David Krejci gets the win in overtime for Boston 3-2.

Nov 11, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Jarome Iginla (12) reacts with center David Krejci (46) and left wing Milan Lucic (17) after scoring an empty net goal during the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

I think we were all relieved that the Boston Bruins played a more consistent sixty minute game this afternoon. I think we were all a little surprised to see that it required the Bruins to go to overtime to dispatch the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-2. That win gave the Bruins a little extra buffer atop the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. For the most part, we saw the Bruins as we always hoped they would be. A team with an aggressive forecheck that played the body. Strong blueline support on the attack, layers of protection in the defensive zone, and on point goaltending. We saw a lot of that today. There were also times where they let their guard down and it hurt them.

“OT wins, they always feel good to be a part of when you’re on the winning side,” said Jarome Iginla after the game”It was nice move with Krech [David Krejci] with the patience. I thought ‘great move’ and I’m like okay put it in, put it in, but he obviously made that right call and it’s great patience and in a pretty tight spot there.”

We all know David Krejci can bend time and space in a way that would make most astrophysicists jealous. While Krejci has been in a bit of a scoring slump, the goal in overtime showed just what a solid playmaker the Bruins’ top line center is.

“The puck found me,” offered a smiling Krejci. “I kind of had a sense that the goalie was going to slide over because he didn’t know what I was going to do, so I kind of held onto it a little extra second and after that, it looked like the net was almost all empty, so it was kind of easy for me to put it in.”

Coach Claude Julien went off the beaten path in this overtime period. He chose to go with three forward and one defenseman rather than the usual two-two configuration.

“We haven’t gotten much out of our shootouts so I just thought it was important to maybe get a line out there, give us maybe some more offense because of the fact they’re used to playing with each other,” said Julien. “Taking that strategy and having one defenseman there and making sure a forward always came back and, tonight, it paid off.”

November 18, 2013; Raleigh, NC, USA; Boston Bruins forward David Krejci (46) skates with the puck against he Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Center. The Boston Bruins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports