CBC-Sports

No panic for Bruins

May 8, 2009 02:50 PM | Posted by   CBC Sports Staff  

In Games 2 and 3, the Bruins didn't get much traffic in front of the Carolina net, allowing Cam Ward to have good looks at the puck. While the Carolina defence has been stout in front of Ward, the forwards have excelled at hustling back and applying pressure on the Boston attackers.

"I think a lot of it has to do with our back-pressure from our forwards," said Carolina defenceman Tim Gleason. "We want to turn pucks over before they have an opportunity to drive to the net. The better back-pressure we have, the better opportunity we have as D-men to get it back in their hands. Then it's less pressure they have going to the net."

The most heat the Bruins put on Ward came in the third period of Game 2, when they put 16 third-period shots on goal. Since then, Ward hasn't been troubled by any repeated flurries.

"With players that skate very well and really handle the puck, if you give them ice to play on, they will make those plays," said coach Paul Maurice. "The only way to do that is allow your defence to stay up and have as tight a gap as you can. The only way to do that is to push them from behind."

'We don't want to go back home down 3-1'

After a day off yesterday, the Bruins regrouped at the RBC Center this morning with a mission in mind: to not return home in a 3-1 hole.

"When you're down 2-1 in a series, it's really important that you come to play tonight and that you play your best game possible," said Claude Julien. "Everything becomes more important. We don't want to go back home down 3-1. Those are the consequences we face tonight."

Julien, referring to a stretch in February and March when the Bruins struggled to find their game, reiterated that his team is not flustered heading into tonight's match.

"When it did happen during the season, we knew in hindsight -- obviously, we wanted to win our games -- that this was probably going to help our team grow when we went through those situations that put us under .500. And it did help us grow," Julien said. "This is a time again to show that we gained something from those tough times. Just because we're down 2-1, it means we have to roll up our sleeves and go back to work."

OT no sweat for Maurice

Maurice, who saw his team pull out an overtime win in Game 3, said he doesn't get too nervous late in games.

"I've always found the game gets more relaxing as it goes," Maurice said. "I'm most nervous at about 2 o'clock this afternoon. Because you've got nothing to do and you've got no control over it. As the game goes, your team gets into a rhythm, you're happy with your team and the way it's going, you become more and more relaxed. The game takes over, and at the end of it, it's the players.

"You establish your rhythm on the bench and everybody has an understanding of match-ups and all those other things that go on. When you get into overtime, it's just a lot of fun. Your team, very probably, has played well. In the playoffs, you rarely get to overtime if you haven't. So you're comfortable with where you are and you're hopeful."

Ference out tonight

Andrew Ference will not play tonight. Ference suffered a lower-body injury in the second period of Game 3 when he was checked into the boards by Scott Walker. Ference will be replaced in the lineup by Shane Hnidy, a healthy scratch for the first three games of the series.

"It's the playoffs," Hnidy said. "You've got to do whatever it takes. You kind of go through the same motions as if you were playing. You do whatever it takes to make sure you're ready."

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