Call it a hangover from the first round cakewalk or simply two straight dogshit efforts, whatever the case the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Boston Bruins, 3-2 last night in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
After a piss poor display in Game 2, you had to figure that the B's would bounce back at the RBC Center. Not so much. Carolina outshot them 41-23 and Boston was frankly lucky just to get it to overtime.
Milan Lucic put the Bruins up 1-0 in the first period with assists to Dennis Wideman and Marc Savard.
Carolina answered in a big way with two goals late in the second period.
With 3:11 left in the period, Eric Staal scored an unassisted power play goal after stripping the puck from Boston defenseman Steve Montador behind the Bruins' net.
1:09 later, old friend Sergei Samsonov one-timed a nice pass home from Scott Walker (Jussi Jokinen started the sequence).
At 9:03 in the third period, Mark Recchi tied it at two with a deflection of a Chuck Kobasew shot. Montador also assisted.
The Hurricanes buzzed the Boston end for most of the game but Bruins goalie Tim Thomas (38 saves) played great as he kept his team in it.
Boston actually had a few prime chances at the beginning of overtime but Cam Ward (21 saves) shut them down. Just 2:48 into overtime, Jokinen scored by poking home a rebound of a Samsonov shot. Tuomo Ruutu also had an assist.
To see Boston play not one but two consecutive terrible games in a row, at this time in the season, is surprising to say the least but it happens. Detroit (the best team in the West) also faces a 2-1 deficit on the road against the Ducks tonight.
The B's have to find their game in a hurry tomorrow night or else they'll be going back to the Garden, down 3-1 to a very solid club.
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