Bruins Bang Bodies, Snuff Penguins 3-1

On Sunday the Penguins imposed their will on the Boston. Using their superior team speed to dictate play, they enjoyed most of the prime scoring chances while holding the Bruins in check. The result, a crisp playoff-style 1-0 victory.

Last night the Bruins returned the favor. Heeding coach Bruce Cassidy’s call to play a “grittier game,” the visitors clogged the shooting lanes to the tune of 21 blocked shots and allowed the Pens precious few second-chance opportunities.

Kind of an on-ice version of The Empire Strikes Back.

The B’s banged bodies as well, outhitting us by a whopping 50-25 margin and pretty much knocking us around all over the ice. While the Pens tried to respond…Teddy Blueger shocked onlookers by dropping the mitts with Bruins defenseman Jeremy Lauzon…let’s face it, it’s not our game. At least not with the lineup as presently constructed. More on that in a bit.

The Pens held serve through a scoreless opening period that in many ways mirrored Sunday’s affair. Boston took the lead on an innocuous looking backhander off the rush by David Krejci late in the second frame, snapping Tristan Jarry’s shutout streak at 125:36. Then the Bruins ramped up the physical play in the final period (a ridiculous 18-6 edge in hits) and methodically took control.

After softening our guys up with four hits in just over a minute they grabbed on a 2-0 lead midway through the period on a garbage goal by Brad Marchand. Again, nothing fancy here. The Bruins just drove straight to the net and cashed in, swatting aside would-be checkers like so many flies at a Fourth of July picnic.

At 12:18, Taylor Hall streaked up the ice and beat Jarry from the high slot to make it 3-0. For those who were counting, it was the B’s third goal off the rush. Jeff Carter beat Tuukka Rask with a laser of his own at 17:39, but it was pretty much academic by then.

I’ll let Cassidy sum up.

“There was a lot to like tonight from everybody to be honest with you,” he said. “We played a good, determined game. … Our top guys did the finishing tonight. Our bottom guys did a lot of the dirty work, the grunt work. The physicality, it’s a good formula for us.”

The battle lines are drawn. You hearin’ this, Sully?

Puckpourri

The Bruins held the edge in shots on goal (31-26), 5v5 scoring chances (21-14) and high danger scoring chances (8-3). They won 57 percent of the draws.

In the battle of top lines, Boston’s “Perfection Line” dominated. Sidney Crosby’s unit was a combined minus-nine. Our top defensive pairing of Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin, a minus-three. “Tanger” was caught flatfooted and fishing for the puck on the Bruins’ second goal.

The Pens finished the season series at 3-4-1.

The loss dropped us into second place in the MassMutual East with 67 points, one point behind our next foe Washington. The Caps have a game in hand. The Islanders are in third (63 points), followed by the Bruins (62) and the Rangers, still on the cusp of the playoff chase with 58 points.

Opinyinz

Overall coach Mike Sullivan’s done a terrific job this year. But there’s one bone of contention for me and I’m going to pick at it.

He seems unwilling to adjust his lineup to match our opponents. I get it to an extent…he wants our foes to adjust to us instead. But it’s no secret how the Bruins, and likely the Capitals and Islanders, are going to play us in a short series. They’re going to come at us physically.

I fully realize we’re not going to be a heavy team…it’s just not our style. But we don’t have to be toothless, either. Anthony Angello did a solid job when given the chance (51 hits in 19 games of limited ice time). And he’s not a plow horse…he can skate and play a little.

Am I to believe twice-waived Colton Sceviour’s that superior?

I think not.

Sam Lafferty possesses speed and sand, and he’s won over 52 percent of his draws. Hulking Radim Zohorna did nothing during his brief cameo to suggest he doesn’t belong, and he can play center as well as wing. Yet we continue to dress Milquetoast-ish Mark Jankowski on the premise that he’s a good defensive player.

Sadly, it continues an ingrained pattern of behavior for Sullivan. Bigger players and/or ones with an aggressive bent are constantly marginalized and shunted to the shadows.

As a result, you have Crosby (and later Blueger) trying to avenge Lauzon’s hard second-period hit and subsequent cross-check on Jake Guentzel…which could’ve had catastrophic results.

For goodness sake, Sully, deploy a lineup that gives us a little protection and pushback. Our Cup hopes could be riding on it.