Bruins Defeat Blue Jackets, Advance To Eastern Conference Finals

For the first time since 2013, the Boston Bruins are going to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating Columbus 3-0 in game 6 and 4-2 overall in the series. After going down 2-1 in the series, the Bruins kicked it up a notch both offensively and defensively which led to them winning the next three games, including 2 on the road. It wasn't easy for top 5 winger David Pastrnak early in this series as he kept turning the puck over wherever he touched it, but his luck soon changed in games 4 and 5 where he had 3 goals over the course of two games. The play of Brandon Carlo cannot go unnoticed, either. He has been a lock down defender who has gone under the radar throughout the entire playoffs, but one play stands out in particular. With the final minutes ticking off the clock in a tied game 5, Artemi Panarin came into the Boston zone with the puck on his stick, but not for long. Carlo hit and poke checked Panarin 5 times, one of the best stick handlers and natural goal scorers in the league, that forced him to give up the puck. He then sent an outlet pass on the money to Marchand which untimely led to Pastrnak's game winning goal.

Tuukka Rask was unflappable in this series. At one point, he saved 116 straight shots before letting in a goal that was deflected in off of his own defensemen. On top of that, he may have been the best Bruin on the ice in game 6. With a chance to go to his third Eastern Conference Finals in his short career, he rose to the occasion instead of hiding in the shadows. He saved all of the 39 shots that he faced en route to his first playoff shutout since 2013. The post was rung a couple of times by Columbus, but no harm no foul and Rask never showed any signs of letting that effect him. It will be interesting to see if Charlie McAvoy will be suspended for the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals. After unintentionally hitting Josh Anderson in the head, on what was only a minor penalty, McAvoy will have a hearing to see if what he did is warranted of a suspension. Regardless of if he plays or not, the Bruins will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals with the date and time TBD.