Tim Thomas kept the Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup hopes alive Sunday by stopping 19 shots in a 4-0 shutout of the Carolina Hurricanes. Phil Kessel scored a pair of goals for the Bruins who will seek to avoid elimination once again when they travel to Carolina Tuesday for Game 6, down 3-2. Cam Ward was peppered with 44 shots on goal while his teammates were called for 17 penalties, only two fewer than the number of shots they mustered against Thomas.

The first of Marc Savard's two goals Friday gave Boston the lead and the Bruins opened their second-round playoff series by downing Carolina 4-1. Savard broke a 1-1 tie with 7:21 gone in the second period and then scored at 7:21 of the third period as well for the game's final goal. The initial game of the second-round series was the first action for the Bruins in eight days.

Marc Savard had two goals and two assists Saturday to help the Boston Bruins beat Montreal 5-1 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. The victory gave Boston a 2-0 lead heading to Montreal for Game 3 Monday. Savard started the scoring with a power-play goal at 9:59 of the first period.

Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots and was perfect over the final 54 minutes Thursday, leading the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 victory over Ottawa. The Bruins won their fifth straight, reached 50 victories for the season and inched closer to clinching the No.

Michael Ryder and Marc Savard helped Boston clinch the Northeast Division title Sunday, each recording a goal and assist in a 4-1 victory over New Jersey. Chuck Kobasew and Milan Lucic also scored for the Bruins, who now have a five-point lead over New Jersey atop the Eastern Conference. Boston scored