Boston Bruins on Pace For Perfect Season

Good morning and happy Friday, March 24th.

Thanks to our readers who participated in yesterday's poll. In a must-win game, Sidney Crosby collected a third of all votes with Nathan MacKinnon coming in second with half of Crosby's votes. And we appreciate those who chose "other" and wrote in answers with Nikita Kucherov and Patrice Bergeron each gathering a couple votes. Given their Stanley Cup winning pedigree, it's hard to argue what they could bring to a must-win situation.

Only 20 days left in the NHL regular season... but who's counting?! 😬

History says there are no perfect hockey teams, but the Boston Bruins are trying to change that thinking.

Jeremy Swayman made 29 saves and David Pastrnak scored his career-best 49th goal to help the Bruins down the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 for their 55th win of the season.

This has been an extraordinary season for the Bruins. They are on pace for 64 wins, which would establish a new record for wins in a season. The Bruins have only lost 11 times in regulation in 71 games. They rank first in goals-against average (2.11) and second in goal scoring (3.76). Their +116 goal-differential will likely end up being the best of the salary cap era.

To put the Bruins’ plus-minus in perspective, consider that no other NHL team is above +54. It’s like the Bruins are starting every game leading 1.63 to nothing.

The Bruins already have clinched a playoff spot and own a 20-point lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs for first place in the Atlantic Division.

They are the NHL’s No. 1 penalty killing team and rank second with a 54.5% faceoff percentage. Patrice Bergeron is above 60% for the third consecutive season.

Their top goalie, Linus Ullmark, is the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy. Bergeron could win another Selke Trophy. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery has to be a candidate for the Jack Adams Trophy for coach of the year.

General manager Don Sweeney made their forward group feistier by adding Tyler Bertuzzi and Garnet Hathaway at the trade deadline. He made the defense stronger by picking up Dmitri Orlov. The Bruins are gritty, hard to play against and own a 26-8-2 record on the road.

This may be hockey, but the Bruins have all of the bases covered.

🛩️ Adam Lowry's game-winner powers Jets over Ducks 3-2 to "pad" wild card cushion. The 6'6" Missouri-native assisted on Mason Appleton's first period tally before deflecting in Brenden Dillon's pass midway through the third for the game-winner and 200th point of his NHL career. Jets' points leader Kyle Connor scored his 28th of the season and Connor Hellebuyck collected 18 saves to give the Jets their second win in a row. Winnipeg maintains the final Western Conference wild card and their 5 point lead over the Nashville Predators (who also won last night) and added to their lead over the Calgary Flames who now sit 6 points back thanks to their loss to Vegas last night.

🐱 Alex DeBrincat's three points keep Sens' playoff hopes alive, extinguish Lightning 7-2. The speedy 25-year-old forward opened the scoring off a 3-on-1 thanks to a Drake Batherson feed before scoring his 2nd of the night less than three minutes later, spinning and sniping Brian Elliott's glove side. Brady Tkachuk scored twice, setting a new career high with 32 tucks on the season. And Derick Brassard, Erik Brannstrom, and Austin Watson each chipped in a goal as the Sens handed the Lightning their third straight loss. Ottawa's victory, combined with Pittsburgh's loss to Dallas last night, puts the Senators 5 points back from the final Eastern Conference wild card with 10 games left on their schedule.

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• 🖖 Jake DeBrusk splits Canadien defenders to score beautiful breakaway goal

• 🌀 Auston Matthews spins and snipes Bobrovsky low glove

• 🫣 Matt Boldy scores spinning no-look backhand rebound goal

• 🚨 Alex Ovechkin forces Seth Jones turnover and scores unassisted beauty

• 🎯 J.T. Miller snipes bardown off Hertl giveaway

• Three person small area breakout drill

• Horizontal figure-8 pivot with soft touches and passing drill

• Overhead slam exercise progression with Jeff LoVecchio