Bruins advance to cup finals: Top reasons for the Boston sweep

Fact is, when this series with Pittsburgh began 7 days ago, I think you would have been hard pressed to find anyone who could even imagine a Bruins win. I mean, how on earth could a 5th seed that needed an absolute miracle to make it out of the first round  manage to lop off a number one seed that at one point won 15 consecutive games. Nevertheless as unthinkable we thought it to be, that unthinkable truth became a reality last night and goodness gracious, I'm not complaining.

For the second time in three short years, the Boston Bruins are going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Here's why.

1) Tuukka Rask



2 Shutouts, 134 saves on 136 shots. And they were all against Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Tuukka Rask saved the show for Boston and if they are to win the cup he will be a strong candidate for Con Smyth.

2) Bruins Net Front Defense



I noticed it almost right off the bat. Why? Because it was something the Bruins had failed to do all season long. Limit the Penguins shots on net by clearing the rebounds allowed by Tuukka Rask out and away from the net. Fact is Boston did a great job destroying any chance Pittsburgh had at blasting a second chance opportunity on the Bruins goal and that was most likely the biggest part of Boston's limiting their conference final opponent to just 2 goals through 4 games.

3) Sidney Crosby looses concentration



He is the greatest player in the world, no doubt about it but nevertheless Boston was able to shut him down and that was a huge reason for the Bruins win. Beginning after the conclusion of the second period of game two, Crosby seemed to loose it, going after Tuukka Rask before finding himself at the foot of an angry mount Chara. From that point on Sidney Crosby never got it back and well I'm really not upset about that.

The Boston Bruins are going to the Cup Finals! The Boston Bruins are going to the Cup Finals! Heck yeah!!