on the Flyers) to make their first Eastern Conference Final since 1992, Boston is now reeling after Philly embarrassed them 4-0 in Game 5 last night at the TD Garden.

Boston is up 3-2 with Game 6 shifting to the Wachovia Center tomorrow night and the real possibility of Game 7 back at the Garden on Friday night. In pro sports, there's only been three teams that have comeback from down 3-0 in the playoffs: the Maple Leafs in 1942, Islanders in 1945 and the Red Sox in 2004.

It's hard not to panic if you're a Bruins fan since this is a franchise that has continually found ways to bury itself in the past few decades. Just when it looked like they were dawning on a new era of winning hockey this postseason, they go and do this. Ugh.

Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead 6:41 into the first period as Ville Leino scored from Chris Pronger and Matt Carle.

Flyers goalie Brian Boucher (9 saves) left in the second period with what looked like a serious knee injury. His replacement, Michael Leighton (14 saves), hadn't played since March 18 but you wouldn't know it since the B's made him look like Patrick Roy in his prime.

Scott Hartnell (Danny Briere, Kimmo Timonen) and Simon Gagne (Mike Richards, Leino) on the power play made it 3-0 in the second period, ensuring this series would be extended yet again.

Gagne added a second goal in the third period, unassisted, after Dennis Wideman broke his stick in the offensive zone which led to a breakaway for Gagne.

The Bruins picked an inopportune time to have their worst game of the season, and that's saying a lot for a team that lost 10 in a row during a pedestrian regular season.

None of the goals were really Tuukka Rask's (27 saves) fault but he has given up nine goals in the past two games after being stellar through the first nine games of the playoffs.

Above all, the B's couldn't get out of their own way. They gave Philly nine power plays, a product of a team that was chasing the Flyers around the ice rather than the other way around.

Tomorrow night could go a million different ways and at this point, I have no idea what to expect from this team that looked so good just three games ago.

Simon Gagne to the rescue

It would have been nice to get the Flyers out of the way ASAP but close-out games don't seem to be the Bruins' speciality this postseason. After no-showing in Game 5 against Buffalo in the last round, Boston gave a much better effort last night in Philly for Game 4 but still came up short.

The Flyers won 5-4 in overtime on Simon Gagne's goal at 14:40. Boston scored the first goal but Philly rattled off three straight. The B's tied it at 3 but it looked like the Flyers won it at 4-3. However, Boston tied it one more time, with 32 seconds left in the third period.

Tuukka Rask had his worst game of the playoffs and not surprisingly it ended up in a loss. He had 29 saves but too often he was flying out of his crease, like Tim Thomas on Red Bull.

Brian Boucher was still his unimpressive self but he made 33 saves and got the win so I'll give him his due.

What else can you say about Mark Recchi? They guy continues to play out of his mind. He gave the B's a 1-0 lead 15:37 as he scored a typical garbageman goal. Patrice Bergeron's shot was stopped by Boucher but it bounced right in front and Recchi roofed it over the Rhode Island native. Daniel Paille also assisted on the goal.

Finishing up periods is another weakness of the Bruins and Danny Briere tied it with 54 seconds left in the first period. Claude Giroux and Matt Carle assisted.

Chris Pronger and Giroux scored within 8:35 of the second period. Rask was probably one more goal away from being pulled but Boston recovered with a fluke of a goal by Michael Ryder. His weak shot went wide and came off the endboards and ricocheted off Boucher's pads in. It was like a bad Pee-Wee goal but who cares? Matt Hunwick and Blake Wheeler had the assists.

Milan Lucic tied it 3:49 into the third on the power play with a perfect tip of Dennis Wideman's shot. Marc Savard had his second point of the series with a helper.

Ville Leino put Philly up 5-4 with 5:40 left from Pronger and Briere but once again Recchi was Mr. Clutch. Taking a perfect pass from Bergeron, he put it over Boucher from a sharp angle.

Game 5 is Monday night in Boston. Time to end it and get to the Bruins' first Eastern Conference Final since 1992.

What the hell is going on out there?

I laid low after going to the Bruins' 4-3 overtime loss to the Capitals on Saturday. I was going to blog about it, but why bother? My internet-related apathy was not good karma apparently as the Flyers came into the Garden last night and dominated the Bruins, 4-2.

Like Saturday, there's really not much to say about Boston (42-13-9) at the moment. They've lost eight of their last eleven games and after looking like they recovered with the two blowout wins last week, it's back to square one.

The NHL trading deadline is this afternoon at 3 p.m. and it's anybody's guess whether the wet-behind-the-ears B's will be buyers or if they'll keep the team as it's currently constructed.

If the last few weeks have shown anything, it's that the Bruins need some kind of spark. This is a club that will have a home-ice advantage in the playoffs, but it's becoming increasingly clear that the Capitals, Devils and Flyers will all be tough outs in their own rights.

Patrice Bergeron (who's been playing really well lately) gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the first period last night with a power play goal. His seventh strike of the year was assisted by Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard.

Philly (34-18-10) tied it up in the second when Scottie Upshall scored an unassisted goal.

The Flyers wrapped it up with three straight goals in the third period. Two Simon Gagne tallies, were sandwiched around one by former Bruin Mike Knuble.

Stephane Yelle scored a garbage-time goal on the power play for the B's but I don't think even Yelle's kids have him on their fantasy teams, so it was utterly meaningless.

Philadelphia goaltender Antero Niittymaki (15-5-5) made 22 saves for the win. Bruins goalie Manny Fernandez (14-5-3) was not as sharp, with 22 saves in the loss.

One of the worst teams in the NHL, the Phoenix Coyotes, travel to Boston tomorrow night for what should be a must-win for the B's.