The Bruins Need to Win Tonight

If it was ever possible for a team with a 3-2 series lead to be under more pressure than the team trailing, this is that exact scenario. The Bruins, for all intents and purposes, face a must-win north of the border tonight. Why? Several reasons. First and foremost, any slight momentum Montreal can gain would be a certain deathblow to the B's. Montreal is the lower seed. If they lose, it's because they were expected to lose. If the Bruins blow this as the 3-seed? Claude is almost certain to get the axe, and there could well be other wholesale changes on Causeway Street. The pressure is solely on the Bruins here.

Why else? In 2008, 2009, and 2010, the Bruins played in three Game 7's. Their record in those games? 0-3. And the latter two were at TD Garden. It doesn't matter where a Game 7 is played, home or away. All bets are off. Just ask Kevin Millar, "anything can happen in Game 7". The Habs will be playing with house money in a seventh game. Advantage, theirs.

Don't think the Bruins aren't aware of what happened these past two years on home ice in those decisive seventh games. They remember Scott Walker. They remember blowing a 3-0 lead in a game after blowing a 3-0 lead in a series.  All can be avoided with a win tonight. There's no question the Bruins are the hotter team coming into this game. No need to cool down now. So long as everyone plays their game, no soft goals, no stupid penalties, I firmly expect the Bruins to march out of the Bell Centre tonight and into the second round. Because if they don't, a storm's a brewin' bruin'.