Boston Bruins Victory Puts Philadelphia Flyers On Brink of Elimination

The Boston Bruins are one win away from reaching the conference finals. They defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1 in game three on Wednesday night at the Wachovia Center, to take a 3-0 series lead.

Philadelphia scored the opening goal of the game for the first time this series. The goal occurred at 02:32 in the first period.

The Flyers had a two-on-one advantage going into the Boston zone. Bruins defense-man Andrew Ference was defending the rush. There was nothing he could do. Flyers right wing Cladue Giroux, rushing up the left side of the ice, made a nice to pass to teammate Arron Ashim, who put home a wrist shot below the glove side of Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask.

It took the Bruins less than two minutes to tie the game at 1-1.

Bruins center Marc Savard, having the puck along the boards, fed a cross ice pass to a wide open Matt Hunwick.

The Bruins defenseman flung a shot on goal just inside the Philadelphia zone. Blake Wheeler, hanging out near the left side of the net, tipped in Hunwick's shot past Flyers goalie Brian Boucher at 04:11.

Boston scored their second goal at 05:45 in the first period. 

David Krejci, who was carrying the puck into the neutral zone, got lit up by a hit from Flyers captain Mike Richards. Krejci was out for the remainder of the game after the hit.

Milan Lucic skated down the ice to recover the loose puck for Boston in the Flyers zone. With Miroslav Satan crashing down center ice, Lucic was being patient and fed a pass to the Bruins right winger, leaving him all alone against the Flyers goalie. Satan put a nice deek on Boucher and slid in a backhanded goal to put the Bruins on top 2-1.

Mark Recchi added an insurance goal for the Bruins at 02:30 in third period.

Zdeno Chara took a slap shot from the high slot.

The puck appeared to go off Flyers defense-man Chris Pronger. Wheeler recovered the rebound and fed a quick pass to Recchi, who tapped in the puck past a diving Boucher to give the Bruins a 3-1 advantage.

Patrice Bergeron iced the game for Boston, scoring on an empty net to make the score 4-1.

Boston goalie Tuukka Rask had an excellent game, making 34 saves on 35 shots. The penalty killing unit came through one again, stopping four power play opportunities from the Flyers.

Philadelphia had plenty of chances to get the puck in net, out-shooting Boston 35 to 20.