Friday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

Game on! Finally. I think it's gonna be a tough year this year. Loosing a key player at all three positions. DaFoe was not offered a contract and is still looking for work. John Grahame, last year's backup, and Steve Shields are battling for the #1 spot. Kyle McLaren is being a big friggin wimp and holding out. He feels that by going somewhere else, he can start fresh. What is that? Why doesn't he just admit that he feels like the organization is not into winning it all, just being in the black - financially - and that he wants a legitimate chance to win...Wait, maybe that's me that feels that way. Sorry. Finally, we all know that Bill Guerin left town for Dallas. It will be tough loosing his 40+ goals. They say he was a big man in the locker room - I don't know. Never been in the B's room to know what he says or does. I will admit, I agree on the B's not paying a 60 point per year guy $9 million per year. Had the argument all summer long...Not using names I would ask if you would pay a guy 9 million for a guy who scores 25 goals and gets you 40 assists...The usual answer was no way or something like that...But to pay Guerin for 41G/25A was OK to most people. I don't get it. Glen Murray has NEVER had back to back productive seasons...He was pretty good last year. Joe Thornton named 17th team captain. The only good thing is that the Eastern Conference is fairly open. The Senators should be very good, the Devils with new HC Pat Burns should be solid. Philly is always there in the regular season...only to crumble like the B's in the playoffs. The Canadiens should be solid all year. I think they finish behind the Sens & Habs and hopefully they can make the playoffs.

 

[the mugs]

BOSTON BRUINS at
MINNESOTA WILD
Friday, October 11, 2002
Xcel Energy Center; St. Paul, Minnesota
8:30 pm (ET) - Gametime

Tonight's Game
The Bruins visit the Wild tonight in the first and only game between these clubs this season and the Bruins' lone visit of the season to the Xcel Energy Center. The Bruins and Wild are both playing their first game of the 2002-03 regular season tonight. The Bruins are 34-29-15-0 overall in season openers with a 6-17-5-0 record when those openers are on the road. The Bruins are 10-1-4-0 in their last 15 season-opening games. The Bruins are opening the season on the road for the first time since Oct. 5, 1993 (4-3 win at NY Rangers) and are opening the season on the road for just the second time since the 1975-76 season. The Wild have yet to win a season-opener at 0-1-1-0 and are opening the season at home for the first time in their three-year history.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins are winless in their three lifetime meetings vs. the Wild at 0-3-0-0 with Minnesota holding a 13-5 scoring advantage in those games. The Bruins lost their lone game played in Minnesota by a 2-1 score on Oct. 10, 2001.

Recent Bruins Games
The Bruins finished their 2002 pre-season schedule with a 2-5-1-1 record with wins over Washington (6-4 Sept. 20) and Pittsburgh (7-2 Oct. 1); losses to St. Louis (7-2 Sept. 19), Montreal (5-4 Sept. 23 and 4-2 Sept. 26), NY Islanders (4-3 Sept. 28) and NY Rangers (4-3/OT Sept. 29 and 4-3 Oct. 5); and a 0-0 tie with Florida on Oct. 2. The Bruins finished the 2001-02 regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference at 43-24-6-9 and 101 points. They fell to the Montreal Canadiens in their 2002 Eastern Conference Quarter-Final series, four games to two.

Recent Wild Games
The Wild finished their 2002 pre-season schedule unbeaten at 7-0-1-0 with a 1-1 tie vs. Anaheim on Sept. 20 and wins over Edmonton (1-0 Sept. 22 and 4-2 Oct. 3), Calgary (4-3 Sept. 23 and 4-0 Sept. 25), St. Louis (3-2 Sept. 28), Anaheim (4-1 Oct. 1) and Atlanta (3-2/OT Oct. 6). The Wild finished the 2001-02 regular season with a 26-35-12-9 record and 73 points. They did not qualify for post-season play.

Upcoming Bruins Games - All times local to that city
The Bruins tonight open a six-game road trip. They will continue the trip in Colorado on Oct. 14 (7:00 p.m.), in Vancouver on Oct. 16 (7:30 p.m.), in Calgary on Oct. 17 (7:00 p.m.), in Edmonton on Oct. 19 (8:00 p.m.) and in Toronto on Oct. 21 (7:30 p.m.). All games of this trip are broadcast on both NESN and WBZ Radio.

Upcoming Wild Games
The Wild will next face the Blues in St. Louis on Oct. 12. They will then return home for a four-game home stand, hosting Florida on Oct. 15, Dallas on Oct. 17, Detroit on Oct. 19 and Calgary on Oct. 22.

Bruins Injuries
None Reported.

Bruins Recent Transactions
Oct. 5: Jay Henderson and Tim Thomas assigned to Providence/AHL.
Oct. 7: Shaone Morrisonn assigned to Providence/AHL.
Oct. 8: Joe Thornton named 17th captain in team history.

THE PLAYERS:

10 -- Marty McInnis -- RW
Had 1-4=5 totals in eight pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 2-1=3 totals with 0 PIM in 7 games.

11 -- P. J. Axelsson -- LW
Is expected to play his 400th NHL/Bruins game tonight.
Had 1-1=2 totals in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 1-0=1 totals with 0 PIM in 3 games.

12 -- Brian Rolston -- C
Had 3-1=4 totals in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 0 PIM in 3 games.

14 -- Sergei Samsonov -- LW
Had 4-2=6 totals in six pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 2-2=4 totals with 0 PIM in 3 games.

16 -- Jozef Stumpel -- C
Had four assists in eight pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-3=3 totals with 2 PIM in 6 games.

17 -- Rob Zamuner -- LW
Had two goals in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 2 PIM in 2 games.

19 -- Joe Thornton -- C
Was named the 17th captain in team history on October 8, 2002.
Tied for the team pre-season lead in points with 2-5=7 totals in five games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-2=2 totals with 2 PIM in 3 games.

20 -- Martin Lapointe -- RW
Led the team in pre-season scoring with 3-4=7 totals in four games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 2-4=6 totals with 6 PIM in 6 games.

21 -- Sean O'Donnell -- D
Scoreless in six pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 2 PIM in 3 games...Served as the first captain in Wild history when playing for Minnesota in 2000-01.

22 -- Michal Grosek -- RW
Had 1-1=2 totals in five pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 4 PIM in 3 games.

23 -- Sean Brown -- D
Was scoreless in seven pre-season games.
Played forward in addition to defense during the pre-season.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 0 PIM in 6 games.

25 -- Hal Gill -- D
Was scoreless in five pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-1=1 totals with 0 PIM in 3 games.

26 -- Mike Knuble -- RW
Had 1-2=3 totals in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 0 PIM in 2 games.

27 -- Glen Murray -- RW
Tied for the team pre-season lead in points with 1-6=7 totals in five games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-5=5 totals with 0 PIM in 4 games.

31 -- Steve Shields -- G
Was 0-1-1 with a 2.73 goals against average in three pre-season games.
Did not earn a decision Sept. 21 vs. Washington, took the 5-4 loss Sept. 23 in Montreal and earned the 0-0 shutout tie Oct. 2 vs. Florida.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 1-1-0 with a 2.00 GAA in 2 games.

32 -- Don Sweeney -- D
Had one assist in six pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-1=1 totals with 4 PIM in 3 games.

34 -- Bryan Berard -- D
Led team defensemen in pre-season scoring with 1-4=5 totals in five exhibition games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 2 PIM in 2 games.

36 -- Ivan Huml -- LW
Is looking for his first NHL goal.
Led the team in goals during the pre-season with 5-0=5 totals in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: Has not yet faced.

42 -- P. J. Stock -- C
Had one assist in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 0 PIM in 4 games.

44 -- Nick Boynton -- D
Had four assists in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 4 PIM in 2 games.

46 -- Jonathan Girard -- D
Had 1-3=4 totals in seven pre-season games.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: Has not yet faced.

47 -- John Grahame -- G
Was 1-2-0 with a 3.16 goals against average in four games played.
Did not earn a decision Sept. 19 vs. St. Louis, took the 4-3 loss Sept. 28 vs. NY Islanders, earned the 7-2 win Oct. 1 in Pittsburgh and took the 4-3 loss Oct. 5 vs. NY Rangers.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-1-0 with a 5.17 GAA in 1 game.

64 -- Jarno Kultanen -- D
Scoreless in two pre-season games.
Missed the start of the pre-season rehabilitating from April knee surgery.
Lifetime vs. Minnesota: 0-0=0 totals with 2 PIM in 2 games

 

[the mugs]

Recent Trends
The Wild are 3-0 ATS & SU in the three meetings.

 

[cooz3]

GREAT STUFF MUGS .....WHO IS STARTING IN NET????....SEEMS THE LOGICAL CANDIDATE WOULD BE SHIELDS....COOZ

 

[the mugs]

Cooz...What's up my friend? Ftorek has been pretty tight lipped about his goaltending plans. (Maybe because he doesn't have any? LOL) Here's an article I grabbed...

Without Dafoe, Bruins will play goalie roulette

BOSTON (AP) Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek isn't saying who will start in goal in Boston's opener against the Minnesota Wild on Friday night.

Get used to it: it will probably be that way the entire season.

Ftorek has said that both Steve Shields and John Grahame will have a chance to win the starting job. If neither stands out, whichever is hotter will play.

''We'll just see what happens, but everything will take care of itself,'' Ftorek said. ''We just want to have two strong goalies.''

Ftorek was forced to open the goaltender competition when the Bruins opted not to re-sign Byron Dafoe, the starter when healthy since 1997. That left the job open for Grahame, a longtime Bruins farmhand, and Shields, a University of Michigan star who was most recently a backup in Anaheim.

''My play is going to dictate what's going to happen,'' Grahame said. ''So I just try and focus on that.''

Grahame injured his shoulder in the exhibition finale against the Rangers. An MRI showed no serious damage, but that could give Shields the opportunity to start the opener.

Dafoe is still on the market waiting for the right offer, but he has no intention of returning to Boston and the Bruins have no interest in having him back.

Not yet, at least. Boston opens the season with a six-game road trip that could change the way the team is feeling about its goalie experiment.

A 2-5-1-1 record in the exhibition season doesn't inspire confidence in the goaltending or the rest of the roster, which is trying to adjust after losing its best forward and best defenseman in the offseason.

Kyle McLaren, the leader of the Bruins' defense corps, is a restricted free agent who has demanded a trade. For now, he is sitting, but if the team struggles things could change, like they did last year when the Bruins dealt holdout Jason Allison after getting off to a bad start.

Bill Guerin, who scored 41 goals for Boston last year, left for a $45 million free agent contract with the Dallas Stars after the Bruins made a half-hearted attempt to re-sign him.

The absences make it hard to figure that the Bruins can repeat their surprising regular-season run that landed them atop the Eastern Conference standings last year before they made a quick exit in the first round of the playoffs.

''It's tough not to have those guys around, but this is what we've got in our room. This is what we've got to work with,'' said newly minted captain Joe Thornton, the team's biggest remaining star. ''We had a great year last year except for the playoffs. But that's the way the business goes.''

That's the way it's gone for the Bruins for a while.

Jason Allison was traded last October after asking for a big raise one year removed from finishing fourth in the league in goals. In 2000, it was Sergei Samsonov, Anson Carter and Thornton holding out the team's top three scorers from the year before.

It also was the team's first camp in two decades without Ray Bourque, who had asked to be traded to a contender the previous spring.

In 1999, it was Dafoe, P.J. Axelsson and Hal Gill. In '98: Allison, Carter, McLaren and Ted Donato.

This year, the Bruins hit for the cycle, losing for now, at least their best forward, defenseman and goalie from a year ago.

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

great info Mugs and thanks!

 

[ddubs]

Thanks, mugs! Saved me a ton of time to look up info.:thumb: