Monday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

It's been awhile since the B's beat the Aves...1998 was the last win for Boston...Last time they played was last March at the Fleet on Ray Bourque day...I was there, I think the B's were a little misty eyed seeing old #77 as Colorado jumped out to a 3-0 lead 5 minutes into the game, eventually winning 4-2


BOSTON BRUINS at
COLORADO AVALANCHE
Monday, February 11, 2002
Pepsi Center; Denver, Colorado
8:00 pm (ET) - Gametime
UPN-38
Tonight's Game
The Bruins visit the Avalanche tonight in the only game between these teams this season and the Bruins' lone visit of the season to the Pepsi Center. The Bruins are 31-15-4-7 overall this season with a 12-9-3-3 record on the road. The Avalanche are 30-20-6-1 overall this season with a 16-8-2-1 record on home ice. The Bruins are 2-2-0-0 vs. Northwest Division opponents thus far this season and are 7-5-3-2 overall vs. Western Conference foes. The Avalanche are 3-2-1-0 vs. Northeast Division opponents thus far this season and are 10-5-1-0 overall vs. Eastern Conference foes.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins are 65-44-15-0 lifetime vs. the Avalanche franchise (includes Quebec) with a 501-416 scoring edge in those 124 games. On the road, the Bruins are 34-23-6-0 lifetime vs. Colorado with a 263-227 scoring advantage in those 63 contests. The Bruins are winless in their last five games vs. Colorado at 0-4-1-0 with their last win over the Avalanche a 3-0 victory in Colorado on Oct. 14, 1998.

Recent Bruins Games
The Bruins are unbeaten in their last six games at 5-0-1-0 with a 4-2 win over Florida on Jan. 26, a 2-1 victory over Chicago on Jan. 28, a 4-3 overtime win in Montreal on Jan. 30, an 8-0 win at Columbus on Feb. 4, a 2-2 tie with Buffalo on Feb. 5 and a 4-1 win over Florida on Feb. 9.

They have taken points out of 13 of their last 16 games at 9-3-1-3, are 15-5-1-3 in their last 24 games, including their longest win streak of the season with a five-game win streak from Dec. 20-29, are 17-7-1-4 in their last 28 games, and have taken points out of 26 of their last 34 games at 20-8-1-5.

The Bruins are 6-1-1-1 in their last nine home games and are 14-4-1-2 in their last 21 home contests. They have won their last two road games and are 7-3-0-2 in their last 12 road contests.

Recent Avalanche Games
The Avalanche have lost four of their last five games with a 6-4 loss to Los Angeles on Jan. 28, a 5-2 loss to Nashville on Jan. 30, a 3-1 setback to Detroit on Feb. 4, a 6-0 win in Minnesota on Feb. 8 and a 3-2 loss to Chicago on Feb. 9. They are 8-4-1-1 in their last 14 games overall.

Upcoming Bruins Games
The Bruins will conclude the pre-Olympic break portion of their schedule playing in Vancouver on Feb. 12 (10:00 p.m. ET; NESN & WBZ Radio). They will face the Islanders in New York on Feb. 26 (7:00 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio) before returning to the FleetCenter for their next home game on Feb. 28 vs. Carolina (7:00 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio). This current two-game trip to Colorado and Vancouver are the Bruins' last games remaining on the schedule outside of the Eastern time zone.

Upcoming Avalanche Games
The Avalanche will conclude their pre-Olympic break portion of their schedule hosting St. Louis on Feb. 13. They will return after the break for a six-game home stand, hosting Calgary, Phoenix, Dallas, New Jersey, Columbus and Los Angeles.

Bruins Injuries
Martin Lapointe: Hamstring injury; day-to-day.
Kyle McLaren: Dec. 28 surgery to repair a torn right wrist ligament; out indefinitely.
P. J. Stock: Feb. 7 facial surgery; out indefinitely.
Total Man-Games Lost: 113

Bruins Recent Transactions
Feb. 8: Dennis Bonvie recalled from Providence/AHL.
Feb. 11: Andy Hilbert recalled from Providence/AHL.

Avalanche Injuries
Steven Reinprecht: Knee injury; 4-6 weeks.
Peter Forsberg: Knee injury; 4 months.
Shjon Podein: Knee injury; day-to-day.

 

[the mugs]

Lapointe on ice for Avalanche game

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 2/11/2002

DENVER - Martin Lapointe would love to be in the Bruins lineup when they take on the Colorado Avalanche tonight, but it's highly unlikely.

The sturdy forward, who still is recovering from a hamstring injury, skated briefly before the club's practice at the Pepsi Center yesterday, and although he felt pretty good he's still not ready to return. If the training staff has its way, Lapointe won't be back until after the Olympic break.

''You have to understand their point of view,'' said Lapointe. ''They don't want me to reinjure it, plus they see the Olympic break coming. They're saying, `What is the sense in playing one game and maybe reinjuring it during that game?' I understand that, but as a hockey player you want to be out there and try to help the team win games. But we're winning, so [the decision] is a little easier.''

Lapointe, who spent his entire career with the Red Wings before signing with Boston as a free agent last summer, said he loves playing against Colorado, a team Detroit has a ferocious rivalry with.

''It's fun to play here,'' said Lapointe. ''The fans are great. It was pretty emotional when I was with Detroit. I'd love to play, but if you can't do it, you can't do it.

''I think this was one of the best rivalries, when [Claude] Lemieux hit [Kris] Draper. There was a lot of intensity and a lot of trash talk. But whatever it takes. It's fun, and you want to be a part of that.''

=====

Grahame ailing

It's probable that goaltender Byron Dafoe will play both games before the break because backup John Grahame has been battling the flu.

''Grahame hasn't been feeling well,'' said coach Robbie Ftorek. ''We had [goaltending coach] Brian Daccord in net for us the other day at practice because we sent Grahame home. He's got a sore shoulder, too. We'll see how he is [today]. If he's not healthy, he's going to run himself down and he won't be able to play up to his capabilities and we can't afford that for his sake or the team's sake.''

It would be just the second time all season Dafoe will have played in a back-to-back situation. The only other time was Jan. 2-3 against Carolina and Toronto.

=====

Samsonov, Murray rest

Several Bruins didn't skate yesterday. Left wing Sergei Samsonov, who has a banged-up right shoulder, took the day off to rest. He expects to play tonight. Samsonov said he jammed the shoulder into the boards during the third period against Florida and when he arrived here it began to bother him ... Right wing Glen Murray, who took a slap shot off a skate Saturday, also sat out practice. He said X-rays were negative and he is expecting to suit up tonight. ''It's just sore,'' he said ... Jozef Stumpel had a goal and an assist for Slovakia in its 6-6 Olympic qualifying round tie with Latvia in Salt Lake City. The Slovaks squandered a 6-3 lead and were eliminated from final-round contention. He's due back this morning.

 

[the mugs]

Don Sweeney was hit in the left foot by a shot off the stick of Brian Rolston and had X-rays. The defenseman said everything is fine ...

Kyle McLaren, who had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist Dec. 28, continues to improve. McLaren, who is now wearing a removable cast, could be back on the ice as early as tomorrow, but without a stick. He'll see the doctor again in two weeks and, if all goes well, he'll be able to pick up a stick then. He's looking at another 4-6 weeks before returning to the lineup ...

The Bruins play in Denver tonight. After Tuesday's game in Vancouver, Olympians Rolston, Bill Guerin, Sergei Samsonov , P.J. Axelsson , and possibly Stumpel will depart for the Games.

 

[the mugs]

The over is 3-1 in the past four meetings.
Boston is 5-0-1 ATS in their last six overall.
***BOS's offense has scored 4 goals/game over their last five overall.
The Avs are 4-0-1 ATS in the past five meetings.
Colorado is 7-3 ATS after a loss when home.
***COL is first in defense at 2.10 goals/game against.


*** Something's bound to give with these two trends

 

[Terryray]

Boston has outscored the opposition 24-9 in last six games!

Colorado hasn't ever lost four at home in Colorado, until the last outing. The franchise last lost four in row at home in Quebec '94.

 

[the mugs]

Terryray...I'm not going anywhere near this one. I took the Aves Saturday night against the Black Hawks and really took it on the chin - and wallet.

As well as the B's have been playing, tonight will be the night no matter what I do I'm gonna be wrong.

I take Boston - Colorado comes out of their slump.
I take Colorado - Boston continues to be hot and the "Avalance" continues.

I think I will take Vancouver tomorrow night againt the Bruins.

Jim

 

[Terryray]

I hear ya Jim!

My feeling is that Ahvs and Roy will do it tonight. But thought that last night!

Denver paper sez "Stumpl will be playing his third game tonight in a stretch of four games in four nights".

The over tomorrow in Vancouver looks good too. But I'm looking at what to do today, and nothing really decent stands out.

 

[the mugs]

Terryray..you are correct about Stumpel. 4 games in 4 nights - plus the extra travel and security issues at the Olympics. Tonight is game #3...That could be a factor on the B's offense. Typically, Stumpel isn't a super defensive player...


Stumpel begins journey

Bruins Notebook/by Steve Conroy
Sunday, February 10, 2002

Jozef Stumpel came through the first leg of his four-day odyssey with flying colors yesterday.

Stumpel, who had two assists in the Bruins' 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers, will be playing four games in four days. He took the team charter to Denver last night and then flew this morning to Salt Lake City, where he'll play for Slovakia in an Olympic qualifying game against Latvia today.

He'll then meet up with the B's for their game against the Avalanche tomorrow and play in Vancouver with the B's on Tuesday.

``I'm going to see how it'll be,'' said Stumpel. ``I know it's pretty tough playing three in four nights, but four in four? We'll see.''

Coach Robbie Ftorek said he'll monitor Stumpel, but feels the center's style should help with the workload.

``We may make some changes, but Stumpy doesn't break a sweat a lot of the time,'' said Ftorek. ``He's played four of the best games I've ever seen him play in the last four games, but he doesn't sweat. He knows the games, he gets his angles and he just kind of cruises.''

 

[the mugs]

Grahame in net tonight?

Grahame in net tonight?

I know I posted earlier that DaSave may play both games tonight & tomorrow but here's a different Boston paper.
I will try to post during the Bruin pregame show who is starting tonight

Jim


Net left wide open

Back-to-back games tonight and tomorrow, coupled with the fact that John Grahame was back in his hometown, seemed to point to the backup goaltender facing the Avalanche.

``We're not sure because (Grahame) has been feeling run down . . . we'll see (today) and try to make some decisions off of that,'' said Ftorek.