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Final Score: Boston 4 - Atlanta 0

Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Tuukka Rask made 27 saves to post his fourth shutout of the season, as Boston retained its hold on the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 4-0 victory over the closest pursuer, the Atlanta Thrashers.

The win enabled the Bruins to move three points ahead of the ninth-place Thrashers (75). Atlanta is hoping to earn the second playoff berth in franchise history and first since 2007.

Rask's biggest stop came with about three minutes to go in the second period when he turned away Colby Armstrong on a penalty shot to preserve a 2-0 Boston lead.

David Krejci and Milan Lucic each registered a goal and an assist for the Bruins, who swept the four-game season series and have won 10 straight overall against Atlanta.

"It was a big win," Rask said. "They got some chances at the beginning. We settled things down and got the (Krejci) goal and didn't look back."

Johan Hedberg surrendered four goals on 33 shots for the Thrashers, who were denied a season-high fifth straight win.

"We looked very nervous with the puck. We looked young out there," said Atlanta head coach John Anderson.

Boston got on the board at the 9:25 mark of the first period. Michael Ryder slipped the puck across the crease to Krejci, who beat Atlanta defenseman Zach Bogosian to the far post, and stuffed home the pass.

The Bruins grabbed a 2-0 lead when Lucic snapped a shot through Thrashers blueliner Pavel Kubina's legs that beat Hedberg to the glove hand at 7:59 of the second period.

Following a faceoff win by Patrice Bergeron, Miroslav Satan staked claim in front of the Atlanta net and redirected a slap shot from the point by Zdeno Chara with 3.5 seconds left in the middle stanza to give Boston a three-goal advantage.

Boston led by four when Steve Begin jumped on a loose puck 1:46 into the third period.