B's have their backs up against the wall

The Bruins will be playing for their playoff lives in Game 5 tonight at the TD Banknorth Garden. After going down 3-1 in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the B's have dug themselves a deep hole to get out of.

Projected Starting Goaltenders:

Tim Thomas

#30 / Goalie / Boston Bruins

Height: 5-11

Weight: 201

Born: Apr 15, 1974

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Cam Ward

#30 / Goalie / Carolina Hurricanes

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Feb 29, 1984

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Injury Report

Boston
LW Marco Sturm: Out for Season (knee)
LW Mark Recchi: Probable ("banged up")
D Matt Hunwick: Out for Series (spleen)
D Andrew Ference: Doubtful (lower body injury)

"We still have Ference that’s doubtful. Recchi is banged up today, but I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be back with us (Sunday) as we speak. Those are going to have to be some decisions that are made tomorrow." 

- Claude Julien after practice yesterday via WEEI Big Bad Blog   

Carolina
LW Ryan Bayda: Out (flu-like symptoms)

You don't miss 2 playoffs games because you have a case of the sniffles. Maybe he caught the swine flu from Stormy.

Notes:

- The Bruins need to show more intensity tonight. The B's played with an edge in the Montreal series that has been absent for most of this series.

- TAKE CARE OF THE PUCK!!!!

- Today is 39th anniversary of "The Goal". Thanks to James Murphy for bringing this to my attention and sending me this video:

- Think back to 2004 when the B's were up 3-1 before the Habs came storming back to win the series. It can be done, but it won't be easy. The Bruins can't afford to make as many mistakes as they have been making during this series.

- I think this series is going at least 6 games. I think the B's are going to come out and take it to the Canes on home ice tonight.

- Mark Recchi skated with the team during morning skate and will likely be in the lineup tonight.

- No word on whether or not Julien will stick with Byron Bitz on the fourth line or go back to Shawn Thornton. Fluto thinks that Blake Wheeler could be the healthy scratch tonight.

- Game starts at 7:30 and will air on Versus.

- Public Skate (open thread) starts at 6:30.

- Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I'm bringing back this dude:

...and why not a little "Nutty" for good luck

Eyes on the Storms

Canes Country (SBN): Bubba and Cory do some great work over there. Their daily Hurricanes Newsstand will point you in the right direction for news and stories on this series from both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Canes Now: The News & Observer's Hurricanes blog (think Boston.com's Bruins Blog).

Tracking the Storm: Blog from Carolina Hurricanes official website. Think of it as Carolina's version of Bish's Blog.

Series Recap:

Carolina leads 3-1

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Game 4