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    All-Centennial Team

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    Stanley Cup Champs

    The B-Side: stats and facts from Boston's Game 5 victory

    As many of you have probably heard by now, the Bruins eliminated the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday with a 4-2 win in Game 5 of their first round Original Six matchup.
    Movin' on: Bergy, Looch and the rest of the B's advance to take on Montreal (via ESPN.com)

    Here is the full recap of the action.

    Here are the video highlights.

    And the following are an assortment of stats and facts about the Game 5 victory and the series versus the Wings:
    • Loui Eriksson's powerplay goal in the first period was his first postseason goal since May 14, 2008, when he scored versus, oddly enough, the Detroit Red Wings.
    • Loui was also the recipient of the "Player of the Game Jacket," handed to him from Jarome Iginla.
    • 10 different players scored for the Bruins in the series: Milan Lucic (3), Jarome Iginla (2), Zdeno Chara (2), Patrice Bergeron, Jordan Caron, Loui Eriksson, Justin Florek, Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug and Reilly Smith. 
    • The foursome of Caron, Florek, Hamilton and Smith all scored their first-career postseason goals in the series. 
    • Tuukka Rask's final stat line for the series: 4 wins, 1 loss, .961 SV%, 1.16 GAA, 1 shutout, 6 goals allowed, 1 assist. Among starters, Rask ranks first in goals-against, save-percentage, and fewest goals allowed. 
    • Rask also recorded the secondary assist on Loui Eriksson's first-period powerplay goal. It was Rask's second-career postseason point, with the other coming back on April 21, 2010 versus Buffalo, when he recorded the secondary assist on Miroslav Satan's game-winning goal in double overtime. I was at that game. It was awesome.
                          

    • Brad Marchand's stat line in the five-games played: 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points, minus-1, 8 PIMs. Yes, Tuukka Rask outscored Brad Marchand in the series. 
    • Zdeno Chara logged the most time-on-ice for Bruins defensemen at 22:43. Chara averaged 25:10 TOI in the series, the lowest average he's had in the postseason since averaging 25:11 p/game in '08-'09. Of course, it's only been five games so far, but it seems the Bruins are definitely making a conscious effort to keep the minutes down for Big Z.
    • He also gave us another timeless Chara photo that captures the intensity of Boston's franchise defenseman:
      Hear him roar: Big Z celebrates his time-splitting goal in the second-period (via ESPN.com)
    • Torey Krug recorded his third-career postseason multi-point game with his two assists in Game 5. He recorded his first last year versus the Rangers in Game 2. His got his second last Sunday in Game 2 vs the Wings. 
    • The Bruins scored two more powerplay goals through Loui Eriksson and Zdeno Chara, and they ended the series going 6 for 16 on the man-advantage. The six goals scored are tied with Philadelphia and Columbus for the most PPGs scored. The 37.5% scoring-clip is the best of the remaining teams in the playoffs. 
    • Chara (2), Eriksson, Hamilton, Krug and Smith scored the six powerplay goals.
    • Milan Lucic (1 G, 1 A) recorded his 12th-career postseason multi-point game. 
    • Krejci recorded two assists in the series, bringing his career-playoff totals to: 86 GP, 29 goals, 46 assists for 75 points.
    • Krejci also killed it at the face-off dot, winning 14 of his 20 draws, good for a 70% rate.
    • Patrice Bergeron's five points lead the Bruins in scoring (1 goal, 4 assists). 
    • Bergeron went 11-18 at the dote, good for a 61.1% rate.
    • Gustav Nyquist, the dynamic 24-year-old winger that saved Detroit's with his goal-scoring surge in the second half of the season did not record a single point in the five games played. 
    • For all the grief we've given him over the years, Jordan Caron had a pretty good series filling in for Danny Paille on the Merlot line. Caron scored his first goal in forever in Game 3 to double Boston's lead, and throughout the series, Caron made his presence felt at different times. Caron got into it with Justin Abdelkader in the crease a few minutes into Game 3 and got a roughing penalty for his troubles. He scored 12 minutes later. In Game 5, Caron had made a nice play when he wheeled into the zone and crashed across the goal-mouth, generating a chance in tight when the puck was batted around the net after his rush.
    • It was easy to see who won the Brother's Battle between the two Smith's. Brendan Smith recorded no points, logged 8 PIMs, and got emasculated by Zdeno Chara in Game 2. Let's see if Reilly does his brother a favor and gives him some time to get over getting bounced from the tournament. 
    • Although the stats didn't follow his play, Carl Soderberg was a monster for the Bruins in the series. Carl's only assist came on Milan Lucic's goal in the third-period of Game 4, and that play he made to set up the goal alone is enough to make the case for Soderberg's amazing play. Puck possession, awareness in all three zones, using his frame to body off defenders, and his superior vision have all been integral in the success of the Bruins. If Eriksson and Florek can pick up their game and finish the passes they're receiving from Soderberg, the 28-year old Swede will see his numbers skyrocket. 
    • Game 4 in Detroit marked the third time in four years that the Bruins have went to overtime in Game 4 of a playoff series on the road on a Thursday. The other two occurrences? A win on April 21, 2011 in Montreal and a loss last year on May 23 versus the Rangers.
    • Speaking of Montreal, the Bruins and Habs will be playing each other for the 34th time in postseason play, the most in NHL history.
    • The two teams have played 170 postseason games, again, the most in NHL history.
    • The Canadiens have won 24 of the 33 series played, including 18 straight from 1946-1987.
    • Not wanting to end this post on a bad note, the Bruins have won seven of the past 11 series, which includes the wins in 2009 and 2011.