Bruins' best players finally join the series vs. Blue Jackets

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COLUMBUS – The Bruins' top players came to play for Game 4, and it made all the difference for the B’s in their second-round series.

Obviously Tuukka Rask was stellar in a 39-save performance against the Blue Jackets in the 4-1 win at Nationwide Arena, but it was also Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak getting into the scoring act that paved the way for the Black and Gold. Bergeron scored the game-winner in the first period on a power play rocket from the high slot just seconds after Rask has turned away a Boone Jenner penalty shot, and Pastrnak and Bergeron teamed to give the B’s an all-important early lead in the game.

It was about time after the three forwards had combined for one point in the first three games of the series, and instead, Bergeron, Pastrnak and Brad Marchand exploded out for three goals and five points in the victory that evened up the series at 2-2.

Credit Bruce Cassidy for correctly reforming the Perfection Line prior to Game 4 and putting Bergeron with Marchand and Pastrnak for what turned out to be a breakout night for them.

“Those guys responded well and had a good game. They hadn’t been producing. I think they all had some chances to score goals, and they got a couple of them early. That always has to make you feel good,” said Cassidy. “It’s well-documented that any team isn’t going to win without their best players being their best players. I think you can survive for a while.

“But it’s nice to catch up [with some top-line production]. It’s kind of the law of averages with them. Generally you need your top guys going. In our dressing room these are popular guys and leaders, so guys feed off them when they’re going with their energy level.”

Certainly, Pastrnak had his ups and downs in the game as he scorched a one-timer for the first goal of the game, and he managed six shot attempts overall in a high-event game. But he also fanned on a couple of point shot attempts that turned into shorthanded rushes going the other way, and still looks like he’s not feeling comfortable with his hands.

“I hope [his confidence] is better tonight. He scored a big goal for us,” said Cassidy. “Hopefully he’s feeling good about his game. We’re not going to bury him. He’s always going to get out on the power play. If he stops working and doing some other things then we’ll look at [scaling back his work]. I just wish he was harder on the puck in front of our bench in the second period.

“He muffed some plays. I don’t know if it’s a comfort level there or what’s going on. It’s not like him, but I think he’ll play his way out of that. He just has to compete hard on this pucks and that was my message to him.”

But Bergeron was a revelation in Game 4 with his best performance in this playoff run to date. Bergeron rocketed a couple of power play goals into the net for his first points of the series, finished with a team-high seven shots on net, nine shot attempts and won 14-of-21 face-offs in 21 plus minutes of ice time. He’s had scoring chances in just about every game, so the law of averages said that No. 37 would eventually break thru at some point.

That’s a big development for the Black and Gold.

“We always talk about getting the results. It’s one thing to get a lot of chances and keep playing well, but you’ve got to make sure that you finish,” said Bergeron. “Those results in the playoffs need to be a part of it. So I was glad we could [kick in some offense] today.”

Now the name of the game is for Boston’s top players to keep the momentum going, and keep the production level going now that the Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak are getting dialed back in offensively. It’s the exact kind of thing that could turn around a series that’s still very much up for grabs while tied up 2-2 with two of the remaining three games to be played at TD Garden. 

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