In the end there was poetry in the loss.
The Boston Bruins handed the Carolina Hurricanes a 4-0 loss in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final to sweep the four-game set.
Tuukka Rask made 24 saves to get the shutout.
David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists in the win and Patrice Bergeron struck twice and added an assist.
“I think the last few games we knew we could be a little bit better than we’ve been,” Boston’s Brad Marchand said. “Being up 3-0, everyone in the room wanted to be at their best, and I think everyone brought their best tonight. Sometimes it bounces your way. Obviously, you look at [Bergeron’s] history, the way he steps up in big games, and [Pastrnak] was great tonight.”
The Bruins now await the winner of the Western Conference Final between the San Jose Sharks and St Louis Blues.
“I think we’ve played as a team the whole year, and I think we’ve shown that,” Bergeron said. “Our depth has been winning games for us, and that was the perfect example in this series. Everyone chipping in on any given night, and it was a big difference, I thought.”
After sweeping the aside the New York Islanders in the second round, the Canes had no answers for anything the Bruins had in their game plan.
“Did I think we’d be here? Maybe not, but we were going to see if we could get here,” Justin Williams said. “We’re good enough to be in the final four, and that means we’re good enough to do it again next year and get better and learn from this. Right now, it hurts, and it will for a little while.”
The series really ended in Game 1 when the Hurricanes held a 2-1 lead and then imploded on a series of penalties. The Bruins turned the deficit into a 3-2 lead and never looked back.
Over the series, the Bruins were 7-for-15 on the power play while the Canes went 1-for-14
“Everything’s going OK, then we get into [special teams] where it’s obviously a huge advantage for them, and they made us pay,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You’ve got to give them credit. There’s just no weakness, no matter who they throw out there.”
[WATCH: Bruins vs. Hurricanes Game 4 highlights | Complete series coverage]
Curtis McElhinney made 19 saves in the series-ending loss.
“It’s always tough to swallow when the season ends abruptly like that. You’ve got to go home. I just told my kids I was planning on going to Boston tomorrow, but I’ll be home tomorrow after school. Life goes on,” Williams said.
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