The Boston Bruins' 10-2 utter decimation of the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon was more than just a statement game.
The win was huge for the Bruins as they look to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff hunt following a six-game slide a couple of weeks ago.
But beyond punctuating a huge win against a heated rival, the win marked something not even the best team in the league could do this season. Last Thursday night, the Colorado Avalanche trounced the Ottawa Senators 8-2. The Avalanche rode a six-goal second period, then took their foot off the gas in the third period. The game descended into anarchy, with extracurricular activities slogging the game down towards the end.
That wasn’t the case for the Bruins. Boston fulfilled one core axiom of warfare. When an enemy is defeated, make sure the victory is complete. Even giving a small ray of hope to an enemy can lead to a rally.
That’s precisely what the Bruins did. They made sure the Rangers did not get even the slightest inkling of a chance to get back into the game. Boston moved in for the kill. The club sank its teeth into the Rangers’ jugular vein, ending the game with a bang.
The win marked the first time the Bruins have scored 10 goals in a game since 1988 against the Chicago Blackhawks. It was also the last time in 1979 that the Bruins scored 10 at home. That home win was a 10-0 annihilation of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The game also marked the first time since 1964 that two Bruins players scored a hat trick in the same game.
All told, the Bruins showed just how dominant they can be. The Rangers, granted, haven’t been at their best all season. But this game went beyond routing the opposition. It was about sending a message that this Boston squad can destroy anyone who shows up flat-footed.