Game 61 Recap: BRUINS 6 PANTHERS 1 WE WANT BITZ! WE WANT BITZ! WE WANT BITZ!

Well, that's much better. First of all, we got a puck drop from space, which is now available for viewing in the TD Banknorth Garden sports museum, open between 1pm and 1:30pm on the third tuesday of the month.

This post is going to kill your browser since there are 7 videos in it. It was just that good of a game. That's why the image is up top there, to push the videos below the "fold."

Let's do a quick run through here.

First of all, while you're settling in Patrice Bergeron is telling the bench "hey y'all, watch this" and forechecks like a banshee. Jay Bouwmeester, Panthers super-D-man, let's a puck bounce past him and Bergeron is there. Bergeron takes it, beats Craig Anderson high glove side.

1-0. Huge goal. Patrice's first REAL goal of the season. Of course, we saw kessel do this last game, and look where that got us.

Then Ryder goes to work on the ice. He's moving the puck around, and then the Bruins get a little 3-on-whatever. Ryder passes - not across the crease like anderson expects, but back to Stuart. Stuart shoots it forward.

2-0. Hey, way to go Mark Stuart. When was his last goal? That's odd. Nice assist on the return there, Ryder.

Then some guy on Florida named "Kreps" (no joke, real name) scores, 13:34 into the first.
2-1. They have awakened the bear, and Tim Thomas is ready for some puck-hunting. He plays perfect the rest of the night...even after some lapses. Whatever.

Second period is all about your #1 star of the night: Byron Bitz. For serious, he scores his second goal of his NHL career right here:

3-1. Slick deflection. "I know most goalies take away the bottom, so I figured if I could deflect it up, it might go in" (paraphrase, too lazy to transcribe the real quote from the interview I will inevitably post below)

Third period time. 3-1 going in. Let's see if the Bruins can have a positive goal differential in all 3 periods. The fourth line decides to get some energy going. Yelle slaps one from the point as they enter the zone. Anderson gets in front, gives up a nice big juicy rebound. Byron Bitz is on the scene.

4-1. Byron Bitz Hat Trick Watch: Activated "I didn't have a hat trick through college, must have been back in Juniors" (paraphrase)

2 minutes later, the Bruins move it all over the FLA zone. Bouwmeester blows a tire, Ward gets the puck. Tim connolly goal: "Dink!"

5-1. Aaron Ward looks really happy about that. Gotta love a guy that likes scoring and winning so much.

Then about a million years into the game (ok, 49+ minutes) the first penalty is called: Hooking, of course, against the Panthers. Powerplay lines look like: Axelsson-Savard-Ryder, Bergeron-Chara. I'm writing about this, so I think you know what happens next. Axelsson bounces it off anderson's pads back to Ryder, Ryder bumps it up over them.

6-1. Textbook. Or is that Storybook? I never can tell.

Speaking of storybook, Bitz basically plays every other shift for the rest of the game as the fans chant "We Want Bitz! We Want Bitz!" Boston fans are suckers for rooting for the underdog.

There's a fight, kobasew vs. whoever, crap fight and only florida really cared about it.

Game.

WIN!

• Now don't mess it up like you did after the carolina game. Dammit.
• Montreal now has the longest win streak in the east....with 2.
• 41's just another number, but 20 home wins is nice.
  
• Other teams with 20 home wins: San Jose, Washington, Detroit, Calgary,
  

vs. FLA: 3-1-0 (end of season series)
Record: 41-12-8 (W 1)
Home: 20-4-4 (W 1)
L10: 4-4-2
Feb: 5-4-2
GO BRUINS!