B's Up 2-0

FAIRFAX, VA - Last night our Boston Bruins took on the Philadelphia Flyers in Philly, looking to take a two games to none lead in the series.  After the game one blowout 7-3 by Boston, Philly was looking to regain at least a little respect while still being in their hometown.  OurBruins were looking for their second straight 2-0 series lead over the Flyers in two years, of course with a different result in mind.  Last year our B's had a 3-0 series lead and blew it as the Flyers won 4-3.  Game one showed the dominance our Bruins have over the Flyers, they just have to be able to finish this year.

The Flyers came out flying in the first.  The Flyers capitalized on a two on one just 29 seconds in as James van Riemsdyk (who played with a kid on my hockey team in high school).  9 minutes later van Riemsdyk scored another goal.  Our B's were getting run over and looked horrible.  It seemed like the Flyers were going to take game two and even the series.

That feeling did not last long as 12:50 into the first Chris Kelly, one of the new New Kids on the Block, scored his fourth goal of the playoffs.  The line of Kelly, Ryder, and Peverley was formed when Ryder got "demoted" because he was struggling and it has probably been our best line in these playoffs as Ryder and Kelly were huge factors in our first series versus the Montreal Canadiens.  But only 85 seconds after Kelly's goal, Bergeron fed Marchand at the top of the circles for a twisted wrister (props again to Jack Edwards) to tie the game.  Marchand won the Bruins 7th Player Award this year, a rather prestigious won voted on by the fans, and he very well could be keeping that reputation throughout these playoffs as this was his fourth goal.

A scary moment came late in the first period.  With 2:30 left in the first Adam McQuaid lunged trying to hit the Flyers Mike Richards, McQuaid missed Richards (mostly because Richards got scared and moved out of the way) and McQuaid smashed his face into the boards.  Watch what put McQuaid into the hospital.

 

The game was back and forth for the last two periods and it really was just great save after great save, especially by our goalie Tim Thomas.  The game went to overtime where the Bruins have been magical so far in these playoffs (3-0 after this game).  Overtime was also back and forth until about 6:00 left.  Braydon Coburn for the Flyers tried to clear the puck from his defensive zone but Nathan Horton cut it off and passed it to David Krejci who took a one-time slapshot that seemed to go in.  Horton, Lucic, and Krejci all put their hands up but the puck had come back out of the net and the Flyers played on.  The next whistle the referees checked the replay and called it a goal.  The Bruins had won and taken a 2-0 series lead over the Flyers.  This reaction to the goal was eerily similar to Patrick Kane's Stanley Cup winning goal last year against the Flyers, even the announcers have similar reactions.

After the 4 goal first it was all defense, well no.  It was all Tim Thomas.  Thomas let in two goals on the first six shots he faced, which did not look good for our Bruins.  After the second goal he made 46 straight saves and got the first star of the game.  While Krejci did score the game winning goal, Thomas allowed them to get that far and I say that Thomas really won the game for us.