If you're looking for a surprise team in the East, search no further than the Boston Bruins. Pat Burns had his club playing some of its best hockey down the stretch, going 7-2-0 in their final nine games. The Bears also drew the Carolina Hurricanes, seen by many as the weak link of the East, in the first round. Not since the days of Cam Neely have Bruin fans had such high expectations going into the postseason.

"We honestly feel our team has a legitimate shot at coming out of the East," says Boston goaltender Byron Dafoe. "I'm sure the other seven teams in this conference feel the same way. I don't think it's the same scenario as what's going on in the West, there being three powerhouse teams. We all match up pretty well. There's been so much parity here in the East. I think our standings speak for themselves."

The Bruins are a pretty solid squad form top to bottom. Not spectacular, but solid. Up front, the Bruins have a legitimate star center in the form of Jason Allison, a potential game- breaker in Sergei Samsonov, a proven goal producer in Dimitri Khristich, and two dangerous scorers in Steve Heinze and Anson Carter that are liable to get hot at any moment. Carter is in the midst of a scoring binge, bagging eight goals and 11 points in his last nine games. Toss in a checking line of Tim Taylor, P.J. Axelsson, and Rob Dimaio, and an always improving Joe Thornton, and the Bruin forward ranks are set.

The emergence of Thornton has been of particular significance to the Boston cause. Feared to be a bust after an uninspiring rookie campaign, Thornton has done the whole sophomore jinx thing in reverse and has shown signs of becoming an impact player in collecting 16 goals and 41 points. Thornton is playing physical, going to the net hard, and using his nifty hands to create chances for his linemates. His development has not gone unnoticed.

"Well, it's definitely been a great year for him," says Dafoe of the young center. "I think last year was a definite learning experience. He was a healthy scratch on a number of occasions. I don't think he knew what to expect, being an 18-year old, being highly touted as the No.1 pick overall. This year he came to camp determined, in much better shape, just mentally prepared for this season. Right out of camp, he emerged as a No.2 center on our team behind Jason Allison. He's definitely played like it. Down the stretch, he's taken key faceoffs late in the game with a goal lead, and he's scored some huge goals for us this season. I think it's just a sign of better things to come from him in the future. He should live up to that billing of a No.1 pick overall."

Boston's blue line isn't quite as deep as the offense, but depth is secondary when you've got Ray Bourque on your team. The captain is still logging 30 minutes a night. And the workload doesn't seem to be slowing him down. Bourque has gotten stronger as the year's progressed, finishing tied for second among NHL defensemen in scoring with 57 points and closing the season with 16 points in his final 19 games. But Bourque isn't completely alone. Kyle McLaren is a big hitter, Hal Gill is always an imposing physical presences, and then you've got the veteran experience of Don Sweeney, Dave Ellett, and Grant Ledyard.

The true strength of this Bruin squad, though, is in net, where Dafoe has provided the stellar goaltending required of postseason hopefuls. Dafoe had the best season of his career, or of most anyone's career for that matter. He ended the season with 32 wins, a 1.99 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage, and a league high 10 shutouts, becoming the first Bruin goaltender to hit double-digits in shutouts since Frank Brimsek notched 10 of his own in 1938-39. If not for the existence of Dominik Hasek, Dafoe would surely be about to get his name on the Vezina. I mean, officially. Because, hell, he could go put it on now with some masking tape and a magic marker but it won't fool anybody. Unless he's got like really good penmanship.

Dafoe's year was marred somewhat when he was neglected at All- Star time. Despite having worthy credentials, he was bypassed in favor of Martin Brodeur, Ed Belfour, and Ron Tugnutt. Oddly enough, I was bypassed in favor of those same three guys. I would have probably been more upset if I played in the league, but it still hurt. It still hurt.

"It was disappointing not to make it," admits Dafoe. "I was pleased in the fact that I was mentioned as being a legitimate candidate, even to go as far as having some media saying I was snubbed not to make it. To be honest with you, that's part of this game. Three great goaltenders were named ahead of me. There's no denying that. I personally just felt that I had a great first half of the year, and wanted to continue it on down the stretch. Just because I didn't get named to an All-Star team was not going to discourage me. In doing so, I just tried to continue my consistency down the stretch of the season."

While a lot of people, myself included, would have been angered at being left out of the mid-season classic, Dafoe says he didn't hold any grudges.

"I wouldn't say I was out to show them," claims Dafoe. "I mean, I'm sure it may have spurred me on a little bit. But as I said, I was happy with my performance the first half. If it was not worthy of an All-Star selection, that's fine. But, you know, I just want to continue it and make it a complete year rather than just a great first half and nothing else. That's kind of my own personal accomplishment that I had in mind."

Dafoe certainly reached that goal, composing an excellent season from start to finish. Now his attention is focused squarely on the playoffs. He feels last year's disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Washington Capitals, a series in which the Bruins were severely jobbed by the punk-ass goal crease rule, can be a learning experience for one and all.

"I think the biggest thing is, we're pretty much the same team," says Dafoe. "We were very young last year. We've matured as a team. We lost in the first round last year, but I think we all learned a lot. I especially learned a lot, being my first playoff series playing every game. I took a lot out of watching the Washington Capitals as Olaf Kolzig led them to the Stanley Cup Finals. I think it's made me a better goaltender. And I think everyone else on the team, especially the younger guys, Samsonov and Thornton, they know what to expect from that very first playoff game."

When the playoffs do get underway this week, the Bruins will be ready. They've had lots of practice. The past month has been one long dress rehearsal. And the team has become stronger for it.

"We as a team, 15-20 games ago, found ourselves out of the playoffs," recalls Dafoe. "We were not playing very good as a team. Since then, we've had to literally step our play up to playoff hockey in order to get ourselves back into it. It's been a pressure situation for us for the last month. Everyone has responded.

"So I feel that we're not really going to change our style of play other than maybe our intensity getting a little bit higher for the first round of the playoffs."

I'm planning to get a little higher my damn self for the first round of the playoffs. But that's probably neither here nor there. Anyway, go Bruins. Growl. Go Bruins. I don't know. Whatever.

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