May 13, 2013; Boston, MA USA; Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) center Tyler Seguin (19) and center Patrice Bergeron (37) react after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in OT in game seven of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins have had a good second round of the playoffs so far. The Bruins have outscored the New York Rangers eight to four in the first two games. We’ve had some great performances from our team. The four lines have worked well, and we’ve received a genuine surprise from our rookie blueliners. Dougie Hamilton, Matt Bartkowski, and Torey Krug have exceeded our expectations and already have a combined seven points in the playoffs.

This also leaves Coach Claude Julien in a tough position. Dennis Seidenberg and Wade Redden have resumed skating with the Bruins. They are both listed as ‘day to day’, and will likely be game time decisions on whether or not they play. So, what should the coach do?

Personally, I say give Redden and Seidenberg a healthy scratch. Not as a sign of displeasure, but a show of confidence to the rookies. The Coach had no other option but to play them earlier. They were given that golden opportunity to prove why they should wear the B, and those three took it. (Well, to be completely honest, it’s more an opportunity for Bartkowski and Krug. For them it’s a chance to swap out the ‘P’ on the jersey for the ‘B’.) Give them an extra day of healing, and don’t tamper with the success that has driven the Rangers to an early 0-2 deficit.

So, how about putting Tyler Seguin back on the second line with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron?  Here’s what the coach said about Tyler’s performance in this series. “I have no complaints on Tyler’s game yesterday. I thought he played extremely hard. I think he’s coming around, and maybe it’s a good thing that he’s on that line; take a little bit of pressure off the guy and let him work his way out of it. I think that’s what’s happening right now.”

I think Seguin will have more chemistry with the two guys he’s been playing with for the past three seasons. (Just look at the Merlot Men for that.) Jaromir Jagr is a future hall of famer, but he seemed to do better with Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley. Seguin did all the battling in that game seven series that led to the OT win.

The puck drops at 7:30 PM in Madison Square Garden. Another page in the saga of Boston/New York sports will be read tonight.

May 10, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Jaromir Jagr (68) reacts to being defeated by the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1 in game five of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been 7 years since Jaromir Jagr donned a C on a New York Rangers jersey. In his brief 4 year stint in New York, Mario Jr netted one 50 goal season, and made 3 playoff appearances; his best in 2007-08 logging 15 points in 10 games (5-10). May 21st, 2013 will mark the first time in 17 years Jaromir Jagr has faced the New York Rangers in the playoffs and the sleeping giant has been slowly but surely regaining his once lost form. After being robbed by Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist during Game 2 on May 19th, Jagr returned to TD Garden for a late night skate by himself to hopefully get in touch with his sleeping skills. But Jagr isn’t the only sleeping giant that’s been waiting to wake up,

Tyler Seguin is still without a single goal in the 2013 Playoffs, he hasn’t really been playing like himself since the start of the post-season. Despite assisting on Bergeron’s game and series winning goal against Toronto in Game 7, he hasn’t netted more than a point in the last 9 games he’s appeared in. The snake bitten forward is struggling for the second time this year, the first time coming in the beginning of the year after returning from Europe. It’s obvious that Seguin can handle himself in the post-season, he’s done it before, but the huge glaring factor that is more than likely the major cause of his lack of production is the tour of Europe he did during the long off season. Seguin definitely burnt himself out and working himself double time to snap out of his European hangover in the beginning of the year hasn’t helped things. Seguin will return to his form, there is no worry about it, but if he doesn’t get into shape soon will Claude make a point of benching him in favor of another Providence call up? Or will he let Seguin work it out himself?. In an honest opinion, a Providence call up wouldn’t be half bad. Rookie defencemen Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski are both call ups out of Providence, and have impressed greatly, Krug netting 2 points in 2 games and Bartkowski just being an all around force on the ice. It would definitely be nice to see some future Bruins out of Providence.

The rest of the Bruins have been coming together and making great things happen all over the ice. Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand have rekindled their speedy magic and the KHL (Krejci, Horton, Lucic) line has been absolutely tearing it up. Hamilton and the third line need to show improvement, but a lot of slack can be given to Hamilton. Being only 19 in a situation like this (especially if you are a defencemen) isn’t going to be an recipe for instant success.  Tuukka Rask has been absolutely standing on his head and living up to the number 1 goalie title and is more then ready to be a Stanley Cup winning goaltender. His defense needs to remember that he can’t do all the work, but it seems like things are working itself out in that department.

Clear Broadway, here comes the Bruins.

May 19, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug (47) checks New York Rangers forward Taylor Pyatt (14) during the third period of game two of the second round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports

There were questions going into game two last night. Could the rookie defensemen keep the pressure up against the Rangers? Would the team be able to maintain that level on intensity and find ways around Henrik Lundqvist’s stubborn goaltending? Most importantly, could the Bruins get another win at home and carry that momentum with them as they headed out to New York City? Once again, the answer was a resounding yes on all counts.

Torey Krug scored the first goal at 5:28 of the first period. It was his second goal in as many games. The last time a Bruin pulled off that trick was Tyler Seguin in 2011, and as I recall that was a very good year for us. The first two period of the game had Bruins scoring with the Rangers firing right back. The Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan tied it less than three minutes later after a sloppy pass led to a Ranger breakaway. Gregory Campbell made it 2-1 at 2:24 of the second period, and New York pulled even again 56 seconds later on Rick Nash’s goal.

The third goal however, there was no response for. Towards the end of game one with less than a second left to play in regulation, Johnny Boychuk fired one of his “Johnny Rockets” at Lundqvist, but the shot bounced off the post. This time, the Johnny Rocket sailed into the crease to give the Bruins a 3-2 lead. That lead held into the end of the second period.

“Guys are really trying to stay focused on doing their job in the third period,” said Brad Marchand in the locker room after the game. “We know how important [third periods] are, especially after what we went through being down by a few goals. We know that it’s possible for any team to come back from any score, so we want to make sure we don’t let up.”

The Bruins didn’t let up. In a goal that looked oddly similar to the game one overtime winner, Patrice Bergeron sailed down the right side with Marchand completing a similar interior route. Bergeron passed it to Marchand as he turned past the goal, and got it past Lundqvist to bring the Bruins a two goal lead. (Rookie D-man Matt Bartkowski got an assist on that goal.) The Krejci line also stamped ‘PAID in FULL’ on Lundqvist’s hide as Krejci got a pass to Lucic in close who jammed in to make it 5-2 (Dougie Hamilton got an assist there.)

Gregory Campbell ended up with the ‘Star of the Game’ Ranger jacket for his performance. The Rangers tried to bring a stronger physical game in the third., and when Derek Dorsett tried to make it really physical, Campbell stood up and did his share to shut them down. “Our line put some pressure on ourselves to help out in that aspect.” offered Campbell. “As I said, it’s not our main job, but it helps out in games, and as we get further into the playoffs, teams get better defensively, and games get closer. Sometimes it’s not the usual suspects that chip in, and it has to be the other guys.”

Tuukka Rask stopped thirty five of thirty seven, and once again covered the B’s butts in the clutch. “”You have to give Tuukka a lot of credit,” Coach Claude Julien said. ”Turnovers and giveaways in the second period are not something we do too much, and it could have been disastrous.” The Bruins are now up 2-0, and take on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden tomorrow night at 7:30.