The Boston Bruins secured their spot in the playoffs a week early and showcased their potential for a deep Stanley Cup run with a commanding 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Monday night.
Captain Patrice Bergeron scored his 20th goal of the season as the Bruins clinched their fifth consecutive playoff berth. Tuukka Rask made 20 saves for his second shutout of the season, while Nick Ritchie broke the scoreless tie in the second period. The win extended Boston’s streak to four games, snapping the Devils’ three-game winning streak.
“It’s always the goal during the regular season to punch your ticket to the playoffs,” Bergeron said. “We know we’re a great team and focused on improving as we head into the playoffs. These last few games are about fine-tuning our game to prepare for the postseason.”
Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk added a goal late in the game, deflecting a shot off Devils defenseman Ryan Murray, as the Bruins claimed their 10th win in the last 12 games. Brad Marchand, playing in his 800th NHL game, and Bergeron assisted on the third goal.
“This is a great achievement; it’s not easy,” Rask said after winning his sixth consecutive game. “Our division is tough, with no room for slumps. We’ve had our ups and downs, but lately, we’ve found our game and our identity, and we’re sticking to it.”
The Bruins dominated from the start, taking the first 11 shots of the game and limiting New Jersey to just nine shots in the first two periods while building a 2-0 lead. Boston finished the game with a 42-20 advantage in shots.
“We saw a completely different Bruins team tonight,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “They were ramped up, ready to clinch a playoff spot. Their top lines have a lot of speed, and their defense is quick. They brought their ‘A’ game.”
Devils goalie Scott Wedgewood kept New Jersey in the game early, stopping all 16 shots in the first period and 35 of 37 in the first two periods. He ended the night with 39 saves.
“I thought he gave us great goaltending,” Ruff said. “He made several key saves to keep us in it, but we didn’t generate many opportunities.”
Ritchie scored at 9:08 of the second period with a one-timer from the right circle off a cross-ice pass from defenseman Jakub Zboril. Bergeron added his 20th goal of the season shortly after, finishing off a perfect play from the “Perfection Line” with a pass from Marchand.
Rask’s toughest saves came against Devils captain Nico Hischier, including a pad save on a breakaway in the first period and a close-range backhand with under five minutes remaining.
“You play to earn a chance at the Cup, and we’ve taken the first step by getting into the playoffs,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We faced a lot of adversity with COVID rescheduling, injuries, and using different players, but we learned a lot about our team, and we’re coming out of it strong.”
PROMOTED
The Devils called up forward A.J. Greer from Binghamton, and he made his season debut. Greer was acquired from the Islanders in the trade that sent Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to New York, where he played his first NHL game in two years. His night ended in a third-period fight with Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton.
Game Notes
Bruins defenseman Mike Reilly was given a night off after playing in 11 consecutive games since being acquired from Ottawa. Zboril returned to the lineup for the first time in seven games. Devils forward Mikhail Maltsev missed the game with a lower-body injury sustained in Philadelphia on Saturday. Devils coach Lindy Ruff mentioned that defensemen P.K. Subban and Jonas Siegenthaler are getting closer to returning to practice after being sidelined by COVID-19.
NEXT
- The teams will conclude their eight-game season series on Tuesday night in Newark. The Devils currently lead the series 4-1-2, while the Bruins are 3-3-1.
