"Amazing," said a wide-eyed and smiling Bitz, he of the No. 4 crash-and-bang line. "Just amazing."
Bitz finished one goal shy of the hat trick - with the second and third strikes of his career - and a dozen of the Black-and-Gold's 18 skaters factored on the scoresheet as the Bruins emerged from a fog in which they had only won once (1-4-2) in their previous seven games.
"That's what we needed after our road trip," said Patrice Bergeron, who kicked off the Boston scoring with an unassisted strike only 48 seconds after the opening faceoff. "A big effort."
They found their scoring shoes (goals by Bergeron, Mark Stuart, Bitz, Aaron Ward, and a returning Michael Ryder), and they also found their presence. To wit:
Milan Lucic landed a game-high five hits (equaled by Florida's Nick Tarnasky), perhaps an indication that the second-year winger is regaining his physical form that made him a terrorizing force in the first half of the season - a force that was instrumental in the club's overall confidence and success.
They were committed to forcing pucks to the net. They landed 39 on Anderson, but they also took 29 more that either were blocked or went off net. Overall, they outshot the Panthers, 68-51, with only 25 of Florida's shots making their way on net.
Tim Thomas, who lost three of previous four outings, allowed a lone strike by Kamil Kreps, who cut Boston's lead in half, 2-1, with 6:26 to go before the first intermission. Overall, Thomas had a relatively easy night, stopping 24 shots, rarely dealing with much sustained pressure in the slot or around his crease. A big credit to his defensive corps.
In possession of a 3-1 lead to start the third, the Bruins did not allow the Panthers back in the game, keeping up the pressure and scoring twice (Bitz's second of the night, followed by Ward) within the first six minutes. They were careful not to lapse into their conservative, non-attack mode that had cost them games of late.
"It's a 3-1 game there, and we've had our issues in the past with protecting leads," said Julien. "It was important for us to go out and play our best period of the game."
