With a spot in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final in sight, the Bruins' top line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand dominated Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday and propelled Boston to a series sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes.
The clincher wasn't much of a contest. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask kept the Hurricanes at bay in the opening period before the aptly named "Perfection Line" of Bergeron, Pastrnak and Marchand took over in the second and third. Boston's top trio accounted for all the of team's goals in a 4-0 victory. The effort continued an impressive run in which the line has been responsible for 22 of the Bruins' 57 goals (38.6 percent) in the 2019 playoffs.
In addition to Rask's impenetrable play in goal and the Perfection Line's swarming offense, the Bruins' power play was 2-for-3 on Thursday. Boston has been lights out with the man advantage during the postseason, going 7 for 15 in four games against the Hurricanes and 17 for 50 overall.
Most power-play goals by a @NHLBruins player in a postseason:
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 17, 2019
9 – Cam Neely in 1991
6 – Patrice Bergeron in 2019
5 – Phil Esposito in 1969
5 – Johnny Bucyk in 1972
5 – Jean Ratelle in 1976#NHLStats #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/fJ6zVEZBbX
Thursday's win puts the Bruins into the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in eight years. Boston raised the trophy against the Vancouver Canucks in 2011 and fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013.