Bruins forward Shawn Thornton checked in with Dennis & Callahan on Monday morning to talk about the B’s-Rangers series.

The Bruins took a 2-0 series lead with Sunday’s 5-2 victory, as Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers continued to play below par.

“I think they had their chances, to tell you the truth,” Thornton said. “I think the second period, it could have went either way. We were fortunate to get out of that with the lead. It could have been a different game if Tuukka [Rask] didn’t stand on his head for us in the second period.”

The big story of this series has been the play of the Bruins’ young defensemen, Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski and Dougie Hamilton, who have sparked the Bruins with their fresh legs.

“Those defensemen are playing unbelievable,” Thornton said. “Torey Krug, obviously — not just the goal and the assist, those are great plays — but there were some plays he made that probably went unnoticed during the game that made our lives as forwards a heck of a lot easier. Some of the vision he has and some of the plays he made look easy, but they weren’t really easy plays, especially in the neutral zone.”

Thornton said he hasn’t thought much about what will happen when injured defensemen Dennis Seidenberg, Andrew Ference and Wade Redden are ready to return.

“I don’t know what the timeline is for those guys, but I’m sure Claude [Julien] will have some decisions to make once everyone’s healthy,” Thornton said. “Not easy decisions, I’m sure, but good decisions. It’s nice when you have that many options. It’s better than the opposite, when you’re like, ‘Oh, my God, we can’t find anyone to put in the lineup.’ ”

As for the possibility of hard feelings if a veteran sits in favor of a rookie, Thornton insisted it won’t be issue.

“Not in our locker room,” he said. “I’ve been that veteran guy squeezed out of the lineup for the playoffs. It’s all about winning this time of year. There’s no time for any personal feelings or agendas. It’s all about the team. We have a good bunch of guys in that room, and everyone’s aware of it.”

Rangers coach John Tortorella continues to raise some eyebrows with biting comments about his own players. Thornton said he doesn’t have an issue with that style of coaching.

“I don’t know enough about him,” Thornton said. “I don’t know anyone on the Rangers, really, or in Tampa when he was there. I think he’s pretty funny. Some of his comments, I like. He demands the most out of his players. I think if you show up to work every day, he wouldn’t have a problem with you. So, I think I’d be all right under him, I’m assuming.”

Rangers forward Derek Dorsett fought Gregory Campbell in the third period Sunday, with the Bruins holding a three-goal lead.

Said Thornton: “[Dorsett's] a tough guy. He’s a competitor. And so is Soupy. Soupy’s always game to go. I’m very fortunate to play with that guy. He’s helped me out on many occasions in those instances. He had a great game last night, obviously, he got the camo jacket because of it.”

Added Thornton: “[Campbell] could have said no. That’s his call. But he felt like standing up to that guy at the moment was the right thing to do. Obviously, I’ll never criticize anyone for getting their gloves off. I appreciate that role probably more than anyone.”

To hear the interview, go to the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page. For more Bruins news, visit the team page at weei.com/bruins.

Every year, a player comes out of no where to become a big factor in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That man for the Bruins this year so far is 5-foot-9 Torey Krug.

He did it again on Sunday. He scored the game’s first goal in the first period, beating Henrik Lundqvist. He did it again on the second goal, pinching in from his perch on the left point and firing a shot on goal that led to a rebound that was put away by Gregory Campbell.

Krug has been instant offense at the blue line for the Bruins. For a 22-year-old rookie in his second NHL playoff game, Krug looks like a trusty veteran.

“Yeah, well I’ve said it time and time again, I come into this locker room, very comfortable, calm,” Krug said after Sunday’s 5-2 rout of the Rangers in Game 2. “I get to watch some of the best professionals in the world prepare for games like this, as if it’s any other game. So, I have a lot of guys to lean on and they all give me confidence back. So, it’s unbelievable.”

What is so very striking about Krug is his confidence with the puck. Much like Dougie Hamilton displayed early in the season, Krug looks like he wants the puck at every chance, either rushing up the ice or setting up on the power play. Why is that?

“Well I’m a player. I’m 5’9’’, I’m not very big, I have to play with the puck to be an impact player,” he answered. “So, for me you’ve got to be confident with the puck. If I’m not making plays, I’m not going to be effective and guys are going to go out there and they’re just going to find a 6’2 guy that can do the same thing without the puck. So, you just got to be confident and play with the puck.

On his goal, he managed to use his skates to control the puck, setting up the shot on his stick.

“That’s a skill that sometimes you work on it after practice,” he said. “You don’t have to work on it too much. It’s just a couple extra reps here or there at the end, picking up pucks with your feet. So, it’s just something that I try to do, and I was lucky enough that it bounced my way.”

And his set-up of Campbell’s goal?

“It’s the same thing,” he said. “All that comes with confidence and being calm. If you’re freaking out, out there because the pucks not exactly where it is, you’re going to get yourself in trouble.”

Krug has two goals and an assist so far in two career playoff games. He has just made a routine decision not-so for the Bruins coaching staff when Dennis Seidenberg or Wade Redden are cleared to return this series. Which of the three rookie defensemen sit? Krug, Hamilton or Matt Bartkowski?

Whatever the Bruins decide, Krug promised after Game 2 that he’s going to keep playing the way he is, and not worry about the big stage. The coaching staff, led by head coach Claude Julien, has told him to not think about making mistakes, just play.

“I said, ‘don’t be afraid to make mistakes.’ I don’t want him playing on his heels. In other words, I told him, ‘don’t be afraid to make mistakes and play your game.’ So that was basically what I told him when he first got here,” Julien said. “I said, ‘You know, I know how good you are, I know what you can bring to this team, just go out there and do it.’ I think it’s important, but the last thing you want to do is get those guys to play on their heels or play afraid to make a mistake.

“Confidence goes a long way in this game. When coaches are able to give players confidence, it shows because it makes a big difference. Instead of a guy making a mistake and looking at the bench every time, seeing if the coach is mad at him or will take away some ice time. You’ve got to let him play, and those guys right now, I give them full credit for taking that advice and showing that they’re very capable of playing in the playoffs and on our hockey club.”

Shawn joined the show to discuss the teams great performance in game two against the Rangers. Shawn said that he wouldn't mind playing for John Tortorella because he seems like a funny guy.

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