Schedule and 2003 Results
Regular Season Records: New Jersey 46-20-10-6=108pts, Boston 36-31-11-4=87pts
Game 1 on Wednesday, 9 Apr: Boston loses at New Jersey, 2-goals-1
Game 2 on Friday, 11 Apr: Boston loses at New Jersey, 4-goals-2
Game 3 on Sunday, 13 Apr: New Jersey wins at Boston, 3-goals-nil
Game 4 on Tuesday, 15 Apr: New Jersey loses at Boston, 5-goals-1
Game 5 on Thursday, 17 Apr: Boston loses at New Jersey, 3-goals-nil

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 5: Series 874 returned to New Jersey for Game 5, and the New Jersey Devils on home ice shut out the Boston Bruins 3-goals-nil to win series 874 by a 4-games-1 tally. The win-order for this series was WWWLW; MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 874 is the eleventh best-of-7 NHL Preliminary-round series to show this win-order, the 35th best-of-7 NHL playoff series (all rounds) to do so, and the 61st best-of-7 playoff series (MLB, NBA, and NHL; all rounds) to do so.

After Game 4: Avoiding a sweep, the Boston Bruins on home ice defeated the New Jersey Devils 5-goals-1, thus cutting the Devils' lead in series 874 to 3-games-1. In best-of-7 NHL Preliminary round playoff series since 1987, teams beginning the series WWWL @ HHVV (as New Jersey has) have a 9-2 record in Game 5; the last team to lose a Game 5 in this situation was the New Jersey Devils (in series 823, in which the Devils lost Game 5 to the Carolina Hurricanes, but then won Game 6 and the series). When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the New Jersey Devils have a series record of 6-0; when trailing 3-games-1, the Boston Bruins are 0-19. The four-goal margin of victory by the Boston Bruins in Game 4 is the largest margin of victory in a Game 4 by an NHL team trailing a best-of-7 playoff series 3-games-nil since the 1996 NHL Preliminary round, in which the Boston Bruins (in series 701) defeated the Florida Panthers 6-goals-2 -- Boston then lost Game 5 and series 701, 4-games-1.

After Game 3: With its 3-goals-nil shutout victory in Boston, the New Jersey Devils have taken a 3-games-nil series lead over the Boston Bruins in best-of-7 series 874. The Boston Bruins will now try to become the first MLB, NBA, or NHL team to surmount a 3-games-nil deficit to win a best-of-7 playoff series since the NHL New York Islanders accomplished the feat in 1975. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-nil, the New Jersey Devils own a series record of 4-0; when trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-nil, the Boston Bruins have a series record of 0-14.

After Game 2: The New Jersey Devils once again doubled up the Boston Bruins, winning Game 2 by a 4-goals-2 score on home ice to take a 2-games-nil series lead. In best-of-7 NHL playoff history (from 1939 through 2002, inclusive), when teams won Game 1 by one goal at home and won Game 2 by two goals at home (as the Devils have), their series record was 17-3. Dual perfection: When leading a best-of-7 playoff series 2-games-nil, the New Jersey Devils have a 6-0 series record; when trailing 2-games-nil, the Boston Bruins have a 0-24 series record.

After Game 1: The New Jersey Devils won Game 1 of MLB/NHL/NBA best-of-7 series 874 over the Boston Bruins, 2-goals-1. In the entire history of NHL best-of-7 format playoff series (1939-2002), when a team wins Game 1 by a 2-goals-1 score, its series record has been 36-16 (.692). When leading a best-of-7 playoff series 1-game-nil, the New Jersey Devils have a franchise series record of 9-4; when trailing a best-of-7 playoff series 1-game-nil, the Boston Bruins have a franchise series record of 9-30.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2002-03 regular season, New Jersey finished 21 points ahead of Boston. From 1939 through 2002, when an NHL team led its best-of-7 playoff series opponent by 21 regular-season points, it has gone on to post a 6-3 (.667) best-of-7 series record in that series against that opponent. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 874 is the 28th best-of-7 playoff series for New Jersey and the 79th for Boston. In best-of-7 playoff series, New Jersey has a 16-11 series record, a 6-7 Prelim-round series record, and a 13-14 Game 1 record, while Boston has a 38-40 record, a 7-6 Prelim-round record, and a 39-39 Game 1 record. Series 874 is the fourth best-of-7 meeting between Boston and New Jersey; New Jersey leads 2-1.