PITTSBURGH — In Game 1, Boston center Brad Marchand delivered an
illegal check from behind to Pittsburgh winger James Neal that sent him
helmet first into the boards.
In Game 2, Marchand delivered two blows that were even more painful.
BOX SCORE: Bruins 6, Penguins 1
Feisty Marchand scored on a breakaway 28 seconds into the game and added another goal late in the period to launch the Bruins to a 6-1 win against the Penguins that gives Boston a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.
"I thought (Marchand) was great," Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron said. "He was turning the puck well, and he was first on pucks and finding loose pucks all the time, and that's what you need from a guy like him."
Marchand was plus 4 in the game.
A series that was supposed to be highlighting Pittsburgh's offensive might now has become a story about the Penguins' inability to stop Boston's offense.
VIDEO: Bruins' impressive third goal
"Confidence certainly builds pretty quickly," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "When you start off with an early lead in the visiting building, you're certainly happy with that start."
The top-seeded Penguins, averaging 4.27 postseason goals per game coming into the series, have been outscored 9-1 over the first two games.
The Bruins chased starter Tomas Vokoun from the game with three first-period goals, and Marc-Andre Fleury also gave up three in his first action since Game 4 of the first round.
MORE: Penguins make goalie switch
"We've gotten away from our game," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "We've gotten off our game plan. We've deviated. We get down early today again, and not too far after the second goal we get off kilter and deviate again from how we can play and what we need to do.
"And that group of guys, that team in there, they'll reset and refocus, and we'll come back with how we need to play in Game 3."
Game 3 is Wednesday in Boston (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network).
SCHEDULE: Dates, results, TV
In Game 2, the Bruins had five players (Marchand, Jaromir Jagr, Nathan Horton, Johnny Boychuk and Bergeron) with two points while the Penguins had several players with a plus-minus of minus 2 or worse. Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang was minus-3, as was Neal.
"(The Bruins) are very patient, and they wait for you to make a mistake," Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "We have to change our approach."
PHOTOS: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
In Game 2, Marchand delivered two blows that were even more painful.
BOX SCORE: Bruins 6, Penguins 1
Feisty Marchand scored on a breakaway 28 seconds into the game and added another goal late in the period to launch the Bruins to a 6-1 win against the Penguins that gives Boston a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.
"I thought (Marchand) was great," Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron said. "He was turning the puck well, and he was first on pucks and finding loose pucks all the time, and that's what you need from a guy like him."
Marchand was plus 4 in the game.
A series that was supposed to be highlighting Pittsburgh's offensive might now has become a story about the Penguins' inability to stop Boston's offense.
VIDEO: Bruins' impressive third goal
"Confidence certainly builds pretty quickly," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "When you start off with an early lead in the visiting building, you're certainly happy with that start."
The top-seeded Penguins, averaging 4.27 postseason goals per game coming into the series, have been outscored 9-1 over the first two games.
The Bruins chased starter Tomas Vokoun from the game with three first-period goals, and Marc-Andre Fleury also gave up three in his first action since Game 4 of the first round.
MORE: Penguins make goalie switch
"We've gotten away from our game," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "We've gotten off our game plan. We've deviated. We get down early today again, and not too far after the second goal we get off kilter and deviate again from how we can play and what we need to do.
"And that group of guys, that team in there, they'll reset and refocus, and we'll come back with how we need to play in Game 3."
Game 3 is Wednesday in Boston (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network).
SCHEDULE: Dates, results, TV
In Game 2, the Bruins had five players (Marchand, Jaromir Jagr, Nathan Horton, Johnny Boychuk and Bergeron) with two points while the Penguins had several players with a plus-minus of minus 2 or worse. Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang was minus-3, as was Neal.
"(The Bruins) are very patient, and they wait for you to make a mistake," Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik said. "We have to change our approach."
PHOTOS: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
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