The Cup

Well, now we know there’s no reason to play the final 19 games of the regular season or even hold the playoffs.

By beating Ottawa tonight, 1-0, the Bruins finished their six-game road trip with a perfect record — a feat that hasn’t been accomplished a Bruins squad since the 1971-72 season. And we all know how that season ended, so of course it follows that this season’s going to end exactly the same.

It’s guaranteed.

Well, there are a few other teams that might have something to say about that — not to mention the Bruins picked up eight of the 12 points against last-place teams. But you can only play the schedule you’re given. And had the Bruins lost any of these games, it would’ve been a disaster. Instead, they took care of business and now get back to the varsity schedule with games against Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Montreal up ahead.

Here’s a look at the rest of tonight’s box score:

•Nathan Horton has risen again. He scored the game’s lone goal by going to the front of the net to find a rebound. He now has goals in three straight games for the first time this season.

•In net, Tuukka Rask earned his fourth win of the road trip with 33 saves. The shutout was his second of the season. With two victories over Ottawa, and one apiece over Edmonton and the New York Islanders from Rask, the Bruins’ next task it to get the second-year netminder out there against some legit competition just to make sure he’s ready for the stretch run.

•”Darth Quaider” Adam McQuaid recorded an assist for his third point in four games.