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BOSTON -- Even with team captain Zdeno Chara already in Russia and four more players headed that way, the Boston Bruins didnt appear to have even the slightest pre-Olympic distraction. The Bruins closed out their surge to the Olympic break with a 7-2 rout of the Ottawa Senators on Saturday as seven Boston players finished with multiple points. "Thats something we talked about before the game. We wanted to end this on a good note and feeling good about ourselves heading into the break and I think weve done that," said Patrice Bergeron, who had two goals and an assist. The Bruins won for the ninth time in 11 games with one loss coming in overtime and enter the break with a large lead in the Atlantic Division and second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Bostons spot in the standings was secure regardless of Saturdays result. Instead of coasting into the break, the Bruins closed with their first seven-goal game of the season. "Our transition was great and thats why we had so many odd-man rushes," said Bergeron, whose only upcoming break is a long flight to Russia to join defending Olympic gold medallist Canada. "Im Really excited and now I can look forward to it a lot more." Fellow Olympians David Krejci of the Czech Republic and Swedens Loui Eriksson added a pair of assists apiece in their final game before Olympic play begins. "I liked the way we handled that," Boston coach Claude Juliene said. "Its not like the games we lost we werent very good. Throughout that stretch I thought the consistency we were looking for was there and more." Juliene is also Olympics-bound as a member of the Team Canada coaching staff. Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask of Finland got the day off and Chara left Boston early to carry Slovakias flag in the opening ceremony. Brad Marchand had a goal and two assists, Jarome Iginla a goal and assist and Reilly Smith a pair of assists for Boston. The Bruins outshot the Senators 42-28 and chased Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson after Boston took a 5-1 lead early in the third on a goal by Milan Lucic. "This is one of those nights where we just have to let it go, forget about it and move forward," Anderson said. "We have that no-quit mentality and I think its shown over the last month or so. We have put ourselves in a pretty good situation to be in the hunt and to be in the battle for a playoff spot." Bobby Ryan scored in the second period and Patrick Wiercioch added a goal in the third for Ottawa. Boston backup goalie Chad Johnson made 26 saves while getting the start for Tuukka Rask. The Bruins led 2-0 after the first on goals by Bergeron and Chris Kelly, then pulled away with two more in the second. Bergeron scored his second of the game with a series of moves that left the Senators standing still as he made his way to the net and tucked a backhand inside the post. Defenceman Erik Karlsson was bracing to block a shot that never came and was caught standing upright as Bergeron skated around him, then caught Anderson with another fake that sent the Ottawa goalie toward the far side of the net. Bergeron neatly slipped the puck to the back of his stick and poked it in as he went behind the net. Ryan pulled Ottawa within 3-1 on a goal with 2:45 left in the second, catching Johnson offguard with a wrist shot when the goalie was expecting a crossing pass. But Boston scored again just 1:03 later when Krejci slid a pass across the crease to Iginla for a one-timer, then Krejci and Iginla assisted when Boston made it 5-1 3:35 into the third on a goal by Lucic. Notes: Anderson allowed five goals on 33 shots. ... Boston D David Warsofsky picked up his first NHL assist on Kellys goal with 3:34 left in the first period. 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A top pitching prospect, one who the ball club is pinning some of its future hopes, takes the spot of a veteran who once was viewed as a future ace but who, to this point, hasnt realized his potential and may never. HOUSTON -- Collin McHugh has earned his spot in the Astros rotation. McHugh allowed two hits over 8 2-3 stellar innings as the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Sunday. McHugh (2-0), who was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 22 to make a start after Scott Feldman had been placed on the disabled list, followed up his first outing where he struck out 12 and allowed three hits in 6 2-3 innings at Seattle on Tuesday with another dominant performance. "When we sent him out there in the ninth it was with the complete hope that he was going to be able to finish what he started," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "That was tremendous. Attacking the strike zone with all three of his pitches and to pitch that well against a really good hitting Oakland As lineup speaks volumes to Collin and the way he and (Carlos) Corporan worked today." McHugh struck out seven and walked three, allowing one run in the longest outing of his career. His previous longest outing had been seven innings on Aug. 23, 2012, against Colorado when he was a member of the New York Mets. "I actually wasnt even thinking about the hits," McHugh said. "I was more mad about the walks. I walked a couple guys early, and with this team, you cant really give them free base runners because anyone in that lineup can do damage to you. As I kind of got momentum, I started to roll with it, and it got easier to make pitches and kind of feel the flow and go with it." After the first, McHugh retired 23 of the next 24 batters, including 19 straight before Brandon Moss was hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth. Moss stole second and came around to score on Alberto Callaspos single -- McHughs first run allowed in 15 1-3 innings this season. Porter said McHugh has "earned his keep". "I dont think he put us in a tough spot; I think he put himself in a really good spot," Porter said. "Performance pretty much speaks for itself. This guy has earned the right to get the ball the next turn." McHugh said he hadnt had a lot of consistent starts in his career, so to know he would get the ball again in five days felt nice. He became the first pitcher in Astros history go 6 2-3 innings or more while allowing one run or less with seven or more strikeouts in each of his first two starts as an Astro.dddddddddddd Raul Valdes got the final out to complete the two hitter. Jed Lowrie, who singled in the first inning, drew a walk in the third for McHughs lone base runner until the ninth. "He had a great cutter early on and was a little bit harder with his stuff early on," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of McHugh. "Then coming back later in the game he mixed in his curveball better and his change-up. He really did keep us off balance." The right-hander, who Houston claimed off waivers from Colorado during the off-season, got out of trouble in the first after loading the bases with two outs with a walk to Callaspo by getting Josh Reddick to pop out to end the inning. Jose Altuve had two hits, including a two-run home run in the seventh, and Jonathan Villar also had two hits, including a two-run triple. Tommy Milone (0-2) allowed four runs on five hits with two strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings. The left-hander was just effective for most of the day, retiring 12 out of 13, including nine in a row, but he ran into trouble in the seventh. Villar extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-out, two-run triple to the left centerfield gap in the seventh, scoring Matt Dominguez and Carlos Corporan and ending Milones day. Altuve greeted Dan Otero with a two-run home run to the Crawford Boxes in left to up the lead to 5-0. Dexter Fowler gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the third with a groundout scoring Villar, who had doubled with one out and reached third on an Altuve single. NOTES: Oakland outfielder Yoenis Cespedes was out of the lineup for the third straight game with a strained left hamstring. Cespedes left in the seventh inning of Oaklands 10-1 win over Houston on Thursday after legging out an infield single. ... Feldman, who has been on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 18 with right bicep tendinitis, threw Saturday and was fine and was on track to make his next scheduled start, manager Bo Porter said, adding that could be either May 3 or May 4. Feldman is eligible to come off the DL May 3. ' ' '