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    All-Centennial Team

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    Stanley Cup Champs

    March madness: Bergeron and Iginla the fuel to Bruins epic month-long tear

    One more win, two more points, and more of the same from Boston's two top players.

    With their 3-1 win over the Washington Capitals Saturday, the Bruins clinched the Atlantic Division and have collected points in 15 straight games, tying a franchise record set in the 2011-12 season when the B's went 14-0-1.
    JI12 and PB37 have led the charge in March (via bigstory.com)
    At the heart of their tear through the NHL are two players that have elevated their game to a level that seems almost impossible. A level that has been the driving force behind the team's incredible play in the entire month of March.

    Patrice Bergeron and Jarome Iginla.

    No one else in a Black and Gold sweater is playing better right now than Bergeron or Iginla. Where Iginla was the maestro in the first half of the month, Bergeron has raised him on the next turn, taking over games in the back-end of the March schedule to keep the Bruins rampaging over the NHL.

    With his two-goal performance vs the Caps, Jarome Iginla recorded his fourth multi-goal game of the month alone. He has recorded six multiple-point games in the month with his sixth coming versus the Capitals. His two tallies gave him a team-leading 30 on the year, the most since Milan Lucic cracked the 30-goal mark in the 2010-11 season. With 8 games to go before season's end, Iginla needs just six more goals to tie Phil Kessel's 36-goal mark set in the '08-'09 season.

    Since March 1st, Iginla has posted 13 goals and 3 assists for 16 points. His season totals, a robust 30-30-60, are the best numbers he's posted in a full-season in three years.

    Patrice Bergeron has been no slouch, either. Where Iginla has taken his game to an extraordinary level, Bergeron has followed suite right behind him. After scoring vs the Capitals and extending his career best six-game goal streak, Bergeron now has 10 goals and 7 assists for 17 total points in the month of March.

    Bergeron's has recorded multiple points in back-to-back games and has five in the month.

    PB37 again is setting the standard (via yahoo.sports.com)
    Bergeron's season has turned into one of his best ever as a Bruin. His 26-29-55 totals put him third on the team behind David Krejci and the aforementioned Iginla. His ridiculous plus-37 leads the NHL. With his play in the closing stages of the season, he may also be placing himself directly in line to win his second-career Selke award over Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. 

    Collectively, the two have totaled 33 points in the 16 games thus far in March. The two have led the Bruins through their 15-game point streak with their production, effort and focus. With one game to go before the month ends and seven in April before the regular season concludes, Bergeron and Iginla still have some time to add to their lofty totals.

    Both veterans know nothing is won in the regular season. Especially in the case of Iginla, the real season beings April 16 when the playoffs kick-off and the Bruins begin the journey to the Stanley Cup.

    But what these two players have done leading up to the playoffs cannot be overlooked. They have set the foundation for Boston to clinch home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, and perhaps even clinching the President's Trophy and home-ice for the entirety of the playoffs.

    Boston has seven games left to amass as many points as they can. Something tells me they won't be taking their foot off the gas whatsoever.