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The Bruins turned in a dominating performance as the home team downed the Ottawa Senators 6-0 at TD Garden on Tuedsay night. Patrice Bergeron's hat trick performance paced the Bruins offensively, while Tim Thomas (31 saves) held the fort to record his league-leading 6th shutout of the season.
Patrice Bergeron took advantage of a turnover by the Senators to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead 3:32 into the game. Brad Marchand provided pressure on the forecheck forcing Chris Campoli to make a hurried pass to Mike Fisher. The puck jumped over the stick of Fisher and right to Bergeron in the slot. #37 ripped a wrister past Brian Elliott for his 11th goal of the season.
Blake Wheeler spotted the Bruins a 2-0 lead 9:47 into the game when his 10th goal of the season found its way into the back of the net. For the second time in the game, the Bruins' forecheck led to a goal. Tyler Seguin picked off a pass along the right wing boards. The puck bounced around in the offensive zone a bit before Seguin ended up with it again in the left wing corner. Seguin then threaded a perfect pass to Wheeler on the door step, who finished off the play with a one-timer from in close.
The Bruins extended their lead to 3-0 2:50 into the second period. Bergeron gain possession of the puck at his own blueline and lugged the puck into the attacking zone on the left wing. He tried to pass into the slot that was knocked down by an Ottawa defender. Patrice Bergeron and Blake Wheeler both swatted at the loose puck before it crossed the goal line. It was difficult to tell which Bruin got the final touch on the puck, but Bergeron was credited with his 2nd goal of the game (unassisted).
At first glance, it looked like Patrice Bergeron netted a hat trick with 5:53 left in the middle period. The hats rained down on the ice and the PA announcer called Bergeron's name as the goal scorer, but after further review the official scorer changed the scoring to Brad Marchand's goal. Brad Marchand had the puck along the goal line on the left wing and sent it to the front of the crease where Bergeron was driving hard. The puck deflected off the skate of Sergei Gonchar into in the Ottawa cage.
Tyler Seguin made it 5-0 when David Krejci's centering pass from the left wing found Seguin in the slot and Seguin's quick shot found the back of the goal for the rookie's 7th goal of the season at 15:26 of the second period.
Patrice Bergeron scored his first career hat trick and second "hat trick" of the night when he beat Mike Brodeur short side with a laser snap shot from the left circle at 5:04 of the second period to make it 6-0. This time there was little question that it was #37's goal. Brad Marchand and Bergeron converged on Chris Campoli along the boards and coughed up the puck. Marchand tipped the puck up along the left wing boards to Bergeron, who snapped a shot past Brodeur for his 13th goal of the season...and more hats rained down.
Notes:
- Mark Recchi played in his 1,613th career game to pass Ray Bourque for 8th all-time in NHL history.
- Milan Lucic missed tonight's game with an undisclosed injury. According to some reports it is a upper body injury.
- Nathan Horton and Adam McQuaid both returned to the lineup tonight. Both had an impact in their return. Horton had a scrap with Jesse Winchester in the second period and McQuaid finished the game at +4.
- After giving up 5 goals on 27 shots, the Senators pulled Brian Elliott after 2 periods and sent out Mike "Not Marty" Brodeur.
- Was that really "The Wave" at a Bruins game? Act like you're not at post-World Series Fenway, B's fans.
- Good Stat (courtesy of NESN): Bruins are 6-2-1 when Shawn Thornton fights this year.
- The Bruins' forwards did a great job of using the forecheck to create turnovers and score goals.
- Veteran Daniel Paille got into his first career NHL fight when he dropped the gloves with Ottawa enforcer Matt Carkner. Paille threw some punches while the linesman was holding back Carkner, but you will have to forgive Paille if he is a little rusty on "The Code". Then again, all unwritten rules go out the window when a guy like Crakner fights someone like Paille. Fighters fight fighters. Also, I'm pretty sure I saw Carkner get in a late shot, which is what set Paille off at the tail end of that bout.
- Carkner's first fight of the night was with a lengthy one with Shawn Thornton in the second period. Carkner scored the TKO, but Thornton certainly held his own.
- It was not a good night at the office for Chris Campoli. The Ottawa defenseman finished the night a -4 and was partially responsible for at least two goals off the top of my head.
- Defenseman Matt Bartkowski was returned to the Providence Bruins.
"We are not quitters. We are not in the NHL or on the Sens because we are quitters. We want to try and build and figure this thing out."
Ottawa Senators Defenseman Matt Carkner
"I mean, in some messed up way, yeah maybe it’s fun. Of course, of course, it’s lots of fun."
Tyler Seguin when asked if he is having fun playing in the NHL
"Everyone’s leaving the building with no hats on, so yeah, I guess I wanted to get it, because I guess everyone threw their hats on the ice."
Patrice Bergeron on wanting to score a legitimate hat trick after the scoring change on his first "hat trick"
"I think I would have done it. Yeah for sure. It was just, kind of a funny-looking hat. I just wanted to keep it."
Patrice Bergeron on why he picked up a hat after his false hat trick and if he would have pick it up if he knew it wasn't his goal
"That was great. I could have done without two waves of the hats. They could have just gave him that one at the end of the second. But actually I’m sure he feels better about earning the third goal a little bit more than just having it bounce of his skate. It’s great to see him rewarded for the hard work that he has put in not just this year but over the years."
Tim Thomas on Patrice Bergeron's hat trick
... Tim Thomas All-Star party pooper. Let the kid have his real moment.
"Bergy and I were joking after the game. We didn’t think any fan was going to leave tonight with a hat on their head. But it is great for Bergy he deserved that."
Brad Marchand on Bergeron's hat trick
"They are two unbelievable players. It is very easy to play with them. If you just get to the right spot they will get you the puck. Bergy does a good job down low and Recchi gets to the net. It is pretty easy to play with them."
Brad Marchand on playing on a line with Mark Recchi and Patrice Bergeron
"I think coming in everyone had a lot of confidence just the way last night ended and I think everyone was excited just to come right back to the rink today. I think we had a good feeling in our locker room before and I don’t think there was any doubt we were going to come out and have a good showing. It was great to get off to a good start, get a lead early on, and just kind of be able to build on it."
Blake Wheeler
"I think he’s a leader by example. That’s the way Bergy is...He’s not very outspoken, he’s not the loudest guy in the room but he’s the guy that night in and night out you know what you’re going to get from him and that’s a pretty special thing to have eighty two games and you don’t really see many peaks or valleys with him. So that’s why he’s one of the top players in the game and that’s why we look to him every night to do what he does."
Blake Wheeler on Patrice Bergeron
- The Bruins will host the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden on Thursday night.
- For more on tonight's game head over to Silver Seven