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BOSTON -- For the past two days, the Boston Bruins insisted their late-season funk was in the rearview mirror. There would be no more blown leads in the third period and no more lackluster starts. The skilled and physical Bruins would return.

Well, the Bruins kept their promises as they overcame an early Toronto Maple Leafs power-play goal and scored the next four goals, dominating the Leafs 4-1 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

David Krejci had a goal and two assists, Wade Redden had a goal and an assist and Nathan Horton and Johnny Boychuk both lit the lamp for the Bruins. Tuukka Rask looked solid between the pipes, making 19 saves, with James van Riemsdyk’s power-play goal in the opening period the only shot that beat him.

For the Leafs, James Reimer was under siege all night as the Bruins poured 40 shots on him.

Lucic-Krejci-Horton line clicks again: One of the big question marks heading into this series was whether Milan Lucic, Krejci and Horton could find their magic again. If Game 1 is any indication, the band is back together and the magic is there. In addition to Krejci’s three-point performance and Horton lighting the lamp, Lucic had two helpers and continued to look more like the Lucic who used a combination of grit, size and skating to earn two straight seasons of 20-plus goals. The chemistry was back as Horton and Lucic got to open spaces to benefit from Krejci’s playmaking skills, and Krejci looked a lot like the player who was a candidate for the 2011 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Bruins defense provides offensive boost: Prior to Game 1, coach Claude Julien lauded Redden for his recent play and puck-moving skills. Redden continued to impress with his goal and an assist, but the Bruins' entire defense did a great job of moving the puck and creating offense in Game 1. In addition to Boychuk's goal, Bruins defensemen helped in peppering Reimer and controlling neutral zone play.

Power play looks better: While the Bruins’ power play (1-for-5) can certainly still be better, it did convert once and moved the puck a lot better. The passes were crisp, and there was less hesitation. If that continues, the scoring production will increase.

Suspension coming for Ference? Andrew Ference could very well be sitting out a game or more after elbowing Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski in the head in the first period. No penalty was called, but the replay clearly shows an elbow to the head.

Bruins have two goals called back: Things could have been even worse for the Leafs if not for two Bruins goals being called back. The referees and replay officials got it right in calling back a Tyler Seguin shot that clearly rang off the post 1:10 into the second period. But Patrice Bergeron’s no-goal was a bit questionable as the referees claimed the whistle was blown before Bergeron pushed it into the net. But even if the refs were wrong, the rule states if they intended to blow it and didn’t do it in time, then it’s still not a goal.

Bad blood boils at end: In addition to Ference’s questionable hit to the head of Grabovski, there was plenty of hard hitting throughout the game. As time wound down in the third period and it was clear the Bruins would win, the Leafs decided to let the Bruins know they were still there, taking plenty of extra hits after the whistle and then stirring things up at the final buzzer. The result was a Chris Kelly-Leo Komarov fight. It should be a physical Game 2.

Hamilton and Peverley sit: Not surprisingly, Julien kept Dougie Hamilton in the press box as a healthy scratch. The defenseman struggled in his last few games of the regular season, and Julien seems to have opted to take the learning-from-up-top route he took with Seguin as a rookie to start the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. While Rich Peverley might have had an off season, one would think Julien would prefer playoff and Cup experience in the lineup instead of an inexperienced Kaspars Daugavins. But it was Daugavins playing with Kelly and Jaromir Jagr for Game 1.

Here’s what the rest of the lineup looked like:

Forwards
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Brad Marchand-Bergeron-Tyler Seguin
Daugavins-Kelly-Jagr
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Defensemen
Zdeno Chara-Dennis Seidenberg
Ference-Boychuk
Redden-Adam McQuaid

Goalies
Rask
Anton Khudobin

BOSTON -- Once the Stanley Cup playoff matchups were determined, Boston Bruins forward Tyler Seguin and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel knew they would be part of the storyline for this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Hockey fans, especially in Toronto and Boston, have known since June 2010 that Seguin could have possibly played for the Maple Leafs if the organization hadn’t traded first-round picks in the 2010 and 2011 NHL Entry Draft to the Bruins to acquire Kessel in September of 2009.

The Bruins selected Seguin with the No. 2 overall pick in 2010, and then defenseman Dougie Hamilton ninth overall in 2011.

Seguin helped the Bruins to a Stanley Cup title during his rookie season and this will be his third trip to the playoffs. Kessel hasn’t been in the postseason since he was with the Bruins during the 2008-2009 playoffs.

When the puck drops for Game 1 Wednesday night at TD Garden, no doubt the chants of “Thank you, Kessel” will be heard from the 17,565 in attendance.

It’s no secret Kessel has never enjoyed speaking with the media, especially when asked about the trade and the chants when plays in Boston.

“It was four years ago, right? So I don’t think it matters that much anymore,” Kessel said.

“It’s never been me to [think] much of the attention. I’ll talk when I have to talk and that’s about it.”

Seguin almost feels the same way about the transaction that ultimately made him a Bruin, and when he first heard those “Thank you, Kessel” chants in 2010, he laughed.

“First time I thought it was funny, just because it was my first year and I kind of smirked on the bench,” Seguin said. “Since then, fans can do what they want to do. The fans show great support here in Boston, but it’s not going to change how I play, and I’m sure it’s not going to change how he plays, either.

“It’s not like Toronto knew I was going to be the pick. It was just a pick and it happened to be me and Dougie, so I guess it’s just going to be linked through what people want to talk about and have stories. Other than that, Phil’s a great player and I definitely respect him on the ice. I’ve met him a few times off the ice and he’s a good guy, too.”

During his career with the Maple Leafs, Kessel has struggled against the Bruins and defenseman Zdeno Chara. In 22 games, Kessel has only three goals and six assists for nine points against Boston, including a minus-22 rating.

Overall this season, Kessel played well and recorded 20 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 48 games for the Leafs. He was held pointless in four games against the Bruins.

He’s hoping to have better success in the playoffs.

“It’s going to be fun, right?” Kessel said. “Obviously I’m excited. It’s a good opportunity for myself and the team, we haven’t been in the playoffs for a while, so we’re looking to have a good time out there tonight.

“I like it here [Boston]. I had three great years here, some great memories. They were great to me when I was here,” added Kessel. “When you leave you’re always going to get the grief, right? It’s OK but I enjoy playing here, they have great fans and I think it’s going to be a great atmosphere tonight.

“It’s about the team, right? We’re going to have to play a good, hard game out there because they’re a great team over there. It’s going to be a battle.”

Once this series was scheduled, Seguin received numerous text messages from friends and family back home, asking for tickets. He jokingly said he shut off his phone so he could concentrate on the series. He did admit, however, it’s going to be a cool experience playing against the team he grew up watching.

“It was my hometown and I would go do Leaf games all the time,” Seguin said. “When we play at the ACC, I kind of look up to some sections where I know I was sitting growing up with a kid with my dad. I grew up hoping the Leafs would make the playoffs, and here they are playing against us. It’s a cool experience, an exciting experience, but I want to take it as just a playoff round and not about who you’re playing. You’ve got to make sure you’re ready.”

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins forward Tyler Seguin is not surprised he’s back to playing the wing after the experiment of having him at center was basically a bust.

"I can’t say I was shocked it got changed,” Seguin said.

After Patrice Bergeron suffered a concussion early last week, Bruins coach Claude Julien tried Seguin at center, along with wingers Brad Marchand and Jaromir Jagr. On Sunday, however, Seguin was back on the wing and it appears he’ll play with center Chris Kelly and winger Daniel Paille against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at TD Garden.

“We’re mixing things up and I’ve played the third line before my first year, but not so much last year. I’m just going to go out there, and obviously [Kelly] is a good player to play with as well.

“I don’t think it matters what line you are, you still want to go out there and play your game and whoever you’re playing with, I think we all know each other well enough now to click and find that chemistry right away.”

Seguin was a natural centerman during his junior hockey days, but he’s been primarily a wing since his rookie season with the Bruins in 2010-2011. He struggled at the position during the Bruins’ 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils last Thursday, and didn’t last long against the Canadiens Saturday.

Since he hadn’t played center in a while, he knew it would be an adjustment.

“I figured it would take a little while. I wasn’t expecting to snap back into it right away. Obviously, that would have been nice, but I knew it would take a bit to adjust,” he said. “When you’re going into a game like Montreal, it’s a big game, and there shouldn’t be any time for adjustment, you just have to go out there and do it, so I wasn’t doing it.

“Obviously, I feel comfortable going back to the wing. I didn’t play center too long there, but I don’t think it was working out. In the first game, a few mistakes there and then, obviously, the first couple of shifts in Montreal it just wasn’t working.”

He’s spent the majority of his NHL career on the wing alongside Bergeron, who is one of the top two-way players in the league. The last few games not having him there, Seguin has learned to appreciate Bergeron’s game a little more than usual.

“I think I’ve given him more compliments the last few days than I did all year,” Seguin said. “Definitely you have more appreciation for him. You already know how hard he works and just the little things he does, and when you’re in his position you can really feel it.”

Seguin wasn’t making any excuses for his difficulties at center, but he’s confident with the proper time to adjust back to center, he could handle the position, but right now he’ll only concentrate on playing the wing.

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Boston Bruins forward Tyler Seguin found a grey practice sweater in his locker stall when he arrived at practice Sunday morning at Ristuccia Arena.

Seguin was back on the wing with Chris Kelly in the middle and Daniel Paille on the other side. Gregory Campbell centered Brad Marchand and Jaromir Jagr. The top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton remained intact. The fourth line consisted of Jordan Caron/Kaspars Daugavins, Rich Peverley and Shawn Thornton.

Earlier in the week, Seguin had been moved to center after linemate Patrice Bergeron suffered a concussion and is out indefinitely. Seguin centered Marchand and Jagr, but during Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Bruins coach Claude Julien dropped Seguin back to the wing with Campbell and Paille.

After Sunday’s practice, Julien said he’s looking for more offense out of everybody, not just Seguin.

“Right now it’s about playing your game as an individual,” Julien said. “You shouldn’t care where you are, you should care what you bring. He’s been fine like that. There’s no issue and I don’t think I have to explain myself to every player for every move I make. They understand we’re trying to win here and that’s all that should matter.”

Julien would not comment on Seguin’s overall game of late.

“I’m not going to get into that. You guys can make your own assessments,” Julien said. “I’m not into throwing players under the bus. I’m into making them better players, so if there are some issues, I’ll talk to them individually.”

When practice was over, two reporters approached Seguin and asked if he had a moment to talk. He refused, saying the team’s director of communications Matthew Chmura told him he did not have to speak Sunday with the media. Chmura later said that wasn’t true.

Since Seguin would not answer questions, his teammates were forced to speak for him.

“He’s a great player and he can play in any position. He’s a big part of our team and when he’s going, it really gives a lot of energy to play the way we need to,” Marchand said. “We want that from him every night and he’s doing a great job this year.”

Even though Seguin was a natural centerman during his junior hockey career, he’s played the wing with the Bruins since his rookie season in 2010-11. He struggled being back at center this week, so Julien thought it best to move him back to the wing.

“It’s a different position and there’s a lot of responsibility that goes with it,” Marchand said. “He played center a lot in juniors, but he’s been out of that position for a few years now and it’s tough to get back into it. Again, he’s a great pro and he’s doing a great job playing that middle position.”

MONTREAL -- The Bruins have been reminded before how much Patrice Bergeron means to the success of their team.

While they have delivered in the past and collectively filled Bergeron's skates to survive, they showed in their 2-1 loss to the Canadiens on Saturday at the Bell Centre that it might take some time for them to find that group effort to do so once again. Bergeron now has missed the past two games due to a concussion.

"We need guys to step up more," coach Claude Julien said following his team's third straight loss to the Northeast Division-leading Canadiens, who are three points up on the Bruins. "It's as simple as that."

One guy who didn't step up in Julien's eyes was Tyler Seguin. After Bergeron suffered the fourth concussion of his career Tuesday, the Bruins moved Seguin into Bergeron's spot as the second-line center with Jaromir Jagr and Brad Marchand on the wings. Seguin was in this situation before as a rookie when Bergeron suffered his third concussion and missed the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Seguin stepped up and delivered then with six points in two games, including two goals and two assists in Game 2 to help the Bruins tie the series at 1-1. Bergeron would return and help the Bruins go on to win the series in seven games and then eventually the Stanley Cup in seven games as well.

Although Seguin's defensive game has improved, he hasn't been able to catch fire in a bottle again the past two games. In a pivotal division game with his team trailing 1-0 early, Julien switched Seguin back to wing. So Jagr ended up paired with two very defensive-minded forwards in Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille. Yes, Paille scored his seventh goal of the season, but when Jagr was acquired Tuesday, no one envisioned one of the game's most prolific scorers would play on an energy line. However, such is the case when your best all-around player is not in your lineup.

"This is a big game and they're a really good team that is really good in the offensive zone and I don't think Tyler was ready for that," Julien said. "I had to put a centerman with experience there and put [Seguin] back on the wing. I thought Jags had a good night with Paille and Campbell, and it kind of stabilized the lines a bit, but one line tonight didn't give us much and the other two were good. To win these kinds of games -- especially with the injuries we have -- we need everybody to step up, and we didn't have that tonight."

Center David Krejci, along with linemates Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton, was invisible. They most likely were the one line Julien was referring to that didn't give much. Krejci blamed the "bad" Bell Centre ice as a reason for the Bruins' failure to score on a power play in the final minute of regulation. Lucic appeared to realize that through two games without Bergeron, the Bruins have failed to step up.

"He's a big part of this lineup and he brings a lot to this team," Lucic said. "But in saying that, I think the biggest issue we've had in the past 10-15 games is consistency throughout this lineup and getting all 20 guys going at the same time. I think as much as -- and I'm not taking anything away from Bergy -- as much as he brings that extra element to our team, I think it's our system and everyone buying into it is what makes us successful. I think we need to get back to that."

Lucic referenced the 2011 Eastern Conference finals but made it clear that he and his teammates have to fill the void.

"[Bergeron] was hurt the first two games against Tampa back in the Eastern Conference finals, and we had guys step up, especially in that Game 2 where we were able to get that win," Lucic said. "So we're going to need the same thing with guys stepping up and everybody carrying the load."

BOSTON -- With the subtraction of Patrice Bergeron (concussion) from the Boston Bruins’ lineup, coach Claude Julien decided to keep Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand together, and add newly acquire winger Jaromir Jagr to that line.

With Bergeron out, Seguin will play center. The 21-year-old played mostly center during his junior career, but has played primarily right wing since his debut with the Bruins during the 2010-2011 season.

“We put him [Seguin] there because we think he can,” Julien said. “We’ll see. It’s a great opportunity for him. He’s played there most of his career and giving him that opportunity is something he deserves, so we’ll see how it goes. If not, coaches will do what they do and adjust.”

Seguin enters Thursday game against the New Jersey Devils with 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 35 games, while sporting a plus-22 rating. Now, he’ll have more responsibilities as the team’s second-line center, especially replacing a player like Bergeron, who is arguably the best two-way player in the NHL and the reigning Selke Award winner.

“It’s going to be a little different for him,” Julien said of Seguin. “He’s not on the wall right now, he’ll have to be low and support, and he’s going to have to cover a little bit more territory. That’s something we all know Bergy does extremely well, so [Seguin’s] got some big shoes to fill. We don’t expect him to fill them, but we expect him to go out there and do a decent job like everybody else. We have the confidence. He can skate and more responsibility means another chance to get better as a player and mature as a guy you can put in different situations.”

The Bruins’ top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton remains the same. The third line now consists of Jay Pandolfo, Rich Peverley and Kaspars Daugavins. The energy line of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton remains the same, too.

Once Bergeron is able to return (and the Bruins believe he will), Julien will have more line shuffling to do. But for now, he’ll try it this way.

“We’re going to look and see where the fit is best, and not just for Jaromir Jagr, but for everybody else,” Julien said. “It’s not just about him, it’s about fitting guys in areas where they can be good for us. We have to look at the overall picture before we make those final decisions. We’re hoping Bergy’s going to be back at some point and that way we’ll have a clearer picture.”

When Julien first learned of the addition of Jagr, he asked Chiarelli one simple question.

“I asked if it really was a done deal,” Julien said with a laugh, referring to the Jarome Iginla situation. “I wouldn’t believe it until it was publicized on TV. I think he’s a great, great addition. This is a guy who can certainly help our hockey club in many different ways. He’s a guy that can certainly make plays. He’s a big guy and he protects the puck so well. He’s strong on his stick, and the power play is another area that he can fit in. There’s so much I think he can bring, and with our club and the way we play, there’s no doubt he’ll blend in very well.”

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien called it “fishing” for an angle when asked about goaltender Tuukka Rask's first game against the Philadelphia Flyers since the devastating collapse in the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.

It was the Eastern Conference semifinals, and Boston gained a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with Rask as the team’s starting goaltender. Philadelphia, however, won the next four games -- including rallying from a 3-0 Game 7 deficit -- en route to a series victory.

Then-Bruins goalie Tim Thomas struggled with a hip injury late that season, so Boston relied on Rask in the playoffs. The young goaltender outdueled the Buffalo Sabres’ Ryan Miller in the first round before the Bruins faced the Flyers.

With Rask in net, Boston won the first three games by the scores of 5-4 (OT), 3-2 and 4-1 before the team imploded and lost the next four games. Rask was tired and couldn't steal one of those four games, in which he gave up a total of 15 goals (a 3.75 goals-against average).

In 2011, the Bruins had their revenge and swept the Flyers in four games in the second round of the playoffs with Thomas in net. Including those games and eight regular-season matchups, Rask has had to watch a total 12 games against the Flyers from the bench.

Until Saturday.

Rask posted his second shutout of the season with 23 saves to help Boston to a 3-0 win over the Flyers at TD Garden. After the game, he said the 2010 collapse did not serve as any motivation.

“It’s in the past,” Rask said. “As I’ve said before, we won the whole thing the year after. Things happen in hockey, and for a goalie, if you start thinking that certain matchups are better for you than others, you’ve lost half the battle. It was just a game, like any other.

“I won three games in that playoff series, too, but too bad I just lost the last four. It’s hockey. Things happen in hockey. That year, it was Philly. It happens.”

It really isn’t about just one game against the Flyers. Rask has had to prove that he can handle the workload as a true No. 1 now that Thomas is a thing of the past in Boston. Rask has been outstanding this season, posting a 12-2-3 record with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. The shutout was the 13th of his career.

The Bruins are two games shy of the halfway point of this lockout-shortened, 48-game season, and Rask’s play has helped Boston become one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

“I feel good,” Rask said. “Taking the last game [against Toronto] off, it was good to get a little rest, but I’ve felt good throughout these games. It’s going to get busier and busier, so I think it’s really good to keep both goalies going.”

Rask didn’t have to be at his best on Saturday because the defense in front of him was great. When the final buzzer sounds, and your team’s goalie finished with a shutout, it’s an indication of the overall defensive play.

“Really good, the best so far this year,” he said. “We did a great job.”

Rask said he could see every shot and could make the save cleanly or control the rebound. Philadelphia didn’t create many quality scoring chances, but when they did, Rask was ready. In the third period, the Flyers had 11 shots, and despite seeing only 12 in the first two periods, Rask was sharp in the final 20 minutes.

“It’s never easy, but whenever you don’t see that much traffic, or that many shots in the game, it’s kind of mentally tougher to stay sharp,” Rask said. “But when they got those shots, I felt pretty comfortable.”

Bruins forward Tyler Seguin saved a shutout for Rask -- literally -- in the waning minutes of regulation. The Bruins were on a power play when the Flyers created a short-handed opportunity. Rask came out of the net to charge a loose puck, but Philadelphia gained control and shot at the open net. Seguin sprawled out on the ice to make the save and preserve the shutout.

“That was Tyler? I thought it was Dougie [Hamilton]. OK, it was great, great,” Rask said with a laugh. “He was telling me he would have caught the guy when I sprinted out of the net. It’s good to see he’s got my back and he’s got those goalie skills, too. It’s good to see. You’ve got to keep it exciting, right?”

If there were any doubts about Rask as the No. 1 goaltender in Boston, he’s erased those so far this season. There are still 26 games remaining, including what should be a deep run into the postseason for the Bruins.

It won't be his shutout performance against the Flyers on Saturday that will stand out but his entire body of work in 2013. With Rask, it really is about the present and not the past.

The same goes for the defense that protects him.

“I don’t know if I can say, ‘back on track’ until I see it on a consistent basis,” Julien said of his team’s defense. “Today was probably the first day I felt much better about our game without the puck in our defensive zone. We didn’t give them much; they didn’t have a ton of scoring chances, but obviously we've got two tough games [coming up] with Ottawa and Pittsburgh on the road, and we’ll need that kind of game to win those.”

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins forward Tyler Seguin saved a shutout -- literally -- for goaltender Tuukka Rask late in Saturday’s 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at TD Garden.

In the waning minutes of the game, and with the Bruins on a power play, the Flyers had a shorthanded opportunity when Rask came out of the net to charge a loose puck. Philadelphia gained control and shot at the open net, but Seguin sprawled out on the ice to make the save and Rask’s second shutout of the season.

“People are starting to talk more about that part of his game, as well,” said Bruins coach Claude Julien. “He said himself he’s starting to take pride in that part of his game. Those are good things to hear because every coach likes a great two-way player. We certainly don’t want to take the offensive part of his game away, but anytime he can help us out in the other end is a bonus.”

Rask finished with 23 saves.

“That was Tyler? I thought it was Dougie. OK, it was great, great,” Rask said with a laugh. “He was telling me he would have caught the guy when I sprinted out of the net. It’s good to see he’s got my back and he’s got those goalie skills, too. It’s good to see. You’ve got to keep it exciting, right?”

Seguin also scored a goal, a power-play tally, to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 11:53 of the first period. It was his eighth goal of the season. He now has five goals and two assists for seven points in his past five games.

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins extended their winning streak to six games with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden.

Brad Marchand scored a power-play goal at 17:44 of the third period for the game winner. Boston's Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley also scored in the win. Bruins goaltender Anton Khudobin made 20 saves.

Boston's power play provided two goals against the Lightning, which were the first two at the Garden this season. On the team's recent road trip, the PP converted on three of 11 opportunities on the man-advantage, but the Bruins entered Saturday's game 0-for-27 on home ice.

"It moved a lot better," said Bruins coach Claude Julien. "We made some better decisions. We were shooting pucks, so it was one of those nights when it was better. It has been better lately, as well. On the road trip, we had a pretty decent power play on the road trip, but we hadn't scored at home, yet, so it was nice to get a couple. It's a work in progress. We'll keep working at it, trying to make it better and tonight it got us a winner."

As good as the Bruins' penalty-killing unit has been all season, Tampa capitalized on a pair of power-play goals in the first period to take a 2-0 lead.

Steven Stamkos scored an impressive goal to give Tampa a 1-0 lead at 5:32 of the first period. He was on the goal line to the right of Khudobin when the skilled center unleashed a one-timer for the top-shelf tally.

It was Stamkos' 15th goal of the season, and he now has a nine-game point streak. Before the game, Bruins coach Claude Julien discussed Tampa's superstar.

"He's got such a one-timer and, not just that, he's really dangerous in those situations when they find a seam on their power play or even five-on-five," Julien said. "Him standing there on a one-timer, it becomes extremely dangerous for the opposing team.

"I think he's matured very well, as far as being a complete player. I can see a lot of leadership qualities in him. I can also see a guy who competes hard in all the other areas. He's not afraid to go into traffic. He's getting stronger on the puck everywhere. He's turning into a real elite player and has developed the way you'd want a young player to develop."

Tampa took a 2-0 lead on Alexander Killorn's power-play goal at 8:38 of the first period. It was the first time the Bruins have allowed two power-play goals in a game since the Pittsburgh Penguins notched a pair on April 3, 2012.

The Bruins entered Saturday's game without a power-play goal in 27 chances on home ice this season. Finally, that changed when Seguin scored on a one-timer from the bottom of the left faceoff circle at 3:22 of the second period.

"It definitely felt good," Seguin said. "I don't think I've really celebrated before in my life like I did on that one. It's definitely getting the monkey off the back a little bit."

Boston tied the game at 2-2 when Peverley scored on another one-timer, the end result of a solid tape-to-tape pass from defenseman Adam McQuaid at 4:39 of the second period.

In the waning minutes of the second, Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference was given a four-minute double-minor penalty for high sticking. Fortunately for Boston, the PK did its job and the period ended with the game still in a stalemate.

After the Bruins killed off Dougie Hamilton's penalty for holding the stick at 10:46 of the third period, Boston went on the power play and Marchand scored his 11th of the season en route to the win.

"We've had a lot of two-on-ones together, so we know where we're going," said Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron, who assisted on the goal. "I was looking at [Tampa goalie Mathieu] Garon and I felt he was on my side a lot, cheating on my side for the shot, so I held the pass a little bit to make it a little easier for Marchy to shoot it."

BACK ME UP: Khudobin has played a total of five games for the Bruins the past two seasons, and Saturday was his first game at the Garden. With Tuukka Rask the No. 1 goalie in Boston and playing the majority of the games during this condensed schedule, Khudobin has accepted his role as the team's backup.

"If he wants to play here, he's got to adapt. We're not going to adapt to him. He adapts to us, and it's as simple as that," Julien said. "Goaltenders have a tough job, and sometimes, some play more than others. And Tuukka's had to adapt to Tim [Thomas], and now Dobby's got to adapt to Tuukka and then to our philosophy, and I don't see any issue."

After the Bruins erased a two-goal deficit to tie the game at 2-2, Boston's Jay Pandolfo was called for charging at 9:28 of the second period. Tampa produced sustained pressure during the power play, but Khudobin made four timely saves to stifle the Lightning's attack. He finished with 20 saves and improves to 3-1-0 in four games this season.

"He was good for us tonight," Julien said. "For a guy who hasn't played much, maybe at first he was trying to feel his way through, but he got better and better as the game went on. We were really happy with his performance. Our team is going to play the same way no matter who's there and we have confidence in both those guys."

WHISTLE BLOWER: It was evident the referees were calling a tight game, so during the first intermission the Bruins talked about the importance of staying out of the box.

"We can't control the refs and we're not going to complain about the refs," Milan Lucic said. "We're just going to go out there and play our game."

When Marchand scored the game-winning power-play goal at 17:44, Tampa's Brendan Mikkelson was in the box for a double minor when he caught Lucic with a high stick. Lucic was cut and clearly upset and after the game explained his anger.

"Well, one of their players made a comment about me diving and I didn't like that all," Lucic said. "He knows who he is and I'm glad we were able to beat him where it hurts the most."

MARCHY'S MARCH: Entering this lockout-shortened season, Marchand was one of only a few Bruins players not to play overseas during the work stoppage. Once the 48-game schedule began on Jan. 19, some questioned whether Marchand would be ready and productive. Well, he's proving a lot of people wrong. His game-winner on Saturday was his 11th goal in 17 games (he missed one game with an upper-body injury). He now has four goals and two assists in his last six games, and all four goals have been game-winners.

"He's got some good linemates, but at the same time he's got a quick release," Julien said. "He's got a good shot and he utilizes it. He's Johnny on the Spot, if we can put it that way because when we need a big goal, he's seems to be able to find it. He's a clutch player and the type of player you like to have on your team."

What's even more impressive is the fact Marchand has scored 11 times on only 34 shots this season and he leads the league in that category. In fact, Julien has told Marchand to shoot the puck more this season.

"Yeah, he's always kind of talked to me about shooting more," admitted Marchand. "There are times when I'm going in, I'm looking for different plays when the right play is to shoot. Anytime you get a puck on net, you got an opportunity to score. That's how they try to instill that in our minds."

SCRATCHED: Bruins veteran forward Shawn Thornton was a healthy scratch. He missed two games earlier this season with a concussion, but Saturday was the first time he has been a healthy scratch in 2013. Instead, veteran forward Jay Pandolfo was in the lineup. During Thursday's 2-1 overtime win over the Ottawa Senators, Thornton played 7:01. On Saturday, Pandolfo played the right side with Gregory Campbell in the middle and Chris Bourque on the left. Boston's third line consisted of Daniel Paille, Chris Kelly and Peverley.

After Saturday's win, Julien explained his decision to move Paille up to the third line, and to sit Thornton.

"Danny's a good skater. He forechecks well and he's a former first-round pick and a pretty good hockey player, Julien said. "He's a guy who's capable of moving up and playing in those kind of spots. Tonight was one of those situations when you take a guy like Thorny out you do lose some toughness, but we got other guys who can do the job. What we were trying to do was get a balance there with [Paille] on the third line, it allowed me to play any one of those three lines against their top two."

DROP 'EM: With Thornton out of the lineup, Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid stepped up and dropped the gloves with the Lightning's Pierre-Cedric Labrie at 8:57 of the first period. It was a spirited bout with both players landing punches.

In the second period, just after Boston tied the game, Campbell and Tampa's B.J. Crombeen went toe-to-toe at 4:44.

The Bruins have a 36-13-2 record in the last two seasons when they are assessed a fighting major in a game.

UP NEXT: It's a quick turnaround for the Bruins. Boston will host the Montreal Canadiens at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Garden. In their only other meeting this season, the Bruins beat the Habs 2-1 on Feb. 6 at Bell Centre.

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Offensive powerhouse Tyler Seguin has never been known as a defensive specialist, but his impressive two-way play of late is gaining attention. Is Claude Julien trying to change his game?

“We pride ourselves on being a good two-way team, but the one thing I don’t want you guys [the media] to get confused about is that we don’t expect him to become a defensive player,” Julien emphasized. “He’s a goal scorer; he’s an offensive player and we want him to thrive in those areas. But for him to become a real good two-way player and take as much pride at the other end of the rink is a bonus for us. He’s making a lot of things happen. ... It’s just a matter of time before he starts to score, and we still want him to because that’s why we drafted him for his offensive skill. So that’s gotta continue. And as I’ve often said to the young players that come in, ‘We’re not trying to change you but if there’s certain things we can add to your game without subtracting, that’s the benefit of becoming a better player.' "

Seguin led the team in goals and points last season, but has just three lamplighters and nine helpers through 16 games this season. However, he has started to look more and more like his linemate, reigning Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron, with better hustle in the defensive zone.

“It's been pretty impressive with the way he's back-checked, the way he's played defensively," said Julien. "Again, [Tuesday] if he's not there in the crease area there's probably a goal with the defenseman not having the stick in his hand. He's made some nice plays.”

While many are still wondering when Seguin will go back to his bread and butter, the young player doesn't seem worried about it. Instead of letting his decreased offensive production frustrate him, Seguin decided to try to improve other areas of his game in hopes that would eventually spark the offense.

“I think I put enough heat on myself and I’m competitive guy,” Seguin said. “This year I’ve been really focusing on myself and the team and not even thinking about what goes on outside of here.

"I’m not even focused at all on the offensive zone until the puck starts rolling out of our own end. Usually there’s a tendency to go whenever we get the puck, but I think this year I’ve been doing a pretty solid job at waiting to see how things turn out. I’m really realizing through experience in this league, when a good d-zone play is made or your line does a good job defensively, something creates offensively. So I think if I keep that mentality, things will work out well.”

That mentality also has Seguin feeling like a more complete player and better teammate. When asked if it has been satisfying to create a new element to his game and improve on something Julien has tried to help him with for the last two seasons, Seguin lit up and smiled.

“Yeah it does,” Seguin said. “Obviously you get more credit when you’re scoring, but it feels good to help the team in whatever way I can. I think ‘Marchy’ [Brad Marchand] is probably picking up the slack for some of us, but it’s good to be able to step up in other ways. The team needs guys to step up at different times.”

BOSTON -- With the ice already down for the Beanpot tonight, the Bruins practiced at TD Garden after their 3-1 win at Buffalo on Sunday night.

Absent from practice was forward Tyler Seguin, who was given a maintenance day, according to coach Claude Julien.

Seguin appeared to be injured on a hit from Patrick Kaleta on Sunday night. He had skated off the ice gingerly but went on to finish the game.

We'll have more from head coach Claude Julien, but here's what the forward lines looked like today:

Lucic-Krejci-Horton
Marchand-Bergeron-Peverley
Bourque-Kelly-Pandolfo
Paille-Campbell-Thornton

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Bruins forward Tyler Seguin had a wide grin on his face as he addressed the media after practice Thursday. The night before, Seguin finally scored a goal on a goalie (his first of the season was an empty-netter at Carolina Jan. 28) when he beat Carey Price 14 ticks into the third period to tie the game at one and then assisted on David Krejci’s game-winner just under two minutes later in a 2-1 win over the Canadiens.

Heading into the game, questions were emerging on whether the 21-year-old rising star could find the touch that helped him lead the team in goals with 29 last season. Thanks to some line juggling that saw Seguin and Nathan Horton switch spots, Seguin found the back of the net.

On Thursday, he was happy to finally get that monkey off his back.

“Absolutely!” Seguin said. “It definitely felt like I’ve been snake bitten, and I’ve been saying the last few games that I’m not thinking about it but I did, and it feels good. When you’re in a slump you can’t really think about it, but even if you do you gotta try harder. I was focusing on my D-zone first, and then obviously in the third we weren’t having too much offense and he wanted to spark the lines, change something up, and it definitely worked out.”

As for whether those lines will remain the same with Seguin on the right wing, David Krejci at center and Milan Lucic on the left -- and whether Nathan Horton will stay with Seguin’s usual linemates Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand -- head coach Claude Julien hasn’t decided.

"It’s something that I have to think about, for sure," Julien said. "Do I try it a little longer or do I go back to our regular lines? And if the same thing happens, at least I know I can switch again. It’s something that, thank God I’ve got a couple of days to think about and hopefully the decision will be the right one."

Whatever Julien’s decision is for the Bruins' back-to-back games this weekand (against Tampa Bay Saturday at TD Garden and at Buffalo on Sunday night), Seguin said he'll be happy.

“Both lines are a treat to play on,” Seguin said. “Obviously ‘Bergy’ [Bergeron] is such a great two-way player, and whether it’s ‘March’ [Marchand] or ‘Soupy’ [Greg Campbell], I definitely mesh well with those two guys. Then having ‘Luch’ [Milan Lucic], who is such a big body, going to the net and winning battles in the corners, it makes it easy to play with him and definitely ‘Krech’ [David Krejci] as well, a guy with unbelievable vision and skill, it’s just great having those guys to play with.”

Seguin was also happy with the support and confidence Julien has had in him through this mini-slump to start the season.

“That’s definitely comforting,” Seguin said of Julien’s support. “I don’t look too much into many media stuff and just stay focused on my game. But I’m definitely glad he has confidence in me and I want to earn and improve that.”

Tuukka Rask had another brilliant performance with 20 saves, David Krejci and Tyler Seguin both scored within the first 2:05 of the third period to erase a 1-0 Montreal lead, and the Bruins maintained first place in the Northeast Division with a 2-1 win at Montreal's raucous Bell Centre. Krejci also added an assist on Seguin's goal and Seguin did the same on Krejci's game winner. P.K. Subban scored for the Habs and goalie Carey Price did his job, stopping 21 of 23 Bruins shots.

Rask paves the path: If not for Rask, the Bruins might have been trying all sorts of line changes in the second period. The Bruins were held without a shot until 11:41 into the opening frame, but Rask was up for the task, as he helped his team stem the opening charge of momentum from an amped Habs squad and rocking Bell Centre. The Finnish netminder stopped numerous breakaways and odd-man rushes early on and gave his teammates a chance to find their game and eventually push back. Rask has had to bail his team out a few times already this season, and while the Bruins don't necessarily want to make that a habit, they have to be pleased to know they once again have a goalie who gives them a chance even when they start the game flat.

Julien with a Jack Adams move: Claude Julien won the 2008-09 Jack Adams award as NHL coach of the year, and since then he has gone on to coach his team to a Stanley Cup and, most recently, surpass Don Cherry for career wins behind the Bruins bench. On Wednesday, Julien showed once again why he has become such a successful coach, as he decided to shuffle his lines heading into the third period to spark a dormant offense. Julien had Seguin and Nathan Horton switch spots, putting Seguin with Krejci and Milan Lucic, and Horton with Patrice Bergeron and Gregory Campbell. The move paid instant dividends, as Seguin and Krejci scored consecutive goals to give the Bruins the lead. That changed the tempo of the game, and while the Habs had more scoring chances in the final period, the Bruins took back the momentum and confidence.

Seguin finally breaks through: For the last week or so, Seguin had been a focal point with the media and fans as many wondered what happened to the young gun who had a breakout season last year in leading his team in points and goals. But as Seguin and Julien have repeatedly said, Seguin wasn't playing bad hockey. Their patience paid off as Seguin got his first non-empty net goal, which may finally open the floodgates for Seguin going forward.

Power failure again: The Bruins can brush it off as much as they want -- and, yes, they have found ways to win (even a Stanley Cup in 2011) despite the fact they had an anemic power play -- but they really need to improve on the man-advantage. In a tight goaltending battle like the one Price and Rask waged Wednesday, teams need to take advantage of every power play they can get, and the Bruins -- who went 0-for-4 and are now 3-for-35 on the season -- did anything but, looking better when they were short-handed.

Roster changes as injury bug hits: Besides the big change Julien made heading into the third period, he was forced to juggle his lines heading into the game thanks to the injury bug that is hitting his team right now. With Brad Marchand (undisclosed injury), Daniel Paille (upper body) and Shawn Thornton (concussion) all out, Julien had a much different forwards group heading in. Here's what the lineup looked like to start the game:

Forwards
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Tyler Seguin
Gregory Campbell-Patrice Bergeron-Nathan Horton
Chris Bourque-Chris Kelly-Rich Peverley
Lane MacDermid-Ryan Spooner-Jamie Tardif

Defense
Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk
Dennis Seidenberg-Dougie Hamilton
Adam McQuaid-Andrew Ference

Goalies
Tuukka Rask
Anton Khudobin

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- The Air Canada Centre should be exhilarating Saturday night when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Boston Bruins in a Northeast Division matchup.

Of course, a lot of attention will be on Bruins rookie defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who will be playing in front of his hometown team. In fact, all three players involved in the now-infamous 2009 trade between the Bruins and Maple Leafs will be on display with Hamilton, Bruins forward Tyler Seguin and Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel.

The Maple Leafs acquired Kessel from Boston on Sept. 18, 2009, in exchange for Toronto's first- and second-round picks in the 2010 NHL draft, which turned into Seguin and Jared Knight, respectively. Not only that, the Bruins also received the Leafs' first-round pick in 2011, which ended up being Hamilton.

On Saturday, Hamilton will be on the ice along with Seguin and Kessel at Air Canada Centre.

"It's exciting," Hamilton said. "I grew up watching games in that rink and dreamt of playing there in the NHL. I guess I always dreamt of playing for the Leafs, but as I've gotten older, it will be cooler to be on the other side."

To say the Bruins have dominated the Maple Leafs in recent history would be a huge understatement.

Boston swept the Leafs during the 2011-12 season and outscored them 36-10 in six games. The Bruins also have a 23-5-5 record in their past 33 games against the Maple Leafs. Boston is 12-2-3 in its past 17 games at Toronto.

This season, Toronto coach Randy Carlyle and the Maple Leafs are 4-3-0 for eight points. They're playing better hockey.

"With Randy there, they're certainly a team that's competing very hard and he's going to get the most out of his players -- he always has," said Bruins coach Claude Julien.

The Leafs already have wins over Montreal, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Washington. The Bruins have a chance to end a tough stretch of four games in six nights on a positive note with a win in Toronto on Saturday night.

"Every game for us has got to be viewed as almost a must-win and tough games," Julien said. "You can't take anybody for granted. [Thursday's loss] was a perfect example, we didn't take [Buffalo] for granted, it just means anybody can win on any given night.

"So we have to make sure we go in there with the right intentions, and doing that, and then coming out with a win gives us a 3-1 record this week with four games in six days. That would be a pretty good accomplishment. If not, we finish .500, which for us is not good enough."

The Maple Leafs do present a challenge for Boston. This season could be different, and the Bruins understand that.

"They're playing with a lot of confidence and they're beating some really good teams," said Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. "We've got to be ready for them. They're skating well and playing with a lot of energy. For sure, it's going to be a tough game."

Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri leads the team in scoring with three goals and four assists for seven points. Kessel has four assists with a minus-2 rating.

"They've been playing well," said Bruins forward Gregory Campbell. "They've bought into their system and their coach has them playing really well. Good teams never want to lose two games in a row, so it's important for us in another divisional game, a game that's attainable if we work hard. It would make it a pretty good week for us with a pretty tough schedule, a tough week, but it's not going to be easy. I think we're up for the challenge."

BOSTON -- Bruins winger Tyler Seguin thought he had scored his second shootout goal of the season to give the Bruins the edge in the first round of their shootout over the Devils. But as he was beating New Jersey Devils goalie Johan Hedberg, a fan threw what a TD Garden "Bull Gang" member claimed was a sausage across the front of the net, forcing -- per league rules -- Seguin to redo his turn in the shootout.

Thankfully for the Bruins -- and quite possibly for the safety of the offending fan -- Seguin beat Hedberg on a backhander the second time around and the Bruins went on to win the shootout on Brad Marchand's goal in the sixth round.

“That’s a first. I’m still not sure what it was, maybe a hot dog,” a baffled Seguin said after the game. “I’m hoping that there was a New Jersey Devil logo on the guy’s jersey who threw it, unless you’re one of the Bruins fans doing that. But I guess I’m glad it worked out in the end.”

Seguin admitted some frustration over the incident, but was happy that he made the right choice on his second attempt by not going with the same shot as his first.

“To be honest, I was just angry,” Seguin said. “So I picked a new move in my head, and I was either going to do the same thing or go to my backhand, and when I got down there I decided to do my backhand.”

Bruins coach Claude Julien had no problem with the referees making Seguin shoot again.

“The explanation was what’s in the rule book,” Julien said of what the referees told him. “If there’s any kind of obstruction or something [it’s a do-over]. Had we not scored, Tyler would have had a second shot at it as well. At the end of the day, it worked out because he scored and he deserved to score again. I guess justice prevailed right there.”