Another series that was a rematch from last year, as the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes meet in the first round this time. While the series lasted longer than last time, the result was much the same. The Boston Bruins eliminated the Carolina Hurricanes in five games and move on to the next round.
Games
Carolina Hurricane - 3
Boston Bruins - 4 (2OT)
It took a while for this game to start, mostly because the Tampa Bay-Columbus game went five overtimes, causing this game to be pushed to the next day. When this game did get going, it did take a while for the opening goal. 13 minutes into the first, a Joel Edmundson blast would find it's way under Tuukka Rask's arm to give the Hurricanes the lead. David Pastrnak tied the game later in the period, taking a cross crease pass from Brad Marchand and shooting it over a sliding Petr Mrazek. The Bruins took the lead in the second, as Charlie Coyle was the benefactor of some controversy. Mrazek looked to have covered the puck, but the puck was jammed loose from his glove and slide to Coyle, who put it into the open net. Carolina challenge was unsuccessful, resulting in them becoming shorthanded. This wasn't exactly a bad thing for them, as Brock McGinn scored shortly after to tie the game. A goal by David Krejci a minute into the third restored Boston's lead. Once again, Carolina would tie it, as midway through the third, Haydn Fleury's point shot would find it's way past a screened Rask. Just like Tampa Bay-Columbus before them, multiple overtimes were needed to solve this one. This one wasn't as long though, as shortly into the second overtime, the Perfection Line connected. Patrice Bergeron ended up beating a sliding Mrazek to end the game and give the Bruins the first game.
Carolina Hurricane - 3
Boston Bruins - 2
These teams were back at it the next day. A powerplay would help David Krejci would get things started for Boston late in the first, as he wrist one past a screened James Reimer. It wasn't until late in the second when Carolina would tie it up. A Hurricane's powerplay resulted in Teuvo Teravainen beating an unprepared Rask. A minute-and-a-half later, Andrei Svechnikov would finish a tic-tac-toe play to give Carolina the lead. Another somewhat controversial call would go against Carolina minutes later, as Teravainen was called for interference on a play where Torey Krug ended up skating into him. On the powerplay, Marchand would manage to whack home a rebound, seconds before the period expired. Just like last game, both teams headed into the second intermission tied 2-2. Carolina looked to have regained the lead early in the first, as Brady Skjei's shot would take a few bounces before getting kicked in by Rask. It would be waived off for goaltender interference, leading to coach Rod Brind'Amour challenging the call. For the second game in a row, Carolina would lose their challenge. Redemption was to be had though. Midway through the third period, Dougie Hamilton would blast one over Rask's glove to give Carolina the 3-2 lead. That was all the Hurricanes needed, as hey hung on to win the game and tie the series.
Boston Bruins - 3
Carolina Hurricane - 1
Between this and the last game, it was announced that Rask had left the Bruins to be with his family. This pushed Jaroslav Halak into the starting role. He performed well early in the game, managing to turn aside the storm of Hurricane shots he faced. Carolina did come close to scoring late in the period, a shot managed to trickle by Halak. Halak was able to reach back and cover it before could (did?) cross the goal line. A review could not determine if the puck definitively crossed the line, keeping the no goal call in place. The game remained at zeroes after one period of play. The start of the second period looked to be the second inning. While Marchand's initial shot was stopped by Mrazek, Coyle would follow up by batting the puck out of the air and into the net for a powerplay goal. Coyle continued to be effective on special teams, as early on in the third, a 2-on-1 saw him sneak a pass though a defender to a streaking Sean Kurlay, who managed to tip the puck over Mrazek to double the Bruins lead. Halak's shutout would end though, surprisingly by his own doing. Attempting to pass the puck from behind his net, Nino Niederreiter would knock it down and backhanded it into the open net. That ended up being the only mistake Halak make. Marchand added an empty netter to seal the game, as the 3-1 win put Boston back in the series lead. Carolina was hurt on more than just the scoreboard in this game, as afterwards it was determined that Svechnikov would not be able to return for the series after suffering an injury during a battle in front of the net with Chara.
Boston Bruins - 4
Carolina Hurricane - 3 This game saw Boston put the pressure on early, with their best chance happening on a Krug one-timer which ended up hitting Reimer instead of the open net. Carolina didn't get a shot until midway through the period, but they made it count. Justin Williams' shot would find it's way through a screen and past Halak's glove to make it 1-0 Hurricanes. Williams would get a chance for a second goal late in the period, but Halak got his toe over to stop the wraparound attempt. The Hurricanes would double there lead in the second, thanks to Jordan Martinook snapping one from the circles, beating Halak clean (just like Williams, it went glove-side). It would all come crashing down for the Hurricanes in the third. Jake DeBrusk would get things tarted for Boston seven minutes in, as he would beat Reimer to a loose puck and swipe it into the net while flying through the air (due to the collision with Reimer). Three minutes later, Connor Clifton's one-timer would finds its way over Reimer's shoulder to tie the game. A timeout by Carolina didn't help kill Boston's momentum. Shortly after, Marchand would score on a breakaway to but the Bruins in the lead for the first time this game. DeBrusk added another one three minutes later - it wasn't as pretty as his first goal, but they count all the same. Much like the first, the Hurricanes took a while to get a shot on goal, but they made it count. With about a minute-and-a-half to go, Teravainen's spinning backhand shot would bounce off Charlie McAvoy's skate and past Halak. It would be a case of too little, too late though, as Carolina failed to find an equalizer. Boston's win put them one win away from advancing to the second round.
Carolina Hurricane - 1
Boston Bruins - 2
Facing elimination, it would be the Hurrincanses who would strike first. Midway through the first, Fleury' shot would find it s way past a screened Halak, and hit the post before the back of the net. Jordan Staal had a chance to double Carolina's lead late in the period, as he had an open net to shoot at with Halak out of position. Krejci had other ideas though, as the Bruins forward would block the shot. Chanceswere exchanged early in the second, as Carolina almost had their second of the game, but Zdeno Chara managed to swipe the puck away from the goal line. Seconds later, a just-out-of-the-penalty-box Pastrnak would receive the puck and go in on a breakaway. It didn't end as we would've liked though, as he would lose the control of the puck near the crease, resulting in Mrazek kicking out of harm's way. Boston eventually found their way onto the scoreboard, thanks to a powerplay late in the second. Bergeron's pass into the slot would finds it's way to Krejci, who tapped it into an open net. Boston would get another powerplay with a minute left in the period, which they again took advantage of. With 4 secodns left in the period, Bergeron would retrieve the puck behind the goal line and take a shot. The puck would bounce off Mrazek's skate and into the net. Needing a got to stay alive in the third, Carolina could not muster much in the way of offense. Boston maintained the 2-1 lead until the end, and would eliminate Carolina for the second year in the row.
Three Thoughts on the Series
- All the critics of Rask for leaving the team can shut up. Family is important and should come first.
- So if I understand correctly, Brind'Amour was fined because he was doing the refs job for them? He's right that it was horseshit.
- I'm no fan of Jack Edwards. I'll admit that as far as homerism goes, he's one of the best at doing it. But this is such a stupid take even by those standards.
Picture of the Series
Rod, still The Bod.
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| Source clip: video on Reddit |
Highlight of the Series
Jake DeBrusk? You sure that's not Bobby Orr?
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