If the Bruins win Thursday night, it will be the first time in franchise history they've come back to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1. (Winslow Townson/Associated Press)History may not be on the Boston Bruins' side, but the top-seeded team certainly has momentum.
After battling back in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Carolina Hurricanes, it's over to Boston Thursday night for a decisive Game 7 at TD Banknorth Garden, where for the first time in history, the Bruins will try to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a series.
In the 20 times they've been down 3-1 in the playoffs, Boston has never come back to win.
"I don't think any of us [gives] any weight to that," defenceman Steve Montador said.
But they certainly give weight to momentum, especially in this series.
"This series has [had] more momentum swings during games than any series I've probably been involved with," said Boston goalie Tim Thomas, a candidate for the Vezina Trophy this year. "So it's crucial to try to keep that momentum."
Bruins' last trip to conference final came in 1992
The top-seeded Bruins, looking for a trip to the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 1992, carried a lot of momentum after an opening series sweep of Montreal and a Game 1 victory against Carolina.
The Hurricanes won the next three, but then the wins shifted again as Carolina failed to close out the series in the next two games, including a 4-2 loss at home on Tuesday.
"If you said at the start of the series that we had one chance to win one game to go on, we'd have said, 'Let's take it,' " Hurricanes captain Rod Brind'Amour said after Tuesday's game. "What's done is done. This team has been resilient."
In the opening round of the playoffs, Carolina came back from a 3-2 deficit to beat New Jersey, scoring two goals with a minute and a half to go in the third period of Game 7.
While the Bruins haven't faced a Game 7 in the post-season, Carolina has Game 7 success on its side — if that means anything.
"Yeah, we might feel a little bit more comfortable in Game 7, but … nothing can prepare you for that," Carolina's Sergei Samsonov said. "The more you think about it, you just have to treat it like one game. Not a Game 7. One game."
Thomas plays 2nd Game 7 of his career
Thomas, who made his playoff debut last year, is playing in the second Game 7 of his career, and his first on home ice.
His first isn't one he wants to remember, a 5-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 1 of the playoffs last year.
"From a personal standpoint, I remember maybe wanting it too much," he said. "Sometimes that can work against you, or at least, you can't focus on that. You have got to break it down into small pieces and just play the game in small increments."
A key increment for Boston is the start, coach Claude Julien said. The Bruins scored two fast goals in Game 6 that proved to be key.
"You've got to build the momentum. You've got to show the other team that you're in control," Julien said. "We had to come out strong. We did. We got an early lead. I think that was a big difference for us.
"We felt very confident after that. Whatever they threw at us in spurts, we were able to weather the storm."
If the Bruins battle back from a 3-1 deficit and weather the storm to win the series, it will be historic, but it won't be a first for Julien. The coach won a pivotal Game 7 in the playoffs while behind the bench with the Canadiens five years ago.
The team Julien ousted from the playoffs with that victory: the Boston Bruins.
"I'd love to be able to return that favour," he said.
The winner of the series will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the conference final.
With files from The Associated Press
