The 2011–12 Boston Bruins season was the 88th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on November 1, 1924. The Bruins entered the 2011–12 season as the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Off-season Veteran forward Mark Recchi retired. Forward Michael Ryder went to the Dallas Stars via free agency, and defenseman Tomas Kaberle went to the Carolina Hurricanes. Forward Benoit Pouliot was signed.

Regular season The Bruins' opened the regular season with a home loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, whom they had swept in round two of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs just five months earlier. They recorded their first regular season success against the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 8, a 4–1 home victory against their 2011 Conference Final opponents. The Bruins closed out the month of October with a home-and-home series defeat at the hands of their bitter rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, en route to the worst start by a defending champion since the current playoff platform was adopted in 1994.Deals next for sinking B's?Bruins experiencing historic 'Stanley Cup hangover' The back-to-back losses at the hands of their hated rivals proved the catalyst to a resurgence that saw the team secure at least a point in every game through November, the first time the franchise went undefeated in regulation for an entire calendar month since January 1969.Bruins and Wild had memorable Novembers During this run, defending Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas posted a 9–0–0 record and earned First Star honors for the month.Tim Thomas, Jonathan Toews and Joffrey Lupul are NHL's three stars for November

With a win over the New York Islanders on March 31, the Bruins clinched an Eastern conference playoff berth. On April 1, the Bruins won the Northeast Division title by defeating the New York Rangers, 2–1.

The Bruins allowed only one shorthanded goal all the season, the lowest total of all 30 teams.

Playoffs

The Boston Bruins qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. The Bruins lost in the first round to the Washington Capitals in a seven-game in overtime series 4–3.

Standings

Schedule and results

Pre-season 2011 Pre-season # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Record Recap 1 September 21 Boston Bruins 1–2 Ottawa Senators OT Tuukka Rask 0–0–1 2 September 23 New York Islanders 3–6 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 1–0–1 3 September 25 Montreal Canadiens 3–7 Boston Bruins Anton Khudobin 2–0–1 4 September 26 Boston Bruins 2–1 Montreal Canadiens Tuukka Rask 3–0–1 5 September 29 Ottawa Senators 2–1 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 3–1–1 6 October 1 Boston Bruins 3–2 New York Islanders Tim Thomas 4–1–1 Match played at Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Match played at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Regular season

2011–12 game log October: 3–7–0 (home: 2–5–0; road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 6 Philadelphia Flyers 2–1 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 0–1–0 0 2 October 8 Tampa Bay Lightning 1–4 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 1–1–0 2 3 October 10 Colorado Avalanche 1–0 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 1–2–0 2 4 October 12 Boston Bruins 2–3 Carolina Hurricanes Tim Thomas 16,483 1–3–0 2 5 October 15 Boston Bruins 3–2 Chicago Blackhawks SO Tim Thomas 22,073 2–3–0 4 6 October 18 Carolina Hurricanes 4–1 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 2–4–0 4 7 October 20 Toronto Maple Leafs 2–6 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 3–4–0 6 8 October 22 San Jose Sharks 4–2 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 3–5–0 6 9 October 27 Montreal Canadiens 2–1 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 3–6–0 6 10 October 29 Boston Bruins 2–4 Montreal Canadiens Tuukka Rask 21,273 3–7–0 6 November: 12–0–1 (home: 7–0–1; road: 5–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 11 November 1 Ottawa Senators 3–5 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 4–7–0 8 12 November 5 Boston Bruins 7–0 Toronto Maple Leafs Tim Thomas 19,497 5–7–0 10 13 November 7 New York Islanders 2–6 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 6–7–0 12 14 November 10 Edmonton Oilers 3–6 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 7–7–0 14 15 November 12 Buffalo Sabres 2–6 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 8–7–0 16 16 November 15 New Jersey Devils 3–4 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 9–7–0 18 17 November 17 Columbus Blue Jackets 1–2 Boston Bruins SO Tuukka Rask 17,565 10–7–0 20 18 November 19 Boston Bruins 6–0 New York Islanders Tim Thomas 16,011 11–7–0 22 19 November 21 Boston Bruins 1–0 Montreal Canadiens Tim Thomas 21,273 12–7–0 24 20 November 23 Boston Bruins 4–3 Buffalo Sabres SO Tim Thomas 18,690 13–7–0 26 21 November 25 Detroit Red Wings 3–2 Boston Bruins SO Tuukka Rask 17,565 13–7–1 27 22 November 26 Winnipeg Jets 2–4 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 14–7–1 29 23 November 30 Boston Bruins 6–3 Toronto Maple Leafs Tim Thomas 19,643 15–7–1 31 December: 9–3–0 (home: 4–1–0; road: 5–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 3 Toronto Maple Leafs 1–4 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 16–7–1 33 25 December 5 Boston Bruins 3–1 Pittsburgh Penguins Tim Thomas 18,585 17–7–1 35 26 December 6 Boston Bruins 1–2 Winnipeg Jets Tuukka Rask 15,004 17–8–1 35 27 December 8 Florida Panthers 2–0 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 17–9–1 35 28 December 10 Boston Bruins 5–3 Columbus Blue Jackets Tuukka Rask 18,175 18–9–1 37 29 December 13 Los Angeles Kings 0–3 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 19–9–1 39 30 December 14 Boston Bruins 5–2 Ottawa Senators Tim Thomas 18,088 20–9–1 41 31 December 17 Boston Bruins 6–0 Philadelphia Flyers Tim Thomas 19,948 21–9–1 43 32 December 19 Montreal Canadiens 2–3 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 22–9–1 45 33 December 23 Florida Panthers 0–8 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 23–9–1 47 34 December 28 Boston Bruins 2–1 Phoenix Coyotes OT Tuukka Rask 17,459 24–9–1 49 35 December 31 Boston Bruins 2–4 Dallas Stars Tim Thomas 18,532 24–10–1 49 January: 8–4–1 (home: 4–1–1; road: 4–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 36 January 4 Boston Bruins 6–1 New Jersey Devils Tim Thomas 15,832 25–10–1 51 37 January 5 Calgary Flames 0–9 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 26–10–1 53 38 January 7 Vancouver Canucks 4–3 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 26–11–1 53 39 January 10 Winnipeg Jets 3–5 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 27–11–1 55 40 January 12 Montreal Canadiens 1–2 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 28–11–1 57 41 January 14 Boston Bruins 2–4 Carolina Hurricanes Tim Thomas 18,680 28–12–1 57 42 January 16 Boston Bruins 3–2 Florida Panthers SO Tuukka Rask 19,018 29–12–1 59 43 January 17 Boston Bruins 3–5 Tampa Bay Lightning Tim Thomas 19,204 29–13–1 59 44 January 19 Boston Bruins 4–1 New Jersey Devils Tim Thomas 14,941 30–13–1 61 45 January 21 New York Rangers 3–2 Boston Bruins OT Tuukka Rask 17,565 30–13–2 62 46 January 22 Boston Bruins 6–5 Philadelphia Flyers SO Tim Thomas 19,851 31–13–2 64 47 January 24 Boston Bruins 3–5 Washington Capitals Tuukka Rask 18,506 31–14–2 64 48 January 31 Ottawa Senators 3–4 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 32–14–2 66 February: 5–7–1 (home: 1–4–0; road: 4–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 49 February 2 Carolina Hurricanes 3–0 Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask 17,565 32–15–2 66 50 February 4 Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 32–16–2 66 51 February 5 Boston Bruins 4–1 Washington Capitals Tim Thomas 18,506 33–16–2 68 52 February 8 Boston Bruins 0–6 Buffalo Sabres Tuukka Rask 18,690 33–17–2 68 53 February 11 Nashville Predators 3–4 Boston Bruins SO Tim Thomas 17,565 34–17–2 70 54 February 14 New York Rangers 3–0 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 34–18–2 70 55 February 15 Boston Bruins 4–3 Montreal Canadiens SO Tim Thomas 21,273 35–18–2 72 56 February 17 Boston Bruins 2–4 Winnipeg Jets Tuukka Rask 15,004 35–19–2 72 57 February 19 Boston Bruins 0–2 Minnesota Wild Tim Thomas 19,198 35–20–2 72 58 February 22 Boston Bruins 4–2 St. Louis Blues Tim Thomas 18,460 36–20–2 74 59 February 24 Boston Bruins 1–2 Buffalo Sabres SO Tuukka Rask 18,690 36–20–3 75 60 February 25 Boston Bruins 5–3 Ottawa Senators Tim Thomas 19,444 37–20–3 77 61 February 28 Ottawa Senators 1–0 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 37–21–3 77 March: 9–8–1 (home: 5–3–1; road: 4–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 62 March 1 New Jersey Devils 3–4 Boston Bruins OT Tim Thomas 17,565 38–21–3 79 63 March 3 New York Islanders 3–2 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 38–22–3 79 64 March 4 Boston Bruins 3–4 New York Rangers Tim Thomas 18,200 38–23–3 79 65 March 6 Boston Bruins 5–4 Toronto Maple Leafs Tim Thomas 19,684 39–23–3 81 66 March 8 Buffalo Sabres 1–3 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 40–23–3 83 67 March 10 Washington Capitals 4–3 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 40–24–3 83 68 March 11 Boston Bruins 2–5 Pittsburgh Penguins Tim Thomas 18,609 40–25–3 83 69 March 13 Boston Bruins 1–6 Tampa Bay Lightning Marty Turco 19,204 40–26–3 83 70 March 15 Boston Bruins 2–6 Florida Panthers Tim Thomas 19,004 40–27–3 83 71 March 17 Philadelphia Flyers 2–3 Boston Bruins SO Tim Thomas 17,565 41–27–3 85 72 March 19 Toronto Maple Leafs 0–8 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 42–27–3 87 73 March 22 Boston Bruins 1–2 San Jose Sharks Tim Thomas 17,562 42–28–3 87 74 March 24 Boston Bruins 4–2 Los Angeles Kings Tim Thomas 18,310 43–28–3 89 75 March 25 Boston Bruins 3–2 Anaheim Ducks Marty Turco 17,395 44–28–3 91 76 March 27 Tampa Bay Lightning 2–5 Boston Bruins Tim Thomas 17,565 45–28–3 93 77 March 29 Washington Capitals 3–2 Boston Bruins SO Tim Thomas 17,565 45–28–4 94 78 March 31 Boston Bruins 6–3 New York Islanders Marty Turco 16,250 46–28–4 96 April: 3–1–0 (home: 1–1–0; road: 2–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 79 April 1 Boston Bruins 2–1 New York Rangers Tim Thomas 18,200 47–28–4 98 80 April 3 Pittsburgh Penguins 5–3 Boston Bruins Marty Turco 17,565 47–29–4 98 81 April 5 Boston Bruins 3–1 Ottawa Senators Anton Khudobin 20,500 48–29–4 100 82 April 7 Buffalo Sabres 3–4 Boston Bruins SO Tim Thomas 17,565 49–29–4 102 Legend:

Playoffs

2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Quarter-finals vs E7 Washington Capitals: 3–4 (Home: 1–3; Road: 2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Boston goals Washington goals Decision Attendance Series Recap1April 12 Washington Capitals 0–1 Boston Bruins 1:18 Kelly Thomas 17,565 1–0 2April 14 Washington Capitals 2–1 Boston Bruins 22:56 Pouliot Brouwer, Backstrom Thomas 17,565 1–1 3April 16 Boston Bruins 4–3 Washington Capitals Peverley, Paille, Rolston, Chara Semin, Ovechkin, Laich Thomas 18,506 2–1 4April 19 Boston Bruins 1–2 Washington Capitals Peverley Johansson, Semin Thomas 18,506 2–2 5April 21 Washington Capitals 4–3 Boston Bruins Seidenberg, Marchand, Boychuk Semin, Beagle, Knuble, Brouwer Thomas 17,565 2–3 6April 22 Boston Bruins 4–3 Washington Capitals 3:17 Peverley, Krejci, Ference, Seguin Green, Chimera, Ovechkin Thomas 18,506 3–3 7April 25 Washington Capitals 2–1 Boston Bruins 2:57 Seguin Hendricks, Ward Thomas 17,565 3–4 Scorer of game-winning goal in italics

Player statistics

Skaters Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus–minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Regular season Player GP G A Pts +/- PIM 81 29 38 67 34 30 81 22 42 64 36 20 79 23 39 62 −5 36 81 26 35 61 7 135 76 28 27 55 31 87 79 12 40 52 33 86 57 11 31 42 20 22 82 20 19 39 33 41 46 17 15 32 0 54 74 16 16 32 18 38 75 4 21 25 10 13 72 6 18 24 9 46 80 5 18 23 15 39 78 8 8 16 –3 80 † 21 3 12 15 7 8 77 5 10 15 27 53 69 9 6 15 −5 15 48 7 8 15 0 14 81 5 8 13 −7 154 72 2 8 10 16 99 † 17 1 1 2 4 4 16 0 2 2 3 4 ‡ 10 0 2 2 6 4 3 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 (G) 58 0 1 1 — 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 † 6 0 0 0 –1 0 3 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 −2 0 5 0 0 0 −2 5 (G) 23 0 0 0 — 2 (G) 4 0 0 0 — 2 Team Totals — 251 412 663 +60 1071 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Bruins. Stats reflect time with the Bruins only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Bruins only. (G)Denotes goaltender.