By Michael Caples –
They made it close multiple times, but it wasn’t enough.
Henrik Zetterberg pulled Detroit within one goal with 3:52 left in regulation, but an empty-netter for Jerome Iginla sealed Game 5 – and their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series – for the Bruins.
With their 4-2 win over Detroit, Boston eliminated the Red Wings from the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and will advance to a second-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens.
Pavel Datsyuk also scored for the Red Wings, who extended their playoff streak to 23 straight seasons only to be bounced in the first round.
Jonas Gustavsson made his second straight start in goal for the Wings, and ‘The Monster’ stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced.
With 5:19 left in the second period, Datsyuk tied the game for the Red Wings.
However, Zdeno Chara scored with 3.8 seconds remaining in the second period, and Milan Lucic increased the Boston lead to 3-1.
Zetterberg’s goal – a shot to the top shelf off a rebound from Justin Abdelkader’s initial attempt – pulled the Wings within one but it wasn’t enough for Detroit.
The loss brings the Red Wings’ season to a close just five games into the postseason. It is the second time in three seasons that Detroit has been eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (Nashville eliminated the Red Wings in five games in 2011-12).
Datsyuk’s goal was his third goal of the series. The Wings’ No. 13 was the only player to record multiple goals, and one of only four to light the lamp in the series (Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall and Luke Glendening).
Ten different Bruins scored in the series. On Saturday, it was Loui Eriksson, Chara, Lucic and Iginla.
Livonia native Torey Krug set up Lucic for the Bruins’ third tally, setting him up for a one-timer goal just outside the Detroit crease with one of his many impressive passes in the series.
Jonas Gustavsson was tending to the Detroit pipes once again, as starter Jimmy Howard is still battling an illness. Howard did serve as the back-up goaltender Saturday afternoon.
‘The Monster’ stopped 66 shots overall between the two games he started.
Tuukka Rask stopped 31 of 33 in Game 5 for the Bruins.
More to come…