Morning Skate: Hardware

It is Wednesday, my dudes.

It was a pretty impressive performance from the Bruins last night, as they beat the NHL’s leader in points, and looked pretty sturdy in doing so.

Brad Marchand ended his lengthy drought too! All that was missing was a PPG. In time, folks. In time.

The Bruins now find themselves pretty firmly in “nothing left to play for” territory: they clinched the WC1 spot, as their five points ahead of Washington with just two Caps’ games left.

They’re also three points behind Tampa for third in the Atlantic, with each team having two games left.

I am certainly not a professional hockey coach, but I would do my best to sit just about everyone I could in the next two games and accept the Carolina Hurricanes as my first-round opponent.

(Those Hurricanes clinched first in the Metro last night.)

I suppose it remains to be seen how Bruce Cassidy approaches these last two games, but it looks like the regulars will get at least another game:

I don’t get it, but that’s okay!

Elsewhere, the Bruins announced their end-of-season award winners last night:

• Charlie McAvoy won the Eddie Shore Award for “exceptional hustle and determination.”
• David Pastrnak won the Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy for outstanding performance on home ice.
• Nick Foligno won the John Bucyk Award for his off-ice contributions.

Today’s discussion topic

It was nice to see Linus Ullmark at least attempt to go for goal with the net empty.

I’ve always wondered why more goalies don’t try it (when you’re already up 2+ with the net empty - I get it when it’s still a one-goal game).