With the regular season winding down, the hockey season is picking up steam, as playoff races are coming down to the wire. There are only four weeks left to play and every team in the NHL, except maybe the Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings, has a fighting chance at making the postseason. And surprisingly, the Boston Bruins are right in the thick of things.
Prior to the start of this week, the Bruins had won six games in a row and were winners of seven out of their last eight. They jumped from number nine in the standings - one spot away from making the playoffs - up to sixth. Their winning ways even got the attention of some fans, as they sold out the TD Banknorth Garden, a rare occasion in recent years, in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins during their streak.
Although they have hit a road bump in their past two games - they suffered a 10-2 shellacking at the hands of Alexander Ovechkin and the hungry Washington Capitals and a brutal 1-0 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers - the Bruins have their goals set: a playoff berth and a potential first-round series win.
Recent history has shown that the Bruins hang around the bottom of the playoff race and then finally fall off pace in March. This year has been different for a few reasons.
Team chemistry has been a major factor. There has been much talk about Bruins' general manager Peter Chiarelli's lack of moves at the trade deadline last week, but it is his steadfast nature this year that has given the Bruins the confidence they need as a team to move forward. By standing pat at the deadline, Chiarelli sent the message to the team and coach Claude Julien that he likes what he sees on and off the ice.
Along with their added confidence boost by upper management, the Bruins have seen a resurgence in leadership and a recommitment to winning. For the past two weeks, they've been playing for more than just the wins in the standings: They have been playing for the respect of their teammates. The ultimate award given to the player who shows the most grit during a win receives a Bruins hard hat. The hat is worn out of the locker room and the next night is passed on to the next deserving player.
The league leader in assists and one of the leaders in the clubhouse, Marc Savard, has even gone as far as designing T-shirts given to all his teammates asking the question, "Who wants it?" This sign of camaraderie and leadership shows that the Bruins are eager to get into the playoffs. Savard, who ranks 11th in the league in points, will need to continue to pace the Bruins' offensive output if they want to see that goal fulfilled.
Defense and goaltending have also been bright spots for the team lately, with the exception of the Washington loss. During their six-game streak, goaltenders Tim Thomas and Alex Auld have let in only 12 goals. A team that only gives up two goals per game gives itself a great opportunity to win every time it takes the ice. With Thomas, who is fourth in the league with a .922 save percentage, the Bruins seem to have finally solved the goaltending issues that have plagued the team since trading away former Rookie of the Year Andrew Raycroft to the Toronto Maple Leafs two offseasons ago.
In addition, defenseman Zdeno Chara has drawn serious consideration this year for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the league's best defensive player. Chara takes pride in his defense, but he's also emerged as an offensive catalyst. The captain has been a key component on Boston's power play, which has been a problem for the team in past years but currently sits at eighth in the league.
In most years, the team that gets hot in the last stretch of the season has the best chance moving forward into the playoffs. Currently the Bruins are four points behind the division-leading Montreal Canadiens and six points behind conference leader Pittsburgh. However, with five games left against the two teams in front of them in the Northeast Division, Montreal and Ottawa, the Bruins are ready to make their push to the top of the league.
