The Boston Bruins are one win away from a franchise first: They have never overcome a 0-2 deficit and seem destined to do so.
They Big Bad Bruins were built for the playoffs and they’re slowly starting to put it all together. Head coach Claude Julien has done a masterful job getting his club back on the rails.
The same goes for Jacques Martin. Despite all the injuries, all the hardship the Canadiens have endured, they haven’t been outplayed or outmatched.
The Canadiens could easily be leading their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal 3-2 (or have even clinched a berth into the second round.)
The loss in Game 4, after blowing three leads, will likely be the turning point of the series. It’s not over yet, I know that. And the Canadiens have clearly demonstrated they won’t give up or quit.
From the moment Claude Julien called a time out to calm his players down, the series has shifted. The Bruins have gained confidence. They’re no longer saying they believe in themselves, they’re actually believing they can win — a big difference.
You have to give the Canadiens credit too. Despite the devastating loss last Thursday, they kept pushing and fighting until the end but how much more gas do they have left in the tank?
Several players, as is the case with Boston, are battered and bruised. James Wisniewski is clearly playing hurt. He’s not alone. The list is long.
Some players, however, are playing with bruised egos. Scott Gomez was on the ice for four of Boston’s goals in Game 4. Jacques Martin challenged him to rise to the occasion. He was unable to.
Is this just the continuation of a difficult year or is Gomez’s reputation of being a playoff performer a past reference?
No matter what happens in this series, one thing is certain. The future is bright for Montreal. David Desharnais, Lars Eller, P.K. Subban and Ryan White have been impressive in the playoffs. Carey Price has been outstanding. Even Andrei Kostitsyn, of all people, has taken his game to another level and showed he cares and he wants to win.
It is evident the Canadiens coach did not have any faith in Gomez at key moments in the game. If they are going to get out of the hole they’re in, they’ll need Gomez. I don’t like their chances when Gomez has spent most of the year, really most of his time in a Habs uniform, missing in action.