This is what it felt like for the Bruins against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the same round last spring.

They were coming off a 4-1 rout of the Hurricanes in Game 1 and they had just blown away the Canadiens in four straight the round before.

Then Game 2 happened and the whole perspective of the series changed.

Fast forward to tonight and a 3-0 Flyers lead after two periods. The Bruins had just lost a heart-breaker in overtime in Philly but still had a commanding 3-1 series lead, needing just to win Game 5 on home ice to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1992.

But the Flyers came to play and fight for their lives, even when Brian Boucher went down in the opening five minutes of the second with what appeared to be a nasty lower body injury. Boucher made a save and then immediately grabbed his midsection. He could barely make it to his skates before being helped off by Chris Pronger.

Enter Michael Leighton, the same Michael Leighton who started at Fenway Park on Jan. 1 and the same Michael Leighton who hadn’t even been active in a game since suffering a high ankle sprain on March 16 in Nashville.

He was tested on a Bruins power play and then the Flyers rewarded him when Scott Hartnell finally got credit for a goal. Then the Bruins started taking undisciplined penalties and Simon Gagne finally made them pay with a power play goal on Philadelphia’s fifth chance of the night.

The Flyers will begin the third period with another power play as Andrew Ference was whistled for a cross-checking penalty.

The Flyers apparently brought their rabbit foots, horseshoes and other assorted good luck charms for Game 5 as they lead the Bruins, 1-0, after 20 minutes.

Villie Leino gave the Flyers the lead at 6:41 of the first period when Chris Pronger took a shot from the mid-slot that Tuukka Rask could not contain. The rebound came out to the left of Rask and Scott Hartnell was originally credited with the goal when it appeared he poked in the rebound for his first goal of the playoffs and first in 22 games. But a replay showed it was Leino and he was given his second of the playoffs.

The Flyers then had a golden opportunity to add to it when Vladimir Sobotka took a high sticking penalty on Hartnell. But the Bruins killed off 2 minutes, 37 seconds of it when the Flyers took a sloppy penalty on a line change for too many men on the ice.

Toward the end of the Bruins power play, Marc Savard had the puck on his stick and appeared to score, only to have the puck slip behind Boucher and through the crease.

Earlier in the first, Blake Wheeler was all alone in front of Boucher for a point-blank chance, only to have the puck roll off his stick before he could fire a shot. Then there was the shot from the right point that Milan Lucic and Miroslav Satan both appeared to get a piece of. The spotlight came on in front of Boucher, signaling a goal celebration.

One minor problem. The puck bounced straight up in the air and Boucher gloved it.

The Flyers outshot the Bruins, 10-8, in the first period and will start the second period with 33 seconds of power play time after Satan was called for a tripping late in the period.

PHILADELPHIA — For the first time in the series, neither team found the back of the net in a period and, as a result, the Bruins stand just 20 minutes from a nearly insurmountable 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Flyers.

The Flyers ended the period with a power play but as has been the case nearly all season long, the Bruins penalty was more than up to the task.

The only Boston concern remains the injury bug. Neither David Krejci nor defenseman Adam McQuaid will return to the game due to undisclosed injuries, the team’s media relations staff announced late in the second. Both players appeared in just two shifts of the first period before leaving the game.

The Flyers are outshooting the Bruins, 27-17, after 40 minutes.

PHILADELPHIA — The Bruins grabbed a 2-1 lead after the first period and became the first visiting team to lead in the series so far. But it came at a cost as David Krejci and Adam McQuaid were sent to the dressing room with undisclosed injuries.

The first 20 minutes of the series in Philadelphia in the series featured the first lead by the Flyers.

Rookie defenseman Adam McQuaid, who might be playing his last game if Mark Stuart returns Friday for Game 4, turned the puck over at the offensive blue line. The bobble led to a 2-on-1 rush by Flyers Claude Giroux and Aaron Asham.

Andrew Ference tried in vain to get back in time but couldn’t as Giroux found Asham across the low slot. Asham beat Tuukka Rask just 2:32 into the game.

But the Bruins wasted little time gathering themselves and mounting a comeback as less than two minutes later Blake Wheeler scored on a re-direct in front of Brian Boucher at 4:11, his first career playoff goal in 17 games.

Mike Richards, who reportedly threatened to take out Savard during Game 2, took out Krejci instead in the neutral zone. But just before the hit, Krejci found Milan Lucic at the right point. Lucic found a streaking Miroslav Satan down the slot. Satan skated in alone on Boucher and beat the Flyers goalies with a nice backhanded deke at 5:45 for a 2-1 Bruins lead, the first by a visiting team in the series.

Krejci did not return for the remainder of the period.

The Flyers outshot the Bruins, 12-8 in the opening period.

PHILADELPHIA — Claude Julien said at the onset of the series that everyone should not automatically turn the clocks back to 1975 when looking at this Eastern Conference semifinal series between his Bruins and the Flyers.

Well, Julien may want to revise that a bit, or at least caution his team of the possibility heading into Game 3 tonight. The ‘Broad Street Bullies’ of the 1970s were known to attempt to intimidate for an edge. They played in the old Spectrum, which still stands to the north, across the parking lot from the Wachovia Center.

Julien’s team heads into a hostile building against a team that is cornered and still believes they can win the series, even though the Bruins hold a somewhat commanding 2-0 series lead.

Add to that Marc Savard doesn’t have the TD Garden crowd tonight waving yellow hankies but rather 20,000 rabid Flyer fans wanting blood for his alleged chomp on Dan Carcillo’s right hand in the second period of Game 2.

The Bruins have a chance to put the Philadelphia Flyers in a 3-0 hole tonight in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series. But to do so, Boston must get the job done on the road, a task they were unable to finish the last time they had the chance in Buffalo

Julien put the team through an optional skate Wednesday morning at the Wachovia Center before addressing the media and the importance of understanding what’s at stake in Game 3.

“I think both teams have their approach,” Julien added. “Obviously, the Flyers want to get back in the series and there’s no doubt they’re going to be ready. We don’t want to let them back in the series so we need to be ready. It’s not a very complicated thing. I think it’s a matter of understanding the urgency of both sides and be ready to counter what the other team is going to throw at you.”

Savard did not take part in the optional pregame skate, choosing to get his rest for tonight. He is more than prepared to hear some not-so-nice things from the fans tonight.

“It’s part of the game and whatever comes, it just makes you play better,” Savard said Wednesday morning.

Savard is not alone in wanting to be disciplined tonight as the Flyers figure to at least attempt to draw the Bruins into some penalties the way they did in the second period Monday.

“I wouldn’t say distracting,” Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman said. “We’ve played in loud buildings before and this is one of the louder ones. And it’s a little tougher when they’re not cheering for you but we have to find a way.”

Marc Savard is caught between Flyers Kimmo Timonen (left) and Dan Carcillo in the second period of Monday night's game. (AP)

There are moments that define every series.

On Monday night, the bad boy of the Philadelphia Flyers claimed he was bitten in a scrum after a second period whistle. The Bruins said Dan Carcillo was just looking for attention by trying to pull the teeth out of the mouth of Marc Savard.

After Milan Lucic scored with just 2:57 left in regulation, it was the Bruins who had taken a bite out of the heart of the Flyers with a 3-2 win, taking a 2-0 series lead to Philadelphia for Game 3 Wednesday night.

But afterward, the hottest topic was that moment when Carcillo and Savard became entangled in a scrum with 14:05 left in the second period.

Carcillo was asked point blank if he was bitten on the finger, as was first reported on TV by TSN in Canada during the game.

“I did get [teethmarks],” said Carcillo, who said he was not bleeding after. “Last time I’ve been bit was in grade school. It’s not a good feeling.”

“It’s pretty cowardly.” said Carcillo, who laughed at Savard’s claim he was trying to pull Savard’s teeth out. “Yeah, that’s what I do when I get in a scrum. I try to pull people’s teeth out. Whatever, man, he bit me.”

Was Carcillo surprised that he was allegedly bitten?

“Yeah,” Carcillo said. “Guys don’t bite. Men don’t bite.”

But even Carcillo’s own teammate, Mike Richards, found the accusation a little hard to believe.

“I don’t know,” Richards said thinking out loud. “Maybe he bit himself. I have no idea what happened there.”

Carcillo was the focal point of what was a very physical second period. Earlier in the game, with 6:50 left in the opening period, Carcillo ran at Steve Begin with a high hit near the head in the neutral zone. Begin retaliated with a cross check, and the Flyers were awarded a power play.

Meet Boston’s newest public enemy No. 1: Dan Carcillo. He figures to be a central figure in the third as the Bruins and Flyers are tied, 2-2, after 40 minutes.

After four-plus periods of wide-open play and scoring chances, the second period of Game 2 finally felt like the Flyers-Bruins of the 1970s.

There were hard hits, late hits and retaliatory penalty calls.

And there was the first true run at Marc Savard after a whistle.

Six minutes into the period, with the game tied, 1-1, Dennis Wideman fired a shot to the right of Brian Boucher, where Savard was standing. Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen and Carcillo went after Savard to protect Boucher.

Savard, frustrated, took a whack at Boucher after the whistle and was called for a slash.

Earlier, it was Carcillo who went up high on Steve Begin at center ice near the boards. Begin retaliated and was called for a cross-check. In both cases, the crowd fired up the Bruins penalty kill. After 40 minutes, the Bruins are a perfect 4-for-4 on the PK.

The Bruins exacted the best revenge when Miroslav Satan fired a shot five-hole on Boucher at 9:31 for a 2-1 Bruins lead. Dennis Wideman assisted on the goal and has a four-game playoff point streak while Satan has scored in five straight games for the Bruins, starting with Game 4 against Buffalo.

But these Fighting Flyers tied the game with just 24.8 seconds remaining when Daniel Briere came out of the penalty box and flew down the right wing, beating Rask with a laser wrister to the far side.