Bruins Live Blog: B’s Complete Season Sweep of Leafs With 8-0 Rout at Garden

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Mar 19, 2012

Bruins Live Blog: B's Complete Season Sweep of Leafs With 8-0 Rout at GardenFinal, Bruins 8-0: This one comes to a close as the Bruins complete their season sweep of the Leafs in resounding fashion with an 8-0 rout at the Garden.

The Bruins won all six games in the season series by a 36-10 combined score, and now extend their lead in the Northeast Division to three points over Ottawa.

Boston will now have its last two-day break between games for the rest of the regular season, practicing Tuesday before leaving for the West Coast on Wednesday for a three-game road trip that begins Thursday night in San Jose.

Third Period, 18:29, Bruins 8-0: The Bruins add another goal in the closing minutes, with Tyler Seguin providing this score.

Seguin one-timed a blast from the left circle off a feed from David Krejci.

Third Period, 17:10, Bruins 7-0: That's a sight the Bruins didn't need to see, as Daniel Paille goes off the ice and down to the locker room in obvious pain. The Bruins will have to hope that it's nothing serious for the versatile winger.

Third Period, 15:20, Bruins 7-0: The Bruins have announced that Brian Rolston has tied a career high with his four points in this game. Not a bad night for the veteran in his second stint with the club.

Third Period, 13:30, Bruins 7-0: Have to hand it to the Garden crowd, still booing Phil Kessel whenever he touches the puck even in the closing minutes of a blowout.

Third Period, 10:31, Bruins 7-0: The action has slowed quite a bit here in the third, as you would expect with the score so out of reach. The Bruins have finally reached 20 shots and the Leafs are finally in double digits at 11.

Third Period, 6:55, Bruins 7-0: Daniel Paille trying to get Shawn Thornton a goal to celebrate his new contract, but Paille's feed in front gets broken up.

Third Period, 2:41, Bruins 7-0: The Bruins kill off that penalty. Thomas hasn't had much work, but he made a nice stop on the only shot the Leafs got on that power-play opportunity.

Third Period, 0:41, Bruins 7-0: The Bruins will be shorthanded early in the third as Jordan Caron is sent to the box for holding in the opening minute of the frame.

Third Period, 0:00, Bruins 7-0: The final frame is under way at the Garden, where it's been all Bruins through 40 minutes here at the Garden.

Second Intermission Notes: Another period, another dominant performance from the Bruins, who are being helped plenty by the fact that Toronto has completely failed to show up for this one.

The Bruins have as many goals as Toronto has shots, leading 7-0 with a 17-7 edge in shots through two periods.

The third line has been the biggest catalyst, with Brian Rolston leading the way with a goal and three assists for a four points and a plus-4 rating. Linemates Benoit Pouliot has 2-1-3 totals and is a plus-3 and Chris kelly is 1-1-2 and a plus-3. In all, 13 different Bruins have points, while Tim Thomas has been able to get some much needed rest even without taking a game off as Toronto has done little to test him.

End Second Period, Bruins 7-0: The Bruins continued their domination in the second, extending the lead to 7-0 in a lopsided affair at the Garden.

Second Period, 19:25, Bruins 7-0: The drought is over, as Brian Rolston adds another goal for the Bruins.

Boston is now back to having as many goals as Toronto has shots, with the Bruins up 17-7 in shots.

Second Period, 15:54, Bruins 6-0: The scoring chances have slowed a bit in the second but the hitting is starting to pick up with both sides throwing the body around.

Second Period, 11:52, Bruins 6-0: Benoit Pouliot with a chance for the hat trick, set up by Chris Kelly on a 2 on 1, but Pouliot misses wide with the shot from the left slot.

Second Period, 8:42, Bruins 6-0: Daniel Paille gets behind the defense and nearly gets another goal for the Bruins, who now lead 14-3 in shots.

Second Period, 5:45, Bruins 6-0: The Bruins convert that power play as well, with Zdeno Chara blasting one home from the right point.

That gives the Bruins a half dozen goals on just 13 shots. That's still three times as many goals as Toronto has shots on goal.

Second Period, 5:01, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins will now go on the power play as Clarke MacArthur is sent to the box for holding.

Second Period, 2:31, Bruins 5-0: The Bruins pick up right where they left off as Benoit Pouliot adds another goal early in the second.

Brian Rolston picked off the puck coming around the net along the left boards and dished it out from to Pouliot for the easy tap-in before Gustavsson could get back in the crease. Shots now 12-2 as Toronto has yet to get one in this period.

Second Period, 0:00, Bruins 4-0: The middle frame is under way here at the Garden, where the Bruins will look to build upon a dominant opening frame.

First Intermission Notes: It suddenly feels like November all over again. The Bruins played that opening period like they did during their dominant run from the start of November through mid-January. They controlled all aspects of the game while building a 4-0 lead on the Leafs.

Toronto didn't even get a shot on goal in the first half of the frame, falling behind 3-0 before Tim Thomas even had to make a save. The Bruins finished with a 9-2 edge in shots and an 18-5 advantage in shot attempts as the Leafs struggled to even set up in the zone for opportunities.

Toronto did outhit the Bruins 13-10 and won 10 of 18 faceoffs, but the Bruins did fine in the physical part of the game with Gregory Campbell holding his own in a scrap with Luke Schenn and Milan Lucic once again dominating Mike Komisarek with some brutal uppercuts as they renewed their old feud.

End First Period, Bruins 4-0: That was about as dominant a period as the Bruins have had in months. They take a four-goal lead into the break after scoring twice as many goals as Toronto had shots.

First Period, 18:00, Bruins 4-0: Jay Rosehill looking to get something going for the Leafs asking Adam McQuaid to dance, but McQuaid doesn't take the bait with the Bruins comfortably ahead.

First Period, 15:18, Bruins 4-0: The Bruins kill off that penalty and nearly score as Tyler Seguin, who served the extra minor for Lucic, comes out of the box to join Brad Marchand on a 2-on-1 break. Marchand gets the puck over to Seguin in the right slot, but Gustavsson flashes the glove to make the save.

First Period, 13:10, Bruins 4-0: The gloves come off again as Milan Lucic and Mike Komisarek renew an old feud with a battle along the boards. Lucic hammers him just as he did in the old days, landing some huge uppercuts to bring in the linesmen. Lucic does get an extra minor for roughing to give the Leafs a power play.

First Period, 12:42, Bruins 4-0: The Bruins convert the power play with Brad Marchand adding yet another Bruins goal here in the first.

Marchand scored on a low-angle shot from the right side of the net off a crossing pass by Tyler Seguin. That ends the night for Reimer, who allowed four goals on just nine shots. Jonas Gustavsson comes on.

First Period, 12:19, Bruins 3-0: The Leafs finally get their first shot, but also pick up the first penalty of the game when Jay Rosehill flattens Greg Zanon in front, triggering a scrum. Campbell and Luke Schenn separate from the pack for a lengthy scrap, but the Bruins get the power play with Rosehill getting a roughing minor.

First Period, 10:58, Bruins 3-0: The Bruins continue to pour it on, with Benoit Pouliot adding another goal to make it 3-0.

Johnny Boychuk fired in a shot from the right point and Pouliot expertly redirected it in from the slot. Boston now up 8-0 in shots.

First Period, 10:07, Bruins 2-0: More than halfway through the period and the Leafs are still looking for their first shot on goal. It's been all Bruins so far in this one, up 7-0 in shots.

First Period, 7:30, Bruins 2-0: We've reached our first TV timeout here at the Garden. The Bruins have two goals on six shots in a dominant start. The Leafs have yet to put a shot on Tim Thomas with the opening 7:30 played almost exclusively in the Toronto end.

First Period, 5:40, Bruins 2-0: The Bruins do add another early goal as Gregory Campbell stuffs in a wraparound.

Campbell got the puck behind the net and beat Reimer to the right post to double the lead.

First Period, 3:35, Bruins 1-0: Chris Kelly nearly scored another early goal as his bad-angle shot from along the goal line to the right of the net nearly sneaks by Reimer, who also has to fend off Pouliot poking at the rebound  at the right post.

First Period, 2:25, Bruins 1-0: The Bruins strike first with an early goal by Chris Kelly.

Benoit Pouliot sent it down from the slot to Kelly at the left post, and Kelly cut across the front of the net and tucked in a backhander around Reimer.

First Period, 1:59, 0-0: Strong early pressure from the Bergeron line, which created several scoring chances on a long shift inside the Toronto zone, the best coming on a Bergeron tip just wide.

First Period, 0:00, 0-0: This one is under way at the Garden, where the Bruins will look to complete a season sweep of the Leafs and extend their slim lead on Ottawa atop the Northeast Division.

7 p.m.: The Bruins will open this one with Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Jordan Caron up front, Zdeno Chara and Johnny Boychuk on defense and Tim Thomas in goal.

The Leafs counter with Tim Connolly, David Steckel and ex-Bruin Phil Kessel up front, with Mike Komisarek and Carl Gunnarsson on the blue line and James Reimer in net.

6:58 p.m.: The Bruins have officially scratched Joe Corvo and Mike Mottau again.

Cody Franson is the healthy scratch for Toronto, which will go with the standard 12 forwards and six defensemen. That keeps enforcer Jay Rosehill in the lineup.

6:55 p.m.: Peter Chiarelli just spoke with the media about the new deal to keep Shawn Thornton in Boston for two more seasons.

Chiarelli noted Thornton's desire to stay in Boston and his work ethic and commitment to continue improving as a player. He also praised Thornton's leadership on and off the ice and cited how he helped spark the team in the Cup Final when he returned to the lineup in Game 3 as an example of the positive impact he's had on the team.

Chiarelli also stated that talks with the club's other pending free agents will be put on hold until after the season. Plenty more about Thornton's extension will be coming on NESN.com after the game.

6:40 p.m.: The Bruins went with the same line combinations in warm-ups.

Lucic-Krejci-Caron

Marchand-Bergeron-Seguin

Pouliot-Kelly-Rolston

Paille-Campbell-Thornton

Defense pairs:

Chara-Seidenberg

Ference-Boychuk

Zanon-McQuaid

6:30 p.m.: Tim Thomas and James Reimer led the teams out for warm-ups. That's the goalie matchup for this one.

Thomas will be playing in his 13th straight game for the Bruins.

6 p.m.: The Bruins will face the Leafs for the final time this season in about an hour. Boston will be looking for a season sweep of Toronto after taking each of the first five games by a combined 28-10 score.

They'll try to do it with a newly re-signed Shawn Thornton in the lineup. The Bruins inked the popular pugilist to a two-year extension, officially announcing the deal first reported on Saturday on Monday afternoon. General manager Peter Chiarelli will meet with the media just before the game to discuss the deal.

Bruins coach Claude Julien indicated after the morning skate that Joe Corvo and Mike Mottau will remain the scratches for this one, while Tim Thomas is expected to play in his 13th straight game.

8 a.m. ET: The Bruins snapped their season-high four-game losing streak on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout win over Philadelphia. That put them back into first place in the Northeast Division, and they stayed there when Toronto beat Ottawa 3-1 later that night.

Don't expect the Bruins to show much gratitude to the Maple Leafs, though. Boston hosts the Leafs on Monday, needing another win to stay atop the division.

Getting wins against Toronto has been relatively easy for the Bruins this season. Boston is 5-0-0 against the Leafs, outscoring Toronto 28-10 in those games. But their most recent meeting was the most competitive, with Boston barely hanging on for a 5-4 win in Toronto on March 6.

That was the first time the Bruins faced Toronto with new coach Randy Carlyle behind the bench. Carlyle has stressed defensive responsibility and restored much of the truculence abandoned by previous coach Ron Wilson, so the Bruins shouldn't expect an easy win on Monday. The Leafs have won their last two games, finally snapping out of the 2-13-2 slid that finally cost Wilson his job and carried over to the start of Carlyle's tenure.

Former Bruin Phil Kessel scored the game-winner against Ottawa on Saturday to keep his old club in first place. That could put a different spin on the "Thank You Kessel" chants that have been common at the Garden in his recent visits, but don't expect too much of a warm welcome for Kessel from either the Garden fans or the Bruins. Kessel has 35-40-75 totals this season, but has just one goal and two assists and is a minus-9 in five games against Boston. In 17 games against the Bruins since his 2009 trade to Toronto, Kessel has 3-6-9 totals and is minus-16.

The puck drops at 7 p.m. Tune in to NESN to watch the game, and stay with the NESN.com live blog, as we'll keep you up to speed on everything happening at the Garden.

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