The Boston Bruins have switched to play on the road in the Stanley Cup Final after a 1-1 tie from the first two home games.
How did they do in Game 3 on the enemy’s ice for the first time in the series? The Bruins won 7-2. That was pretty impressive.
But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether you win the game 1-0 or 7-2, it’s just one game at a time.
But overall, it does matter a little bit. The San Jose Sharks won Game 3 in St. Louis with the series tied and they lost three straight. It was the type of victory they got which decided the outcome. The Sharks blew a two-goal lead twice to save it in the last minute and win it in overtime with a highly controversial goal.
For the Bruins, there were no controversies, they just blew the Blues out of their own building. However, that wasn’t a game to make it 3-0 or to win the Stanley Cup. It was just a second win of the series and four are required to go all the way through. The Bruins certainly know that. They also know that if they play the way they did in Game 3, this series might be short after all.
But in order to accomplish that, they have to stay with their feet on the ground.
Premature euphoria may later lead to Gloria. And that’s something that the Bruins don’t want. Headed to Game 3 on the road after a tough Game 2 loss at TD Garden, the Bruins knew they had to improve on the power play. How did they respond? With four power-play tallies on four power play shots. Not bad at all.
Patrice Bergeron and his line had to get better? Bergeron had one goal and two assists, while David Pastrnak scored his first Stanley Cup Final goal. Sean Kuraly, that big-time goal-scorer for the Bruins, got the second game-winner of the Stanley Cup Final. Can he add another two to become the ultimate B’s hero?
Marcus Johansson had eight of his nine points in the Stanley Cup playoffs recorded at home. This time around, he got a goal and an assist for two points to extend his collection to 11 points. Torey Krug played in eight Stanley Cup Final games before without recording any point. In Game 3, the 28-year-old had four points to become the first Bruins defenseman ever to register four points in the Stanley Cup Final game.
Boston improved to 7-2 on the road in the postseason, including wins in five straight. Over that stretch, they’ve allowed just four goals. In their last 16 playoff games, the Bruins have given up two goals or less in the regulation time in 15 games.
The only game that saw them concede three goals in regulation in that timespan came in Game 5 against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round, which the Bruins ultimately won. They also improved to a perfect 6-0 when opening up the score on the road in the entire playoffs.
Score first, be strong and keep it simple on the power play (the first goal was just a simple toss from the point, deflected in by Bergeron), eliminate and kind of extra chance in front of the net for your opponent. Also important, the Bruins still haven’t fallen to the Blues hopeless calls for scrimmages and dirty-a-like plays.
Have the Blues played more than just “tough” in the series so far? Perhaps yes. What’s the best Bruins response? Score seven goals and win a game in their own building. Simple. But remember, two more wins, still a halfway to go.
