BOSTON _ It's time for the Carolina Hurricanes to take warning.
The Boston Bruins have their number. At least, after the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals, the Bruins have taken total control of the series.
The Bruins not only took a 6-2 victory in Game 2 on Sunday, they had the Canes discombobulated at TD Garden.
The Canes couldn't stop the Bruins 5-on-5. The Bruins were dominant 5-on-4 and 4-on-5, scoring twice on the power play while stifling the Canes' attempts at running a power play.
Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk scored, twice. Defenseman Connor Clifton scored. That in itself explains how tough a day it was for the Hurricanes _ Grzelcyk scored three goals during the regular season and Clifton's goal was the first of his NHL career.
It was such a bad day for the Canes that captain Justin Williams was sent to the penalty box in the second period for holding Brad Marchand, that after Marchand had wrapped his stick blade around Williams' neck.
No penalty on Marchand, just on Williams for the retaliation. And Marchand, the Bruins' bad boy, appeared to mock Williams after play was stopped.
It was mostly an easy day for Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, who has been at his efficient best in the playoffs. Rask missed out on a shutout in the third period when Williams redirected a Justin Faulk shot for a score, and Teuvo Teravainen later added a goal. But it was 6-0 before the Canes scored.
The Bruins needed a third-period rally to top the Canes 5-2 in Game 1, taking the lead with two power-play goals and then adding two more late scores.
After two days off between games, the Bruins got their first score when Grzelcyk, hardly a sniper, beat Canes goalie Petr Mrazek with a shot at the post that went under Mrazek's right arm _ a soft goal allowed by Mrazek and 1-0 lead for Boston.
For the Canes, a long, frustrating day had begun. Jake DeBrusk scored on the power play to finish a 2-0 first period. Clifton scored in the second, as did Grzelcyk on a power play. Make it 4-0 after two.
No letup in the third by the Bruins. Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour left Mrazek in the game and the Bruins kept on scoring, David Backes, then Danton Heinen. Defenseman Torey Krug kept picking up assists _ he had three for the game and 10 in the playoffs.
Williams finally got the Canes a goal but there was little solace in it, or Teravainen's.
The Canes will go back to Raleigh for Games 3 and 4 with a number of questions to be answered.
The first: Who should be the starting goalie? Curtis McElhinney likely will get his chance for the Canes, having won three straight games in the sweep of the New York Islanders.
What about the lines? Brind'Amour did some shuffling Sunday and may do some more.
How to get to Rask? The Boston goalie has been terrific and the Canes must crowd the crease and as Williams said before Game 2, make things "uncomfortable" for him and break his rhythm.
Game 3 is Tuesday.
