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The Bruins lead 3-0 at the end of the second period. 20 minutes to immortality boys!

Now we have a series, folks.  The B's pushed the Canucks all around the Garden last night and avenged the dirty hit on Nathan Horton.  Things are gonna get nasty now.

Game 7 against Tampa Bay was the "cleanest" game I've seen in years.  One of the keys to this series will be the B's ability to stay out of the box.  Keep it clean, boys....

As much as I'd like to see a Game 7 in Boston, it scares me. Let's hope the B's take care of business tonight in Tampa. It's time for a power play goal....

Article first published as The Bruins are Up 3-0 on the Flyers: Is This a Good Thing or a Bad Thing? on Technorati.

I know, I know, I know. It's deja vu all over again. But guess what? It really isn't. Beantown hearts were achingly broken when the Flyers came back from this identical situation a year ago, but I'm here to put the collective racing pulse of B's fans to rest. It's a new world, people. And it's a completely different team. Names like Peverley, Horton, Marchand, Kaberle and Horton were nowhere to be seen on the backs of Bruins sweaters last year and the new blood has provided an enormous, positive infusion. But the biggest and most significant difference is between the pipes. This year, Boston is riding a healthy Tim Thomas in goal for the playoff run and he's responded like the Vezina Trophy candidate that he is. This 37-year-old veteran is finally healthy this year and is the biggest reason why the Bruins find themselves sitting in the catbird seat right now. Thomas single-handedly stole game two of the series and his acrobatic stops in Wednesday night's game provided the impetus for a decisive victory.  Hot goalies can and do win series.

Add to that the B's first power play goal of the postseason (after an anemic and fruitless run of historic proportions), a stronger effort by a lately-questionable Milan Lucic and a goaltending problem for Philly, and what you have is the exact opposite of deja vu.  Things have changed, and they've changed in favor of the Bruins.  Relax "O ye of little fatih."  It says here the Conference Finals await. I guarantee it.  I think.

Bahtendah Wisdom - Pay Attention!

The B's have now lost four of their last five games, with their lone victory coming in overtime against a weak Columbus team. Thursday night's effort in a 4-3 loss to the Predators was abysmal, replete with bad penalties and a power play that continues to struggle, going 0 for 3 in Nashville. Tuuka Rask has been solid lately but his teammates have been letting him down. Goalie Tim Thomas hasn't looked like the world-beater he was for the first half of the season for awhile now.

Maybe it's just the "dog days" of the NHL schedule or maybe this is what the real Bruins are. A team good enough to stay in the upper echelon of the league during the regular season, but a team maybe not capable of getting past a couple of rounds in the playoffs.

With only 12 games left in the season, there's not a lot of time to right the ship. And these games are important. First place in the Conference is probably out of the question, but if Boston plans to finish ahead of Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Montreal, they'll need to finish with a flourish.

And I do mean "finish." Finishing, to me, is the biggest problem with this club. They need to finish checks, finish scoring chances, and perhaps most importantly, finish man-advantage opportunies. Until they do, they're looking like a second round bust. It starts tonight in Toronto against a team desperate for points. It's time to stop monkeying around - let's see if the boys from The Hub can "finish" the deal.

Is it just me or did this hit look pretty harmless? The Habs have a reputation of diving and I'm not saying that's what happened here, but that's what I'm saying happened here. Soccer pussy. This faggot was moving his arms and legs the minute he hit the ice. Put his name on the Oscar and send it to him immediately. Here's what to watch for - how soon will Pacioretty be back in the lineup? I'm sayin' they'll keep him out for a few days to make it look good, but this dude's probably playin' by the weekend. Canadiens = pussies. Mark my words.....

PS - Change the friggin' rink! This partition in the rink needs to be changed. Not an apology, just a fact.

Bahtendah Wisdom - Pay Attention!

After the smackdown the Bruins put on the Canadiens in their last game, the question is - Will we see a repeat performance or will the Habs be floppin' all over the ice like they usually do? Most times Montreal players drop like they've been hit by a sniper as soon as you touch 'em. The last game, Feb. 9th, was a little different with fights all over the ice and the Bruins coming away with an 8-6 win.

Montreal leads the season series 3 games to 1, so the B's could use another win to maintain their position in the standings and show Les Habs that they're a cut above this year. This game could be pivotal as we head down the stretch and teams jockey for playoff position. The Bruins are only 2 points behind the Flyers and the Canadiens are just 5 back of the B's. Time to catch up to Philly and put a little distance between Boston and the Frenchies from Mount Royal.

Fights or not, this should be a good one. Pay attention!

I wonder if the dude asking the questions got his jaw broken after that last one. What is that? Bareback or saddle? You ask a tough guy NHLer a question loaded with subtle gay implications in the locker room? Snap a stick over this guy's head Nathan. Pay attention!

Bahtendah Wisdom - Pay Attention!

Tuuka Rask pitched his second shutout of the season last night against the Ottawa Senators in a 1-0 win and the B's continued to crush this latest road trip. It's starting to look like Peter Chiarelli and the Bruin's brass not only traded for the right players but they did it at exactly the right time. There's no better way for a team to bond than on an extensive trip away from home and away from the pressures of the local fandom. A trip like this allows the players and coaches to work in a kind of neutral crucible, get a little work done and see if the old guard can bond with the new.

One of the best signs last was another big goal from Nathan Horton, a guy who started the season with a bang, dropped off for a little while, but now seems to be throwing his weight around a little and spending some more time in front of the net. His re-emergence could be a key down the stretch.

The red-hot B's are now tied for second in the East and only 5 points behind the Flyers. Tim Thomas, the best goalie on the planet this year is getting a little rest and it looks right now like the trades were a total master stroke. Gonna be a fun run when the boys start growin' their playoff beards!