Mondays Bruins - Playoff Edition...

[the mugs]

Got to steal one tonight boys...I'm not ready to shave tomorrow!

BOSTON BRUINS at
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Monday, April 29, 2002
Molson Centre; Montreal, Quebec
7:00 pm (ET) - Gametime
UPN-38
Tonight's Game
The Bruins visit the Canadiens tonight in the sixth game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Quarter-Final series with Montreal leading the series, three games to two. The Bruins are making their 60th post-season appearance in their 78-year history, while the Canadiens are making their 78th post-season appearance in their 85-year history. This marks a return to the playoffs for both the Bruins and Canadiens, as the Bruins' prior playoff appearance was in 1999 and the Canadiens' was in 1998.

2002 Eastern Conference Quarter-Final Series - Boston vs. Montreal
Game One: The Bruins dropped the first game of this series with a 5-2 loss to Montreal in Boston on Apr. 18. Joe Thornton and Bill Guerin scored the Boston goals, while Donald Audette (two), Saku Koivu, Doug Gilmour and Gino Odjick netted the Montreal scores. Byron Dafoe took the loss in goal for the Bruins with Jose Theodore recording the win in net for the Canadiens.

Game Two: The Bruins took a 4-0 lead just 11:49 into the first period on goals by Brian Rolston (two), Glen Murray and Bill Guerin, but Montreal scored the next three straight on two Richard Zednik scores and a Patrice Brisebois tally to close the score to 4-3. P. J. Axelsson scored the eventual game-winner to put Boston up by a 5-3 score at the end of the second period, Doug Gilmour answered for Montreal with just under five minutes to play in the third to pull the Canadiens within a 5-4 score but Joe Thornton settled the game with an empty-net tally with 34 seconds remaining in the third for the 6-4 final. Byron Dafoe (29 saves) earned the win in net for Boston while Jose Theodore (39 saves) took the loss in goal for Montreal.

Game Three: The Canadiens opened the scoring on a Yanic Perreault score but the Bruins scored the next three goals by P. J. Axelsson (shorthanded), Bill Guerin and Nick Boynton to lead 3-1 at the end of the second period. The Canadiens scored four times in the third period with goals by Donald Audette, Doug Gilmour, Saku Koivu and Joe Juneau (empty net) for the 5-3 victory. Byron Dafoe (18 saves) took the loss in goal for the Bruins with Jose Theodore (29 saves) earning the win in goal for Montreal.

Game Four: The Bruins evened the series with a 5-2 victory on goals by P. J. Stock, Bill Guerin, Martin Lapointe, Brian Rolston (shorthanded) and Sergei Samsonov. Richard Zednik scored both Canadiens tallies. Byron Dafoe (26 saves) earned the win in net for Boston while Jose Theodore (20 saves) took the loss in goal for Montreal.

Game Five: The Canadiens took the series lead at three games to two with a 2-1 victory in Boston on first period goals by Bill Lindsay and Oleg Petrov. The Bruins countered with a Sergei Samsonov goal in the second period but that was the only one of 36 shots over the last two periods to elude Montreal goaltender Jose Theodore (43 saves). Byron Dafoe (11 saves) took the loss in net for Boston.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins and Canadiens have met more times in post-season play than any other two NHL opponents, as they are playing their 29th lifetime series. The Bruins are 7-21 in playoff series vs. the Canadiens as these teams split their first four series, Montreal won the next 18 series between these teams, and the Bruins have won five of the last six series including the last four straight.

These teams have played 144 lifetime playoff games with Montreal holding a 90-54 advantage in those contests. The Bruins are 37-33 in games vs. the Canadiens on home playoff ice with a 195-191 scoring advantage in those 69 games. The Bruins are 17-57 lifetime vs. the Canadiens in playoff games played in Montreal with the Canadiens holding a 258-161 scoring advantage in those 74 contests.

The Bruins finished the regular season with a 3-2-0-0 record vs. Montreal in their season series. The Bruins won a 5-3 game in Boston on Nov. 13, a 5-0 win in Boston on Dec. 20 and a 4-3 overtime victory in Montreal on Jan. 30. The Canadiens won a 3-2 decision in Montreal on Nov. 20 and a 5-3 decision in Montreal on Mar. 6.

Bruins Regular Season
The Bruins finished their regular season with a 43-24-6-9 record, 23-11-2-5 at home and 20-13-4-4 on the road. The Bruins won 40+ games for the 22nd time in their history and the first time since they compiled a 40-31-11 record in 1995-96 and their 43 wins were their highest total since they went 51-26-7 in 1992-93. They won 20 road games for the 15th time in their history and finished with a winning record on the road for the first time since they compiled a 20-14-7 road mark in 1997-98. The Bruins hit the 100-point plateau for the 16th time in their history and the first time since a 109-point season in 1992-93. The Bruins finished first in their Division for the first time since the 1992-93 season when they won the Adams Division title with a 51-26-7 record. It was their 23rd Division title. The Bruins finished first in their Conference for the first time since the 1990-91 season when they took the Prince of Wales Conference crown with a 44-24-12 record and 100 points.

Canadiens Regular Season
The Canadiens finished their regular season with a 36-31-12-3 record, 21-13-6-1 at home and 15-18-6-2 on the road.

Upcoming Series Games
Tuesday, April 30 @ Boston - 7:00 p.m. - NESN/WBZ Radio (If Necessary)

Bruins Injuries
Jarno Kultanen: April 1 knee surgery; out indefinitely.

Bruins Suspension
Kyle McLaren has been suspended automatically by the NHL pending the outcome of an Apr. 27 hearing for a match penalty incurred April 25 in game four of this series. There is no timetable as to when a determination will occur.

Bruins Recent Transactions
Apr. 17: Ivan Huml, Jonathan Girard, Zdenek Kutlak, Chris Kelleher, Andrew Raycroft and Andy Hilbert recalled from Providence/AHL on standby for the playoffs.
Apr. 21: Andy Hilbert loaned to Team USA for 2002 World Championships in Sweden.

Canadiens Injuries
Jeff Hackett: Shoulder injury; out indefinitely.

 

[the mugs]

Recent Meetings
Date Home Away Line ATS
G5 - 4/27/2002 Bos. 1 Mtl. 2 0,-220/5 Mtl./U
G4 - 4/25/2002 Mtl. 2 Bos. 5 0,120/5 Bos./O
G3 - 4/23/2002 Mtl. 5 Bos. 3 0,110/5 Mtl./O
G2 - 4/21/2002 Bos. 6 Mtl. 4 0,-250/5 Bos./O
G1 - 4/18/2002 Bos. 2 Mtl. 5 0,-230/5 Mtl./O

Regular season
3/6/2002 Mtl. 5 Bos. 3 0,110/5 Mtl./O
1/30/2002 Mtl. 3 Bos. 4 0,105/5 Bos./O
12/20/2001 Bos. 5 Mtl. 0 0,-200/5 Bos./P
11/20/2001 Mtl. 3 Bos. 2 0,100/5 Mtl./P
11/13/2001 Bos. 5 Mtl. 3 0,-200/5 Bos./O


Recent Trends
Over is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
BOS is 3-6-1 in their last 10 games overall.
Bruins are 1-3 ATS in their last three road games.
Habs are 12-7 ATS at home following a win this season.
MTL is 4-2 ATS in the last six meetings.
Over is 3-1 in MTL's last four home games.


ATS Records
Boston - Road - 21-17-4
Montreal - Home -22-15-6

 

[the mugs]

Bruins have singular purpose

Bruins have singular purpose

It all comes down to one game. If the Bruins beat the Canadiens at the Molson Centre in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series tonight, they return to Boston for tomorrow night's Game 7. If they lose, they'll have all summer to analyze and ponder what went wrong.

History doesn't bode well for the black and gold. In the 19 times they've trailed in a series, three games to two, they've come back to win the series only once.

In Game 5 Saturday at the FleetCenter, the Bruins did everything right for two periods. In the second and third, Boston peppered Montreal goaltender Jose Theodore with shot after shot after shot.

When all was said and done, the Bruins had 44 shots to only 13 for the Habs, but Montreal had the 2-1 win.

Coach Robbie Ftorek, who presided over a sparsely attended optional practice at the FleetCenter yesterday, said there didn't need to be a lot of talk about strategy or game plans. Their mission was clear.

''We've got to go hard, be sound in our defensive zone, and make sure we're strong and aggressive to the net when we get our chances, much like we did [in Game 5],'' said Ftorek. ''You've got to go and force mistakes and capitalize on them. We tried to capitalize on them, but Jose made some big saves and we were unfortunate pucks didn't go in off the posts. [Gino] Odjick made a nice save when the puck was going behind him.

''They were working and scrambling defensively, and to their credit, they did a good job. We did a good job also, the pucks just didn't go in for us.''

Not much went right for the Bruins offensively Saturday and not much went right for them logistically yesterday. They were scheduled to charter to Montreal at 3 p.m. But weather problems forced the closing of the Montreal/St-Hubert Airport so the team was diverted to Burlington, Vt., where the players waited for a bus to take them on the 90-minute journey across the border.

As superstitions go, the players had planned to replicate the itinerary of Wednesday night, which preceded their victory in Game 4 last Thursday. The night before the game, right wing Bill Guerin gathered the team at an Italian bistro - Il Campari Centro on rue de la Montagne - for dinner.

The restaurant is normally closed Sundays, but as a favor to Guerin, owner Pietro Esposito opened the restaurant for them last night in hopes it would bring them another win.

Good food might not hurt their chances, but what will help them most of all is better play in their end.

Theodore, who had been adequate in the first four games, stood on his head in Game 5. The Bruins can't really ask for better scoring chances than they had in that contest.

Defensively, though, neither Montreal goal was the result of great execution, rather, they were the result of Bruins giveaways.

''We want to make sure we don't give them good scoring opportunities,'' said Ftorek. ''We gave them a couple of good scoring opportunities by doing some things we shouldn't do. We want to make sure we shore up the defensive zone, first and foremost.''

In trying to solve Theodore, Ftorek said he wants his players doing the same type of things that led them to outshoot Montreal, 36-8, over the final 40 minutes of Saturday's game.

''You have to continue to shoot pucks and get traffic and go to the net and take intelligent shots and be there for rebounds if there are any,'' he said.

As well as they played in spurts through this series, it was suggested to Ftorek that his team hasn't played well for an entire contest yet.

''Unlike most people, I give credit a little bit to the opposing team,'' he said. ''They played pretty well, too. We've got to make sure we play sound for 60 minutes, but by the same token, the other team is out there against you. Sometimes it works for 60, sometimes it doesn't, but you still have to pursue it.''

 

[the mugs]

Samsonov's looks can be deceiving

Samsonov's looks can be deceiving

The clinical psychological analysis seemed more like a textbook hallucination.

Sergei Samsonov surveyed the pall of the Bruins' locker room at the FleetCenter late Saturday afternoon and assessed the general mood: ''I think everyone in here feels good about themselves.''

Sure. Good and desperate.

Samsonov's diagnosis was contradicted by the dull stares, shaking heads, and slouching gaits of his teammates. And by the delivery of his observation, which he offered with the apparent enthusiasm of a man reporting the theft of his car.

As a matter of fact, the dervish left wing and his comrades had just been the victims of grand larceny - by the Canadiens, who escaped town having stolen a 2-1 victory and perhaps this best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

The top-seeded Bruins were shoved to the precipice entering Game 6 tonight in Montreal despite outgunning the supposed Hab-nots, 44-13. The major shakedown was at the expense of Samsonov, who on the day tied for the team lead in shots (8) and, unfortunately for the Bruins, earned the sole team lead in goals.

He struck at 10:28 of the second period, by which time Boston trailed, 2-0. Otherwise, he was foiled repeatedly by goaltender Jose Theodore, who survived the Russian's maddening goulash of dips and darts and robbed him from the left, from the right, from in front, sweeping the net, from far out, from in close - from just about everywhere except Samsonov's dressing stall.

And what Theodore didn't take away, the officiating did. Samsonov first struck with 45 seconds remaining in the opening period when he drilled a slap shot past Theodore that pulled the Bruins within 2-1. In their fantasies, as it turned out.

The score didn't count because Don Sweeney, who made the pass, was ruled offside by an infinitesimal margin, according to linesman Jean Morin - even though the Bruins defenseman received possible unsolicited propulsion across the blue line from a player leaving the Montreal bench.

''I thought it was interference,'' said Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek yesterday, ''but it doesn't matter what I think.''

Assistant Wayne Cashman, who believed Sweeney's sudden escort was Bill Lindsay, held his thumb and forefinger almost together to reveal how far Sweeney had been offside. Or pushed offside.

''It was a good play on [Lindsay's] part,'' said Cashman, who didn't mean it was a legal play.

After experiencing such denial, no wonder Samsonov was evidently engaging in it.

In truth, he wasn't. Deadpan is his style, not his guise. He limits deception to the ice, and his persona is as subdued as his game is vibrant. Appearances to the contrary, he sincerely was packing encouragement for the trip across the border.

''We played well enough to win,'' he said. ''We had a few chances, hit a few posts. Tough luck.''

But not hopeless. That was Samsonov's rallying cry, even if it was conveyed in a monotone.

''The great thing about it is that we have one more chance,'' he said. ''We played well for 60 minutes. Now we've got to go to Montreal and do it.''

The issue is whether Theodore's acrobatics already have done in the Bruins against the conference's eighth and last playoff entry. But although he let virtually nothing inside his cage, the goalie didn't get inside Samsonov's head.

''You try not to think about it,'' Samsonov said. ''The worst thing you can do is think you can't get one past this guy. You can't get frustrated.''

In Ftorek's opinion, opportunity begets the opposite.

''Goalies gain confidence from making saves,'' he said. ''Shooters gain confidence from taking shots. As long as you're getting scoring chances, eventually something is going to go in.''

Given that logic, a cluster of goals by Samsonov and linemates Glen Murray and Jozef Stumpel looms as inevitable. They generated 15 shots Saturday, constantly wreaking havoc while reaping humility.

''Sammy was flying,'' said Ftorek, ''deking and diving all over the ice.''

Now he and his teammates must achieve a little more access to the net. Immediately. Otherwise, the Bruins' season theme - ''Our Team, One Dream'' - will be of the pipe variety.

 

[the mugs]

McLaren to sit for rest of series

McLaren to sit for rest of series

He will return if Bruins advance

If the Bruins advance past the opening round of the playoffs, defenseman Kyle McLaren will be back in the lineup, but no sooner.

The National Hockey League handed down its decision yesterday, suspending McLaren for the remainder of Boston's Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Canadiens, which resumes tonight with Game 6 at the Molson Centre in Montreal.

McLaren was banished as a result of his high hit on Canadiens forward Richard Zednik in Game 4 last Thursday night. He was suspended for Game 5 pending a hearing Saturday morning. Late yesterday, Colin Campbell, the NHL executive vice president and director of hockey operations, issued his finding.

''After a thorough review of the videotape, as well as an in-person hearing with Mr. McLaren, and consideration of all the circumstances, I have determined that by extending his arm to impede the progress of Mr. Zednik, Mr. McLaren delivered a dangerous blow to the head of his opponent and caused significant injuries to the opposing player,'' said Campbell in a statement.

''Mr. McLaren clearly must be held accountable for his actions in this regard. However, in determining the appropriate level of discipline, I also have concluded, and thus taken into account, that the incident resulted from an instantaneous, but inappropriate, on-ice reaction by a defending player who was about to be beaten by an opposing puck carrier.

''Based on my years of experience with the game, I don't believe you can fairly conclude that this was a premeditated attempt to injure the Montreal player. Finally, Mr. McLaren's prior history in the league, and his lack of a record of conduct requiring supplementary discipline, is also relevant and was taking into consideration in reaching this decision.''

Although not agreeing with it, Bruins president Harry Sinden said the club ''accepts and respects'' the decision.

''We are further satisfied that this decision was made by Mr. Campbell and his staff solely on the legitimacy of the check made on Zednik by McLaren and that factors outside the playing rules were not considered by him,'' said Sinden.

''The Bruins don't, however, agree with this decision and opinion and consider the McLaren check on Zednik to be within the playing rules. Further, the Bruins don't condemn McLaren for his play in this incident especially relative to any intent-to-injure or deliberate-injury accusations that may have been made.

''Mr. McLaren's reputation as a hard but clean hitter definitely remains intact within the Boston organization. The Bruins regret the Montreal player was injured on the play and wish him a speedy recovery. The Bruins consider this matter closed and have asked our management people to have no further comment.''

''I don't like being suspended but I can't say that I was surprised by the decision,'' said McLaren in a statement released by the team last night. ''Mr. Campbell has a job to do and it's a tough job to decide whether an action was right or wrong. I would like to repeat that my action was in no way intentional, it just happened as part of the play, and I wish Richard Zednik a speedy recovery. I'm extremely disappointed that I can't help my teammates win this series, but I have to abide by the league's decision.''

If Campbell's ruling had allowed him to play, McLaren would've joined his teammates today. However, because he isn't eligible and because of safety concerns, it was decided he would remain in Boston.

McLaren, one of only a few players who skated at the FleetCenter yesterday, said this has been a difficult time for him, not only because of the three-day wait to hear his fate but because he went from being just one of 20 players on an NHL team to public enemy No. 1 in Montreal. His style of play and the hit have been placed under a microscope. He's been dissected, debated, and analyzed to death.

''It's very tough. I'm not a guy who likes to get a lot of attention drawn to himself,'' said McLaren. ''I'm a very low-key guy. I get the job done on the ice, but that's it. This has been very difficult for myself, but it's something that you learn from.''

What has bothered McLaren most is criticism from people he's never met and who know nothing about him except what they have seen on a regrettable split-second of his life on videotape.

''I wish that people who don't watch the game and don't know the way I play [wouldn't] pass judgment on anything,'' he said. ''People around me who watch how I play, they have a sense of what I feel and what's going on. A lot of things have been said over the past few days that I don't agree with. People I haven't seen in my seven years have got to pass judgment and things like that. I find it hard to believe. I played hard, the hit happens, it's almost four days over now, and that's the way I'd like to leave it.''

McLaren has done his best to stay away from the newspapers and TV replays of the incident, but in a hockey town, that's not easy.

''I can show people the tape of what happened. They can explain it to me and I can explain it back to them, I don't mind doing that. But if you haven't see the way I play, why pass judgment on a guy who has never been in a situation before of being in a room talking to the commissioner?

''My record speaks for itself. There has been nothing on there. If people want to call me this or call me that, what can I honestly do? I know what type of player I am and I know what type of player I can be. I think that's what hurts the most.''

Even though he can't be at tonight's game in person, he said he'll be there in spirit.

''I'm a part of it no matter if I'm on the ice or off the ice,'' he said. ''I feel I do my best work on the ice, but I support these guys 100 percent. I don't do anything to embarrass my teammates. I stand behind them 100 percent and I feel they're going to get the job done.''

McLaren said he had no plans to phone Zednik, but he said that doesn't mean he doesn't care.

''I know he's out of the hospital, I know he's doing better,'' he said. ''There's a mutual friend we both have and I'm sure if I see him, I can ask him how he's doing. Personally, I don't know him at all. I just know him as a player on the ice and leave it at that. I don't mean to sound harsh; I'm sorry he got hurt. But it's hockey and we need to win to move on and I can't see it any other way.''

 

[P3uttt]

Bruins bring this home for the finale.....seems the Boston teams have a knack for going the distance before bowing out most times...how about 3-2 win tonight then who know Tuesday. Got to give them a chance after seeing the shot on net stats after game 5. Go B's