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BOSTON -- After Boston's top four defensemen of Zdeno Chara, Dennis Seidenberg, Adam McQuaid and Johnny Boychuk, it will be a true competition between Dougie Hamilton, Torey Krug and Matt Bartkowski for the final two spots on the blue line.

Hamilton, Krug and Bartkowski have all played well in the first week of camp and into the preseason exhibition schedule. But one of those three will serve as the healthy scratch once the season starts, so the competition should be intense and healthy.

"We don't have to spell that out to them," said Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli. "I spoke openly to the group about competition. I'm really looking forward to seeing the competition at all levels, at all positions.

"Common sense would dictate right now that it would be those three guys for those two spots. They've embraced it and they've played well. I thought Dougie had a good game [Tuesday night]. He was strong on the puck and made some good plays and closed well as the game progressed. Torey and Bart, the other night in Montreal, they both played well."

Chiarelli added that no spot is guaranteed, but when asked if he would be comfortable seeing Hamilton play for the P-Bruins at some point instead of watching from press level as the healthy scratch, the GM said: "My goal is to have him in the NHL."

* With two exhibition games in the books, all four goalies have each played half of a game. Tuukka Rask and Niklas Svedberg played Tuesday night against the Washington Capitals, while Chad Johnson and Malcolm Subban played Monday at Montreal. The latter three are competing for the backup role behind Rask.

"We're all competitive and we all want to be out there," Rask said. "I haven't paid too much attention to that yet but I'm sure as the camp keeps going further and further I'll get to practice with the other goalies and see how they're doing."

Camp has been split into two groups, so Rask has been on the ice with Svedberg all week.

"I thought he made some key saves out there," Rask said of Svedberg's performance Tuesday night. "I thought he was solid."

* Bruins forward Daniel Paille did not practice Wednesday, but both Chiarelli and coach Claude Julien said it had nothing to do with hockey, simply saying Paille was ill and expected back on the ice Thursday.

* While it's a possibility Gregory Campbell could return to game action Thursday night against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden, teammate Patrice Bergeron still needs more time, according to Julien, but the coach added it's a possibility Bergeron could play Saturday at Detroit.

* Rask's spirited temper is in midseason form. During the last drill of Wednesday's practice, he took a couple of shots up high and had a few goals scored on him. He stormed off the ice, smashed his stick into pieces against the boards and threw his gloves down the hallway. Afterward, he was fine, saying he's not a fan of the neutral zone scrimmage.

* The Bruins made their first round of cuts Wednesday afternoon. Camp invites Scott Campbell, Jack Downing, Steven Spinell and Ben Youds will join the Providence Bruins training camp, while Tyler Randell and Adam Morrison have been assigned to Providence.

BOSTON -- If and when goaltender Tim Thomas earns a roster spot with the Florida Panthers, there’s a good chance he’ll play against the Boston Bruins at some point this season.

Thomas has not played in the 16 months since he decided to step away from the game to spend time with his family. The Panthers signed the 39-year-old netminder to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) on Monday.

If he makes the team out of camp, circle Nov. 7 on your calendar. That’s when the Bruins will host the Panthers at TD Garden. The Bruins also play the Panthers in Florida on Oct. 17.

“I was happy to see him coming back,” Bruins No. 1 goalie and former Thomas backup Tuukka Rask said Wednesday. “Like I’ve said before, I wouldn’t be surprised if this happened and it did. I’m hoping that he’s going to make the team, get a good contract and get a good year out of it.”

Thomas said Tuesday he feels refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to show he can still compete at this level, despite his hiatus.

“If he wants to be good, he will be good, there’s no doubt about that,” Rask said. “I don’t think it’s too big of an issue to take a year off and come back. I’m sure he kept himself sharp, saw some pucks and it won’t be that big of a deal to come back. He’s definitely the guy to make it happen.”

Thomas said he didn’t think about hockey over the past year until he watched his former team reach the Stanley Cup finals last June. It was then that the competitive juices began to flow and he started to train for his possible comeback.

“Obviously, he was here for a while and has deep relationships with a bunch of our players,” Rask said. “I’m sure he was emotional about watching [the Cup finals] and he felt the itch, I bet when he saw us play and make that run again after he was a big part of it a couple of years ago. I think it’s good that he didn’t think about hockey during the year. He just totally cleared his mind and he’ll be fresh coming out.”

Rask wasn’t the only Bruins player that thinks Thomas can return to the NHL.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” said Bruins forward Gregory Campbell. “He’s a competiveness guy and I know, personally, stepping away from the game for any reason, whether it’s an injury or the lockout, this is a game we play because we all love it. It’s obviously a job and a career but we all love playing the game. It’s only natural for anyone to miss the game. I know with Timmy’s competitive nature doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s one of the most competitive guys I’ve played with.

“Seeing the success we had last year I’m sure brought him back to 2011 when we can all attest to the fact that the longer you play in the playoffs the more fun it is. We’re fortunate on this team to have such a great group of guys and it’s fun to play. I’m sure those are some of the thoughts going through his mind.”

Campbell learned first-hand how tough it is to watch from the outside and how difficult it can be to get back into game shape due to a significant time off the ice.

“I’ll say this: It’s not easy for anybody to take that amount of time off and come back, but if anybody can do it I’m sure Timmy is a strong candidate,” Campbell said. “He likes to prove people wrong. He’s a super-competitive athlete and he’s a talented player as well and that will bode well for him. He obviously had his reasons to take some time off, so sometimes you can reflect a little bit, refresh your mind and body, come back and you feel that excitement for the game again. I think Timmy is going to do well.”

MIDDLETON, Mass. -- Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask became the highest-paid player in franchise history this summer with his new eight-year deal worth $56 million, but he says no amount of money will change his mindset.

The 26-year-old netminder will enter the 2013-2014 season when training camp begins on Sept. 11 with no contract issues. He no longer needs to prove he can have success at this level. He only needs to concentrate on stopping the puck, and that should make things easier for him.

“Yes and no,” he said. “Yes, you’re always kind of trying to work yourself up and try to get yourself some kind of status in people's eyes, but every season you start from scratch and have to prove yourself again at some level. Obviously, it helps that you have a long contract and you can focus on your job and don’t worry about the contract every year. It helps in that way, but still every year is different and you have to be worth your money, no matter how much you make.”

After losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup finals, Rask returned to his native Finland and spent his downtime playing golf and tennis with friends and family. To him, it’s been a normal summer despite the shorter offseason.

He plans on getting back on the ice in a week or two, but he’s been in the gym working out and playing plenty of golf and tennis.

“Health-wise I’m feeling really good,” Rask said. “That’s always a plus.”

The one question entering training camp is who his backup will be, since Anton Khudobin signed with the Carolina Hurricanes last month. Providence Bruins goalie Niklas Svedberg and recently signed Chad Johnson will vie for the backup role. Either way, Rask says he’s preparing for the season as he normally would.

“When you get yourself ready for the season, you always kind of plan to play 82 games,” he said. “I don’t think I can play in 50, 60, 70 games, and it all depends how you’re playing, too. I know [Svedberg], meeting him last year and seeing him practice, he’s a great goalie. I don’t know too much about Chad but I’ve heard he’s a really good goalie, a big guy. I’m sure whoever it will be, it’s going to be a good situation for us.”

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- With goaltender Tuukka Rask agreeing to an eight-year contract extension worth close to $56 million with the Boston Bruins, any young netminder in the organization might see that as a roadblock to being a No. 1 goalie in the NHL.

Case in point: Former Bruins backup Anton Khudobin knew his chances of playing time for the Bruins dwindled by the way Rask performed during the lockout-shortened 2013 regular season. Then to witness Rask follow it up with another strong performance in the playoffs and help the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup finals, along with a contract extension on the horizon, Khudobin wanted out, so he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.

If the natural course of progression takes shape, Providence Bruins goaltender Niklas Svedberg should earn the backup role in Boston. Also, Bruins goaltending prospect and former first-round pick Malcolm Subban is set to turn pro and should be playing in Providence next season.

Subban is focused on his own career path and not Rask’s long-term contract.

“No, because I’m not playing there, yet,” Subban said. “I’m not even in the AHL yet, so I still have a lot of work to do to get there before that even enters my mind. Right now it’s about getting ready to contend at that level. I feel like I have a big summer coming up ahead. Coming from the OHL to the AHL or NHL is a huge step, so that’s my focus right now.”

Subban, along with 23 other Bruins prospects, participated Wednesday in Day 1 of development camp at Ristuccia Arena. This is Subban’s second development camp since the Bruins selected him 24th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and Bruins assistant general manager Don Sweeney is pleased with the goalie’s progression and mindset.

“All players and goaltenders have to understand that there are no road blocks in anybody’s way here,” Sweeney said. “You look at Tuukka, he’s been patient at times to be sort of the understudy and understand it. He’s had some ebb and flows as well as some successes and then all of a sudden some steps back. That’s all healthy in a person’s development. A lot of guys think about goaltenders hitting their strides and then they play a lot longer in their careers.

“Some goaltenders have won Stanley Cups and taken steps back because it came early for them and they had some success. I don’t think [Subban] is in a rush and nor should he be. He should embrace what’s in front of him at that moment and he does a good job of that. He’s a really competitive guy, so he’s going to want the net and you love that in a goaltender.”

Subban completed his third full season in the OHL this year and helped the Belleville Bulls reach the Eastern Conference finals.

“Obviously, didn’t go all the way so I’m not too satisfied,” Subban said. “We made it to the conference final and lost in Game 7 to a pretty good team. Obviously you can’t complain about that. Our team was really happy with our success throughout the year and we had a pretty good team that could have made it.”

The 19-year-old netminder finished the regular season ranked first among all OHL goaltenders in goals-against average (2.14) and save percentage (.934).

“He played a lot of hockey this year,” Sweeney said. “The experience he went through, being challenged and having a little bit of disappointment, really sets him up well for that next phase of his career.

"He’s such an athletic goaltender that has so much promise,” added Sweeney. “You look at Tuukka’s path to where he is right now, and it takes time for a goaltender to be in those situations and go through them and experience them.”

Subban paid close attention to the Stanley Cup playoffs. He watched Rask perform well and finish the postseason as one of the Bruins’ most consistent players. Boston came up short of its second Cup title in a three-year span, beaten in the finals by the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.

“I felt bad for him,” Subban said. “He played so well and he deserved a bit more, maybe the Conn Smythe or something, a Stanley Cup ring, obviously. It’s tough because things happen like that. A couple of bad breaks and just like that it’s over. I don’t think there’s much else he could’ve done, just some bad luck if you watch the last few minutes. I thought he played really well. I thought the whole team played well.”

Since the Bruins drafted him, Subban has focused on improving his maturity, flexibility, strength and routine as a goalie.

“I felt like I was always naturally flexible, but after my groin injury and my ankle injury [two years ago], I felt as I’m getting older I’m hearing a lot of stuff about taking care of your body,” Subban said.

Subban’s brother, P.K. Subban, is a defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens and won the Norris Trophy this past season. The Vancouver Canucks drafted their younger brother, Jordan, earlier this month.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Malcolm said. “We’re truly blessed as a family. We couldn’t be happier right now. All three [of us] are in unbelievable organizations. Obviously, P.K. is there already and me and Jordan still have a lot of work to do and we’re looking forward to the opportunity.”

BOSTON -- After discussing at length the new addition of forward Jarome Iginla to the Boston Bruins, general manager Peter Chiarelli said the team is also "very close" on finalizing contract extensions for forward Patrice Bergeron and goaltender Tuukka Rask.

Bergeron's extension will likely keep the 27-year-old assistant captain in Boston for the remainder of his career. It will likely be upward of an eight-year extension worth more than $50 million. Bergeron recently spoke about the opportunity to play his entire career with the Bruins organization.

"It would mean a lot," he said. "That's the goal. Since the beginning, it's been a team that's believed in me when I was 18 and coming up. Now, like I've said before, it's my home and I feel like it is. I love the city. I love the people and definitely love the organization. It would mean a lot to me and hopefully we can work something out."

Rask is seeking a seven- or eight-year deal close to $60 million.

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said Wednesday that he is confident the team and restricted free agent goalie Tuukka Rask will have agreed on a long-term contract by Friday.

“I feel confident that we’ll get a deal done on Rask in short order,” Chiarelli said during a conference call.

If the sides don’t have a deal by the open of the free-agent period on July 5, Chiarelli has a place-holding number set for the goalie’s contract that he can work around in regard to cap planning, he said. If Friday rolls around without a deal in place, other teams can make Rask an offer sheet that the Bruins would have to match in order to retain his services.

Still, Chiarelli thinks it will get done before Friday.

“I would think before, but if it’s after I’m fine with it, too,” Chiarelli said. “I know he would enter free agency but I’m confident, regardless either or.”

Rask, 26, proved to be a No. 1 goalie this season and could be asking for up to $8.5 million per year for a seven- or eight-year contract. No goalie is currently making more than an average of $7 million per season.

Bruins backup goaltender Anton Khudobin, who is a restricted free agent, is expected to go to market.

"I'd prefer to keep that private for now," Chiarelli said. "I've had discussions with his agent, and the discussions were contingent on where we're going to end up on a couple of guys. My guess is he'll probably go to market. Anton has said he wants to stay here but I'm keeping a close eye on it and in constant contact, hoping he can come back. But my guess is he'll go to market, but we can still sign him if he goes to market, it's just a little riskier."

Offseason priority No. 1 for the Boston Bruins -- signing goaltender Tuukka Rask to a long-term contract -- appears to be picking up steam.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli and Rask’s agent, Bill Zito, spoke over the weekend at the NHL draft.

“We had a good conversation,” Zito said. “We are going to continue to talk in the next few days.”

Ideally, the Bruins would like to have Rask signed to an extension prior to the free-agent period, which begins on July 5. If not, other teams can make Rask, a restricted free agent, an offer sheet that the Bruins would have to match in order to retain his services.

Rask, 26, proved to be a No. 1 goaltender this season and could be asking for up to $8.5 million per year for a seven- or eight-year contract. No goalie is currently making more than an average of $7 million per season.

BOSTON -- While Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli is prepared to begin contract negotiations with restricted free-agent goaltender Tuukka Rask, Bruins president Cam Neely is confident the sides will come to an agreement sooner than later.

“I know Pete will be meeting with his agent in the next couple of days to get an idea of what they’re thinking. Tuukka, hopefully, will be a big part of our organization for a long time, so we’ll see where that goes,” Neely said. “I know with the long season, and how late we ended up, there’s a lot that has to be done in a short amount of time.”

Ideally, the Bruins would like to have Rask signed to an extension prior to the free-agent period, which begins on July 5. If not, other teams can make Rask an offer sheet and the Bruins would have to match in order to retain his services.

Rask, 26, proved to be a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL this season and could be looking for $8.5 million per year for a seven- or eight-year contract.

Both Chiarelli and Rask’s agent, Bill Zito, will be at the NHL Draft this weekend in New Jersey in hopes of getting a deal done prior to July 5.

“If we can,” Neely said. “I think our players understand what we’re trying to do here. With the cap dipping a little bit next year, to be able to ice the team that we’d like to ice becomes a little bit of a challenge when everybody is looking for a bump, and I don’t blame them for looking for that. I think this is a great place to play, as a matter of fact I know it’s a great place to play and we have the backing of ownership to try to compete to win every year and our players know that. Hopefully there’s a common ground we can get to and I feel confident we can.”

Then there’s forward Nathan Horton.

He is an unrestricted free agent and is looking for a major payday. Chiarelli told the veteran forward during the team’s exit meetings Wednesday that he would like Horton to re-sign with the Bruins. Horton also said he would like to return to Boston.

“With him being unrestricted, certainly you want to have those conversations fairly quick and see where they’re at and where we’re at and need to be at, especially for next season,” Neely said. “That’s certainly pressing, but everything’s pressing right now.”

Neely’s not afraid to be critical of players and was asked whether or not he would like to see Horton remain with the Bruins.

“Nathan has done very well for us, especially in the playoffs,” Neely said. “He’s scored some big-time goals and has made a huge impact. We like the way that line plays and we certainly would like to have Nathan back, but this is a challenging year coming up with the cap dropping as much as it does.”

Boston’s top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Horton was inconsistent during the lockout-shortened, 48-game season. But once puck dropped on the Stanley Cup playoffs, that trio was the best in the league and produced as such. At one point during the playoffs, Bruins coach Claude Julien was asked why the sudden surge from the top line.

Julien admitted that sometimes elite players get “bored” during the regular season and it can be a challenge for them to stay motivated until they’re playing on the biggest stage.

Neely, a former player and Hall of Famer, was asked for his thoughts about those players’ inconsistencies during the regular season and whether or not there’s a fine line of allowing that to happen.

“That really comes from within. I think as a player you should set individual goals,” Neely said. “It’s a team game, but as a player you should set individual goals and strive for those goals during the regular season. But when you get to the playoffs, it all becomes about the team coming together hopefully at the right time.

“It is a long season, and you do play a lot of hockey but that hasn’t changed and if you set individual goals for yourself and then go out and try to achieve them 1) You’re going to improve as a player, and 2) You’re certainly going to help the team.”

The Bruins have built a perennial winner and despite the salary-cap constraints, Chiarelli has done well managing those issues and he’ll continue to try to keep a winning product on the ice.

“We want to be fair with everybody, and we just hope they enjoy playing here and enjoy the opportunity to win championships,” Neely said.

BOSTON -- Now that the season is over, Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli’s top priority will be to sign goaltender Tuukka Rask to a long-term contract.

The sides tabled talks of a contract extension once the lockout-shortened season began last January, and discussions are expected to begin in the coming days.

“I’m going to see Pete right now so maybe I’ll have it signed by this afternoon,” Rask said with a smile, while speaking with the media during the team’s exit day Wednesday at TD Garden.

In 22 games during the Stanley Cup playoffs, Rask posted a 14-8 record with a 1.88 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. The 26-year-old netminder also posted three shutouts in the postseason. Overall in 2013, Rask was 19-10-5 with a 2.00 GAA and a .929 save percentage, including five shutouts.

Rask should receive a major payday, upwards of $60 million for at least seven years. Chiarelli would not go into details of a potential deal, only saying he expects it done soon.

“Well, you’d like to get everything done quickly,” Chiarelli said. “I don’t know if I’ll have that luxury, but certainly I’ll try just so you have your certainty on your team and cap and all that. He’s obviously had a terrific playoff and we’d like to get him done as soon as we can.”

Since Rask is a restricted free agent, the Bruins should have him locked up before the free-agency period opens on July 5 and other teams can make him an offer sheet, which the Bruins would have to match in order to retain him.

Rask has no intentions of playing elsewhere and wants to remain in Boston.

“That would be an ideal situation to play here forever,” Rask said. “I hope we can make that happen.”

A year ago, Rask and the Bruins agreed on a one-year deal that paid him $3.5 million. He proved his worth this season and has earned a long-term deal.

“I don’t think I have to answer those questions anymore,” he said. “I played good and proved to everybody again I was capable of doing it. You look at the numbers, they’re good. If I analyze my game by how I felt throughout the year, I thought it was a great year.”

Unlike the majority of his teammates, Rask finished the season relatively healthy.

“I was 100 percent. I felt really good,” he said. “Actually, I felt better and better as the playoffs went on. Maybe I was a little bit surprised by that, but I’m really happy I was able to feel that way.”

Still, losing in the Cup finals to the Chicago Blackhawks was a painful blow.

“Pretty brutal, still. It sucks,” Rask said. “We’ll move on. I’ll try to enjoy the summer and not focus on hockey.”

Rask also said Wednesday that his name is on the Finnish roster for next winter’s Olympics if the IOC and the NHL agree to have players participate.

BOSTON -- Andrew Ference stood in front of his stall, a "Boston Strong" T-shirt clinging to him. His skates, hanging from pegs overhead, leaked perspiration like the drip of a coffee machine.

"What can you say?"

The Bruins' one-goal, third-period lead in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals expired in a span of 17 seconds. Bryan Bickell's one-timer on the doorstep with an extra attacker tied the game at 2-2 with 1:16 left, and then Dave Bolland delivered the winner as a Bruins team that prided itself on playing defense-first hockey suffered another postseason breakdown for the ages.

"It's just a cruel way to finish a game, that's for sure," said Ference, who was on the ice for Bolland's Cup clincher with 58.3 seconds remaining in regulation.

On both late goals, the Bruins were either outmuscled or outworked below the faceoff dots.

With about 1:20 remaining, Hawks goaltender Corey Crawford vacated his net for the extra attacker. Then, with four forwards in the zone, eventual Conn Smythe Trophy winner Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews worked in tandem to win a loose puck. With the puck freed, Duncan Keith, pinching in along the left-wing wall, stepped up and hit Toews, who was wheeling off the boards below the goal line.

"It was Toews, he had the puck and I had to respect him if he was going to stuff it," Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask explained.

Holding onto his blocker-side post, Rask pushed off, but did so with pads separated, leaving the 5-hole open for Bickell's one-timer.

"They got their best players out there on the ice and then [Toews] made a great pass," Bruins head coach Claude Julien said. "We got caught a little on the wall with their D's pre-pinching."

On Bolland's series-clinching score, the Bruins defense was again slow to react.

After Johnny Oduya's slapshot from the point was deflected in front of Rask, Bolland was able to establish inside position on Johnny Boychuk, hanging out to the right of Rask. With no leverage, Boychuk attempted to slash the stick out of Bolland's hands.

"We were trying to figure out what it hit in the high slot," Boychuk said. "It hit something and went straight to the tape."

But with the puck on the doorstep, Bolland had an empty net ahead of him, with Rask out of position in an effort to play the initial shot.

The puck went in after the force of Boychuk's downward thrust undid Bolland's stick and gloves from his hands.

Bolland threw his bare knuckles into the air in celebration.

"It makes you want to throw up at the end because it's not for a lack of effort that guys put into it," Ference said.

He added, "They got themselves into the right positions and got the win."

Perhaps most frustrating for the Bruins' defensive corps was their inability to refocus. For a team that came back to win the Cup in 2011 after trailing three games to two and exhibited uncanny resolve in a Game 7 comeback against Toronto earlier in this postseason, Monday was an aberration.

"You're not happy to give up that tying goal for sure, but this team is as good as any in turning the page and getting on with it," Ference said.

And then, the bottom fell out.

"It's shocking," Rask said. "You think you have things under control. We killed a big penalty there. We're thinking, 'Oh, we're just going to keep it tight and score maybe an empty-netter.' And then, all of a sudden, they score a goal."

And then, there was another.

With a 3-1 loss in Game 5 on Saturday night, the Bruins fell behind 3-2 in the Stanley Cup finals and now will have to stave off elimination in Game 6 on Monday at TD Garden. Here are five takeaways from Game 5:

Can the Bruins win the Stanley Cup without Patrice Bergeron? Give the Bruins plenty of credit; they did not fold after falling behind 2-0 and losing arguably their MVP as well as a leader in Bergeron. Bergeron suffered an undisclosed injury prior to Patrick Kane's scoring his second goal to make it 2-0 5:13 into the second period. The Bruins regrouped and held the fort strong for the remainder of the middle frame, and then cut the lead to 2-1 on captain Zdeno Chara's third goal of the playoffs 3:40 into the third. But that lead, and the absence of the player who is arguably a co-captain (not just alternate) with Chara and their best all-around player, plus a revitalized Blackhawks team seemed to be just too much for the resilient Bruins. With the news that Bergeron was taken to a local hospital for observation, I tweeted during the third period, "No Bergeron = No Cup" for the Bruins, and I believe that to be the case. Yes, the Blackhawks lost Jonathan Toews in the third period, but he remained on the bench and wasn't taken by ambulance to a hospital. And yes, Bruins coach Claude Julien said there was no update on Bergeron and he might play in Game 6, but if that's not the case and even if Toews doesn't play, this scribe believes the Bruins cannot win two straight elimination games without Bergeron. If not for Tuukka Rask, Bergeron very well could be the Conn Smythe winner if the Bruins were to win the Cup. He is the heartbeat of the Bruins and the player who can provide anything in any situation in which Julien needs him. The Bruins might force a Game 7 because they're that resilient, but without Bergeron, they will not win the 2013 Stanley Cup.

CLICK HERE to read colleague Joe McDonald's column on Bergeron.


Just a reminder that Chara is still Chara: Heading into Game 5, the Blackhawks openly bragged that they were not intimidated by Chara and knew how to beat him. After showing that in Game 4, with Chara finishing at minus-3, they did so to an extent in Game 5, as the captain was minus-2 and struggled for much of the first two periods. But Chara wasn't about to roll over, and in the third period, he came out flying, hitting anything in sight and scoring the Bruins' lone goal. While his defensive game might not have been up to his usual standards in the past two games, he still has a goal and two assists in those two games. Let's be realists here: Chara is human, and like anyone else, he can wear down when playing the minutes he has been playing. But he is still one of the hardest workers in the NHL, and he showed that again in Game 5.

Rask and Crawford bounce back: Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask and Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford were the subject of scrutiny by media and fans alike heading into Game 5 after questionable performances in the Blackhawks' 6-5 Game 4 win. But as they have on so many occasions during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, the two netminders and Conn Smythe candidates bounced back in Game 5. Rask finished with 29 saves and really couldn't be blamed for either of the two goals he allowed to Kane. As Rask did in Game 4 -- even when allowing six goals -- he kept his team in the game and gave it a chance to win Game 5. He stopped all 12 shots he faced in the third period as the Bruins tried to come back and potentially tie the game. Rask was the least of the Bruins' problems, and the Bruins had some costly defensive lapses in front in Game 5. Meanwhile, Crawford once again silenced the doubters, with a 24-save performance and the win. He was especially big in the opening period as the Bruins outshot the Blackhawks 11-8 but still trailed 1-0 after the first. He is now 15-7 with a 1.83 goals-against average and .932 save percentage as well as being one win from the Stanley Cup.

Faceoffs a difference again: As they have been throughout this series, faceoffs were a crucial factor in Game 5. Even though the Blackhawks were beat on the faceoff dot 39-38 in Game 4, they were a much different team after being dominated in faceoffs in the previous two games. In Game 5, the Hawks actually won the faceoff battle 33-24, and it helped them take a 3-2 series lead. When their skilled players have the puck more, chances are they will score or at least create scoring opportunities more often, and that was the case in Game 5. The Bruins clearly missed their faceoff master after Bergeron left the game injured. They will need to step up as a team at the dot to prevent the Blackhawks from utilizing their offensive skill.

Soderberg not a bad choice: Julien did some line shuffling for Game 5, replacing Kaspars Daugavins with Carl Soderberg on the fourth line with Shawn Thornton and Rich Peverley. The Swedish forward made his coach look pretty smart. Soderberg had some solid chances early on thanks to some strong skating and forechecking. And thanks to his efforts, he found himself taking Bergeron's spot between Jaromir Jagr and Brad Marchand on the second line. Soderberg couldn't seize a regular spot in his six regular-season games, but after a solid 14:16 of ice time in Game 5, he definitely will have Julien thinking about playing him again in Game 6, especially if Bergeron doesn't play.

BOSTON -- After the Bruins took a 2-1 series lead with a 2-0 win over the Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said that he thought his team made it “rather easy” on Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask in terms of traffic in front of the net and Rask being able to get clean looks at the puck.

While that may have been true at times during Game 3, Rask is making everything look easy, as he did in making 27 saves for his third shutout of the playoffs.

True, the Blackhawks did not generate as many quality scoring chances as they would have liked, but when they did, the Conn Smythe Trophy favorite was ready. That can be a challenge for a goalie in a game like Game 3, when scoring chances were few and far between.

Rask’s ability to handle different types of games -- 63 shots in Game 1, 37 in Game 2 and then 27 in Game 3 -- and to maintain his focus through the ebb and flow of a game are a big reason the Bruins are two wins away from their second Stanley Cup in three seasons.

“He's been focused since Day 1 of the playoffs,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said following Game 3. “You watch him on off days, you watch him, he's quiet, focused, calm. Right now all his energy is put toward his game, how he needs to get his rest, relax. When the game starts, he's a focused individual. Like I said, I've never seen a guy so calm, obviously confident with the way he's played. Probably quietest I've seen him so far, but in a good way.”

Rask said that quiet but alert demeanor has been growing through the course of the playoffs. As he pointed out, the playoffs can be a different animal and Rask has done his best to adapt.

“I think I've gotten used to that already during these playoffs,” Rask said. “There's been a lot of games like this that you don't get quality opportunities, then all of a sudden, there's four or five of them. But you're playing the last five minutes of the game, you know they're going to throw everything at you, what they possibly can.

“For the most part, I think we kept them outside, blocked a lot of shots, took care of the rebounds. That's always a positive sign in my mind.”

Rask has been helped by his teammates blocking shots, but also making sure those efforts don’t become screens.

“We've gotten better, a lot better, as the season has gone on,” Rask said. “They're not trying to play goalie, they're just trying to be in the lane. All the other guys are taking care of their ice, keeping their head up, looking to guys behind them or in front of them.”

That is true, but Rask, who is now 14-5 with a 1.64 goals-against average and .946 save percentage in the playoffs, showed again in Game 3 that his teammates can look to him to be ready for anything.

CHICAGO -- If Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask didn't play as well as he did in the first period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, the Chicago Blackhawks could have easily taken a 2-0 lead in this series.

The Blackhawks took the early lead in Game 2, but Rask made 18 saves in the opening 20 minutes to minimize the damage for his sloppy, slow and subpar teammates. Chicago created plenty of quality chances and could have had a multi-goal lead, but Rask was calm, square to the puck and held the Blackhawks at bay.

"Well, we definitely were in survival mode there for a bit. It looked like they had more guys out there than we did," Rask said. "They were bouncing on every single puck in front of net, had a lot of chances. We definitely played pretty bad.

"But, you know, it was good that we were only down by one and regrouped after that."

The Bruins did regroup, and thanks to the new line of Daniel Paille, Chris Kelly and Tyler Seguin, Boston recorded a 2-1 overtime win to even the series at 1 game apiece. Rask finished with 33 saves.

"Tuukka was solid for us in the net and we realized we could've been down by more than one," Paille said. "We definitely count ourselves lucky and we were able to respond in the second and third."

The one goal Rask did allow wasn't his fault.

There was a mad scramble in front of Rask, who made three consecutive saves before Chicago's Patrick Sharp scored at 11:22 of the first period.

"Well, every goal you let in you have a chance to save," Rask said. "I'm not going to blame myself for that. I think there were three or four saves before that goal. I couldn't find that puck until the last second. But, you know, I mean, they had 19 shots, and one goes by you. I mean, it happens sometimes."

The Bruins have become used to receiving solid goaltending. Rask has been the team's most consistent player during the entire Stanley Cup playoffs.

"He's been our goaltender the whole year and he's played that way," Paille said. "He's calm. He's confident, and for us it's something we love to have on our team. He's a big part of our success."

It was another overtime thriller in Chicago, and this time the Boston Bruins came out on top. Daniel Paille scored the winner 13:48 into overtime to give the Bruins a 2-1 win and knot the Stanley Cup finals at 1 game apiece. The series heads back to Beantown for Games 3 and 4. Here are my five takeaways from Game 2:

Depth scoring arrives at right time: As pointed out after Game 1 by colleague Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com, the Blackhawks were able to pull out that triple OT win in part because their depth players outshined the Bruins' depth players. The Hawks got two of their four goals from their third line, with Dave Bolland and Andrew Shaw lighting the lamp. Until Game 2, the Bruins had been depending heavily on their top six forwards for the past few games, and while the third and fourth lines weren't playing poorly, the production was lacking. But in Game 2, that depth scoring finally arrived as Chris Kelly scored the game-tying goal in the second period, and Paille scored the overtime winner after getting an assist on Kelly's goal. There was much more offensive pressure coming from the bottom six forward group, and they accounted for four points and eight shots. It couldn't have come at a better time; the Bruins' most dangerous line of Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton didn't put a shot on net until five minutes into the third period.

Rask and Crawford solid again: If not for Tuukka Rask, this game may have been over after the first period. The Bruins were outshot 19-4 in the opening frame, but Rask held the fort strong once again, allowing only Patrick Sharp's goal. Chicago had plenty of solid scoring chances with those 19 shots, but Rask was ready. As he has done all season and in the playoffs, he gave his team a chance to win. The Conn Smythe candidate finished with 33 saves, including six in overtime. On the other end, Corey Crawford was also solid. He finished with 26 saves and had some huge ones late in the second period and early in the third after the Bruins tied the game at 1 and found their legs. He had seven in overtime.

Time to reunite Seguin with Bergeron and Marchand: While head coach Claude Julien may not want to break up the sudden chemistry between Tyler Seguin and Paille, this scribe thinks Seguin has earned his way back into a top six spot. He assisted on the overtime winner by Paille and helped create the game-tying goal by Kelly. Seguin is playing much better and appears to be on the verge of breaking out and scoring some goals. Putting him back with his normal linemates Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand may help get those goals. That line has had plenty of success together over the past two seasons, and it's time to reunite them.

Bruins looked tired and disorganized early on: It was a complete surprise that only one team was going to have a slow start and show signs of fatigue after the triple-overtime marathon in Game 1. Unfortunately for the Bruins, they were the team that looked like they were skating in quicksand. Not only were they outshot by a wide margin in the first period, they were clearly a stride or two behind the Blackhawks, who were able to really utilize their speed against the tired Bruins. In addition to the fatigue, the Bruins also seemed to be a bit disorganized. Many times they were scrambling in front of Rask to cover their man or find the puck.

Bruins hitting anything in sight: Once the Bruins found their energy, they were able to play their physical style and seemingly hit anything that moved. Boston outhit Chicago, 50-34. Lucic led the way with 10 hits and continues to be an intimidating force on the ice. The Bruins were able to slow down and wear out the speedy Hawks with Boston's physical prowess. The Bruins also used their power to get to the net on Kelly's game-tying goal in the second period as all forwards were driving to the net and creating havoc.

CHICAGO -- In the moment when Michal Rozsival's point shot ricocheted first off teammate Dave Bolland's stick and then off Andrew Shaw's leg and past a helpless Tuukka Rask to bring this epic Stanley Cup final tilt to an end came two thoughts.

First: Thank goodness.

Second: Can we do that again? Now?

And again and again and again?

If Game 1 of the 2013 Stanley Cup finals, a 4-3 triple-overtime victory for the host Chicago Blackhawks, is any indication, the series the hockey world had been anticipating is going to deliver the goods. And then some.

After both conference finals fell far short in the drama department, Wednesday’s final-series opener delivered 112:08 of hockey at its most dramatic. A rollicking back-and-forth affair that left both players and fans limp with exhaustion.

"It’s fun being in the finals, the last two teams playing, all the hockey world is watching, and to be put an effort like that from both sides, it was fun to be a part of," Patrick Sharp said.

"And thank god it’s over," he added.

An elated Shaw managed to drop an F-bomb on NBC after his big goal, and then found it difficult later to put the experience into words.

"Emotions are high, but [I'm] too exhausted right now to express it," Shaw said.

Forget the idea that these two teams would require time to feel each other out; perhaps start in a cautious manner, as so often happens at the start of a playoff series. The Bruins and Blackhawks started this one in mid-stride, in full flight, if you will. And over the course of a little more than five and a half periods revealed the kind of character one would expect of two teams that have risen above the rest in this playoff spring.

Two battle-tested teams pushing forward, only to be pushed back.

The Bruins would strike first, and then again with two Milan Lucic goals.

And how much have the Bruins loved a lead? They never trailed in their four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals and were 8-2 this playoff year when scoring first and 5-0 when leading after the first period.

After rookie of the year nominee Brandon Saad tallied his first of the postseason to make it 2-1 early in the second period, the Bruins looked like they would coast to a Game 1 victory when Patrice Bergeron restored the two-goal lead with a laser on the power play.

It was the first power-play goal for the Bruins since Game 5 of the second round and only the fourth power-play goal the Blackhawks had allowed all spring.

But these Blackhawks are no strangers to adversity, having overcome a 3-1 series deficit against the Detroit Red Wings in the second round. There is no crumble in that room.

They scored twice in 4:14 in the third period -- the tying goal coming off a Johnny Oduya shot that glanced past Rask off defenseman Andrew Ference's skate, setting the stage for a frenetic stretch of overtime hockey.

After tying the game, the Blackhawks appeared as though they would push the Bruins right out of Game 1 altogether.

In the first overtime, the Bruins held the decisive edge in play, with Corey Crawford having to come up big on chances by Shawn Thornton and Brad Marchand.

The Hawks had the better chances in the second overtime frame.

The Bruins twice had power plays thanks to too-many-men-on-the-ice calls against Chicago, one in the first overtime and one in the final minute of the second overtime. In those final seconds of the fifth period, Bruins captain Zdeno Chara’s point shot eluded netminder Crawford but hit the post.

In the third overtime, Kaspars Daugavins had a glorious chance for the Bruins. The winger, picked up on waivers from Ottawa early in the season, had the puck alone in front and Crawford down, but he could not find the back of the net, tripping to the ice as the puck skittered wide. Television cameras caught him with his head resting on the edge of the bench, a mixture of exhaustion and frustration.

"I was more frustrated that I missed it, and after I missed it I thought maybe a call because it was pretty obvious there was a stick in my foot. But you have to score those chances. You can’t let those slide by, especially in triple overtime," Daugavins said.

Moments later, Shaw would make that miss seem exponentially larger.

Punch, counterpunch.

Each team creating a chance, making a defensive play to deny a chance.

Reset. Then go again. Punch, counterpunch.

Chance for chance, hit for hit, save for save.

By the end of the night, Boston had been credited with 59 hits, Chicago 61.

They were virtually equal in faceoff wins and losses.

"I mean, both teams are just kicking, trying to survive. Every time you go back on the ice, you just try and get that feeling that it's just going to be that one chance that makes the difference," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said.

While the Bruins, who have never trailed in a series this spring, will need to regroup by Saturday's Game 2, there was still a sense of having been involved in something remarkable on this night.

"Think about it overnight and you realize we’ve been down a lot worse. It’s one game. It was a fun game to be a part of. It was great hockey out there," said Tyler Seguin, who assisted on the Bergeron goal. "By the end of those overtimes, I talked to a couple of guys on their team just saying, 'Someone end it, please.' The boys were getting tired."

A couple of hours before puck drop, commissioner Gary Bettman met with the media, and among the questions were several about the lockout that threatened at one point to scuttle the entire season. The show put on by the Bruins and Blackhawks made it seem as though the labor dispute was a bad dream.

"We said it was going to be a series like that, and [if] the first game’s any indication, we weren’t wrong," Thornton said. "We had our chances and all of those overtimes; rang one off the post on the power play at the end of the second overtime. It’s playoff hockey. It’s fun to watch. We’ll think about this 'til we get out of here, and then got to shake it off and get ready for Saturday."

The only shame is that we have to wait that long to see how the next one turns out.