Boston Bruins: Even without Zdeno Chara the defense shone through

The Boston Bruins have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final based on the four-game sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final – fans would say that it was rather easy, near flawless for the Bruins. This is even with key players missing for part of the series like captain Zdeno Chara and young defenseman, Charlie McAvoy.

Not everything has been accomplished by the Boston Bruins in a clear fashion. Before Game 4, they reported that the team’s captain and 42 year-old talisman, Zdeno Chara was injured and listed as day-to-day. The Chara-less Bruins defense still got the job done though!

Often criticized for the lack of speed and already being too old to play, Zdeno Chara played probably his best game in Game 3 win against the Hurricanes in the playoffs. His play was stellar, seemingly nothing could get through the Boston Bruins captain. It was like 2011 all over again.

Zdeno Chara wasn’t there for Game 4 on Thursday. Based on what we saw in Game 3; if the same scenario were to repeat, Chara’s absence would be a painful one. A potential turning point of the series for the Hurricanes? No, the Bruins won it 4-0 and recorded their second shutout of the playoffs and their seventh straight victory.

More from Bruins News

• Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
• Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
• The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
• NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
• The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci

Before the Boston Bruins came out to face the Carolina Hurricanes, many people talked about the Canes strong defense. Blue-liners as Jaccob Slavin, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce or Justin Faulk that promised high-quality match-ups and nothing less. On the other hand, the Bruins had to play without Charlie McAvoy in Game 1 and then later on in Game 4, they couldn’t count with Zdeno Chara.

No problem for the Bruins, as they gave up just 5 goals in 4 games against the Canes. Two of those goals came when the Bruins enjoyed a large 6-0 lead well inside the third period of Game 2. In other words, the Canes had little life offensively, thanks to Tuukka Rask and his magnificent goaltending, but also huge thanks go to the Boston Bruins defense, led by Zdeno Chara.

Through 17 games played in the playoffs; the Bruins have given up 33 goals. To compare it with the other three teams making their appearances in the Conference finals, the Hurricanes gave up 42 goals in 15 playoff games, the Blues gave up 46 goals in 16 playoff games and the San Jose Sharks conceded 54 goals in 17 post-season games this spring.

In the regular season, the Bruins ended up as a fourth best team in terms of Goals Against in the entire NHL. Just a few weeks before the regular season concluded, the Boston Bruins were the top defensive team in the NHL.

As we have already learned a ton of times, it´s really better to end up third overall in the regular season in any given area rather than being the top team. The most important thing is that the Bruins have had a tremendous defense in the regular campaign.

They have carried that through to the playoffs as well. Now, they have won seven straight games while giving up just nine goals in the process. Ever since Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Boston Bruins gave up three goals in one game just twice. Once it was in Game 2 versus the Columbus Blue Jackets, which was a double-overtime game and the second time it happened in Game 5 against the Blue Jackets, which the Bruins won.

In the post-game interviews, Tuukka Rask, who is absolutely red-hot right now, always likes to mention that the defense in front of him has done an outstanding job.

In 2011, in the first three rounds of the playoffs, the Bruins gave up 45 goals in 18 games. And that time it was that scary defense with Zdeno Chara in his prime time and legendary Tim Thomas in the net. And you know what? This year, the Bruins have an even better defense.