Saturday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

Found out, I'm going to the Fleet today. Want to get as much info out there as I can...Here we go and GO B's!!!!

BOSTON BRUINS (28-25-8-2)
vs. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (33-17-11-2)

Overview: The Bruins are winless in their last seven games (0-4-3-0) and have only one win in their last 10 games (1-6-3-0).

This is the third of four meetings between these two teams this season...The Flyers are winless through the first two games; 2-2 tie in Philadelphia on Nov. 16 and 1-0 overtime loss at Boston on Jan. 25...The two teams meet for the final time this season on March 27 in Philadelphia.

Top scorers:
Boston
Joe Thornton - 32-47=79
Glen Murray - 32-35=67
Philadelphia
Mark Recchi - 19-24=43
Jeremy Roenick - 20-21=41

Goaltenders:
Boston
Jeff Hackett - 4-6-0, 3.27 GAA
Steve Shields - 10-10-6, 2.74 GAA
Philadelphia
Robert Esche - 9-6-3, 2.10 GAA
Roman Cechmanek - 24-13-8, 1.93 GAA

Injuries:
Boston
Richard Brennan: Right ankle bruise suffered Jan. 28 vs. Nashville; out
indefinitely.
Sergei Samsonov: Dec. 24 right wrist surgery; out indefinitely.
Rob Zamuner: Right foot fracture suffered Jan. 7 in Toronto; day-to-day.
Philadelphia
Chris Therien: Abdominal; questionable Sat. vs Bos. 2/28
Justin Williams: Knee Sprain; out for the season. 1/21
Simon Gagne: Groin; expected out 3-4 weeks. Possible return Sat. vs Bos. 2/28
Todd Fedoruk: Thumb; questionable Sat. vs Bos. 2/28

 

[the mugs]

Trends...

Trends...

PHI is 20-11 ATS on the road this season.
The under is 42-18 in PHI's games this season.
PHI is 21-11 ATS overall following a win.

BOS has won the past three meetings ATS.
BOS is 8-3 ATS at home following a loss.
BOS is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 overall.

 

[the mugs]

Injuries...

Injuries...

Philadelphia Injuries
Todd Fedoruk LW Thumb Ques Sat
Chris Therien D Muscle strain Ques Sat
Simon Gagne C Groin Ques Sat
Justin Williams RW Knee out for season
John LeClair LW Shoulder Late Feb

Boston Injuries
Sean O'Donnell D Knee Prob Sat
Rich Brennan D Ankle Out indefinitely
Sergei Samsonov F Wrist Mid Mar

 

[the mugs]

Recent Meetings
Date Home Away Line ATS
1/25/2003 Bos. 1 Phi. 0 -0.5,115/5 Bos./U (02-03)
11/16/2002 Phi. 2 Bos. 2 -0.5,100/5.5 Bos./U

4/2/2002 Phi. 2 Bos. 4 0,-155/5 Bos./O (01-02)
3/4/2002 Bos. 1 Phi. 4 0,-115/5.5 Phi./U
12/15/2001 Bos. 2 Phi. 5 0,-110/5 Phi./O
11/29/2001 Phi. 2 Bos. 3 0,-200/5 Bos./P

3/5/2001 Phi. 6 Bos. 4 0,-200/5.5 Phi./O (00-01)
2/6/2001 Bos. 4 Phi. 3 0,115/5.5 Bos./O
12/19/2000 Bos. 4 Phi. 4 0,125/5.5 P/O
10/7/2000 Phi. 1 Bos. 5 0,-240/5.5 Bos./O

 

[the mugs]

Boston Globe 3-1-03

Boston Globe 3-1-03

O'Donnell is back in swing

Veteran to bolster Bruins' beleagured blue line corps

WILMINGTON -- Hold on, help is coming.

No, the Bruins didn't make a blockbuster deal yesterday but they did get some much needed good news regarding their overtaxed blue liners. Defenseman Sean O'Donnell, who was expected to be out of the lineup until next week because of a sprained right knee, will be back for today's matinee against the Philadelphia Flyers at the FleetCenter.

The club got defenseman Hal Gill and forward Rob Zamuner back for Thursday night's 4-1 loss to the Rangers, but now that O'Donnell is joining them, the Bruins should be a lot more sound in their zone. Part of the problem during their season-high, seven-game winless streak (0-4-3) has been that the likes of Nick Boynton, Jonathan Girard, and Bryan Berard have been asked to play far too many minutes, and the strain has shown.

''Our goalies are under siege most nights,'' said O'Donnell, when asked about his team surrendering 32 goals in the last eight games. ''We've been giving up a lot of chances. We have been a little shorthanded. Hal and I have been out and Richie Brennan [ankle], too. Hal and I are the same kind of defensemen. It would be like if you took both [Girard and Berard] out of the lineup and you're missing that one aspect. Hal and I, we're both big guys and both kind of stay at home and play under control, and other guys have had to step up. We're getting everybody back now and everybody is getting healthy, so we expect to turn things around.''

O'Donnell was one of a couple of players who spoke up during an on-ice huddle midway through practice yesterday at the Ristuccia Center.

''We feel with guys coming back, not just myself, there are only 19 games left and this is our team,'' said O'Donnell. ''These are the guys who are either going to get it done or not. We just kind of said there are no excuses.''

O'Donnell, who will wear a brace on his knee for the rest of the season, said although he's been out just 3 1/2 weeks, he's ready.

''It's felt pretty good,'' said O'Donnell, who was injured Feb. 4 against Colorado. ''About three or four days ago, before the Dallas game and the practice before that, I was skating with the guys. We wanted to give it a couple more days. I simulated as much game competition as I could. When the guys were in New York, I was working out with [strength and conditioning coach] John Whitesides and he was in the corners battling and in the front of the net, and everything held up fine.''

O'Donnell's return is much appreciated by his teammates.

''It's big,'' said Gill. ''Sean, especially, not only does he bring the fact that he's real solid defensively, but he's also a leader on the team and he's a guy we need in the locker room. It's huge for us to have him in the lineup. He's the kind of guy we need to settle things down. We've been kind of running around in our own end. We need to make sure we let [opponents] know what they can do. They can have the corners but they can't have the front of the net. That's where he comes in big.''

=====

When Gill suffered a broken left ring finger in Florida Feb. 14, he wasn't sure how long he'd be out. Now, wearing a removable cast over the ring finger and pinkie, he's able to keep the finger stable in order to play. ''It's not the easiest thing to play with,'' he said. ''I'm getting more used to it. I use my top hand so much that it would be a lot tougher if [it was the right right finger]. It's a cumbersome thing. It doesn't hurt but it's a matter of what you can play with. I don't know if it's ahead of schedule or not. They just told me as long as I can keep it from moving and protect it, I'd be all right.''. . .

With reinforcements back, the club returned defenseman Shaone Morrisonn and forwards Andy Hilbert and Kris Vernarsky to Providence. . .

Despite the loss to the Rangers, coach Robbie Ftorek praised the work of goalie Jeff Hackett, who faced 47 shots. ''He was really sharp,'' said Ftorek. ''He made 43 big saves, there were some real big ones. The one he made on [Eric] Lindros at the end of the game was unbelievable. It was too bad we didn't put some in ourselves. We had a couple of guys up front who didn't have their legs, and the Rangers came out and skated very hard.''

 

[the mugs]

Boston Globe 2-28-03

Boston Globe 2-28-03

RANGERS 4, BRUINS 1

Bruins are getting that sinking feeling

They're powerless falling to Rangers

NEW YORK -- They were bad with the puck. They were worse without it. Overall, they lacked the intensity and drive it takes to beat even the high-paid-but-humdrum likes of the Rangers. The Bruins booted away another 2 points last night and extended their winless streak to a season-worst seven games (0-4-3) as they were knocked around by the Blueshirts, 4-1.

What's left to say? Check the Goodwill boxes on your way to work this morning. If you see layer upon layer of used Black-'n-Gold sweaters heaped in front of the collection boxes, don't assume they're empty. It could be that Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs (edit - THIS GUY IS THE F----- PROBLEM) has seen enough of his discount wanderers and left them out there for charity pickup.

''Nineteen games left and we've got to keep playing hard,'' said captain Joe Thornton, held without a point and limited to only one shot on net before a sellout crowd of 18,200 at Madison Square Garden. ''That's how we'll work our way out of it.''

Such has been the refrain around the Bruins for the better part of three months. The loss left them stuck in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, the last playoff spot, and the $80 million-or-so Rangers inched to within 4 points of the once-mighty Bostonians. True, the Bruins have four games in hand, but even a 10-game cushion would seem perilous given their current state of disarray.

The loss will fuel the rumors that it's time for general manager Mike O'Connell to make a coaching change. One wildcat rumor making the rounds Wednesday night had former coach Gerry Cheevers, their Hall of Fame goalie, taking over for Robbie Ftorek. A more likely scenario perhaps would have O'Connell taking over, with Cheevers as an assistant and current assistant Wayne Cashman retained. Such a move would leave Ftorek and assistant Jim Hughes out of work.

Given their protracted malaise, anything is possible, save for the returns of Don Cherry, Fred Creighton, or Mike Keenan. The Bruins gave up two shorthanded goals to the Blueshirts. They gave up a power-play goal. It virtually goes without saying, but they were tagged with another penalty for too many men on the ice (perhaps Morgan Memorial could donate an abacus for benchside use?). To top it all off, they lost reliable blue liner Nick Boynton early in the first period when he was tossed for applying a knee-to-knee hit to winger Ronald Petrovicky.

It was, by no means, the AAA TripTik preferred route to the playoffs.

''You give 'em two shorthanded goals and a power-play goal . . . you can't play that way and be successful,'' said Ftorek, whose astute game-planning schemes are either (1) ignored by his charges or (2) over their heads. ''No one tries to do those things, but they happen. And you can't give up 47 shots [43 saved by Jeff Hackett], either, whether you're shorthanded all night, or not. The guys played with energy, that's not a question. But they didn't play with their heads. The too many men -- we talked about it -- you can't do those things.''

For a club with even the slightest hope of reaching the postseason, the bonehead plays and associated garden-variety boo-boos have gone on way too long. Bryan Berard had a pair of painful giveaways in his old town, the first to Mark Messier for a shorthander that made it 3-0, and another to Alexei Kovalev early in the third for the 4-1 dagger. Berard often is an exciting player, able to do great things with the puck, but he is prone to making some aggravating cough-ups.

Boston's only goal was fired in by P.J. Axelsson in the final moments of the second period, trimming back the 3-0 Blueshirt lead. Axelsson stepped into a 35-to-40-foot slapper after Marty McInnis provided some fullback-like blocking down the slot. Initially, McInnis looked offside, but there was no call. The officiating crew allowed it to stand as the only shot that would elude Mike Dunham all night.

''It wasn't a good effort, we've got to do better,'' said center Brian Rolston, who sparked the Bruins with a shorthanded strike Tuesday night that helped erase a 4-2 Dallas lead. ''We also can't be giving up 47 shots [18-13-16 by periods]. Frustrating? Absolutely, it is. But there is no time for frustration. You've got to play to win, and try to get a win. We can't be giving up two shorthanded goals, a power-play goal . . . spot the other team two goals every night and come back to win.''

The bad news continues. Management, maintaining its posture that led to the losses of Kyle McLaren, Byron Dafoe, and Bill Guerin, stands by and watches, watches, and watches some more. Nothing much changes. They had 19 wins on Dec. 8. They'll enter March with 28 wins.

''Maybe it's the way teams react to us -- they come out quick and strong,'' said Thornton. ''Robbie gives us a good game plan, but we have to come out and execute it. And it starts with our line [Thornton, Mike Knuble, and Glen Murray]. We've got to get the first hit, the first shot.''

Somebody has to do something, and soon, before another season is simply swept into the final Delaware North tabulations, along with the sales of corn chips, Cokes, and hot dogs.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Herald 3-1-03

Boston Herald 3-1-03

B's know they're on thin ice: Desperation sets in down final stretch

WILMINGTON - Now that they've flushed the months of December, January and February down the drain - in the process undoing most of their superb work in October and November - the Bruins hope March is a far kinder month.

It better be, or the B's summer vacation will start the first week of April.

If the Bruins are ever going to kick it into desperation mode, it's highly advisable not to waste any more time - starting with today's FleetCenter matinee (1:05) against the Philadelphia Flyers.

``I hope there's desperation and urgency in here,'' Nick Boynton said. ``I mean, you know, if there's anyone here who doesn't feel that way, they should just quit showing up.

``Because it's been like this for a while. It's not right. We've got to pick it up. The way we've been playing, we don't deserve to be in a playoff spot. But if we can start playing better, we can get into the playoffs and still make it a decent year.''

Injuries are only a partial explanation for the B's dreadful stretch of less-than-mediocre play - not to beat a dead horse, but they are 9-21-5-1 since Dec. 7, including 1-6-3 in their past 10 - but the good news is that the team's injury list continues to shrink.

Hal Gill and Rob Zamuner returned for Thursday night's 4-1 loss to the Rangers. More significant, Sean O'Donnell makes a surprisingly quick return today from a knee sprain. With the return of Gill and O'Donnell - two of the team's better players in the defensive zone - the B's will not have to ask Jonathan Girard, Sean Brown and Don Sweeney to shoulder quite so heavy a load.

It's never fair to pin a team's defensive woes merely on defensemen. But this team has allowed 40 goals in its past 10 games, and individuals among the rear guard certainly have struggled at times.

``When you lose one guy, it's tough,'' O'Donnell said. ``You ask other guys to play his minutes and his situations. We lost both Hal and me, and Rich (Brennan). With Hal and me, it's not just two `D,' but two kind of similar players.''

``Guys have had to do a lot and I think they've done a pretty good job. They're still going to play a lot - but not 28-29 minutes as they've had to. Everyone has been struggling, but (the defensemen) have kind of been under a microscope with Hal and me out. If you're a forward and you turn the puck over in neutral ice, it's not that big a deal. If you're a defenseman and you turn it over in your own slot, that's very different.''

O'Donnell, one of the fellows who spoke during a players-only on-ice meeting at the end of yesterday's brief practice, is confident this team is ready to start winning. He said players are very aware their grasp on a playoff position has nearly slipped away.

``We discussed it,'' O'Donnell said. ``If you look ahead, 19 games left and it's a very tough lineup of teams. Starting (today), it's six games in nine days. The good news is that we haven't been playing well as a team, yet we're still in (a playoff spot). I know we're not going to keep this up - the way we've been playing - we are going to turn this around.

``No one in this room feels we're not going to make the playoffs. We just want to make sure we go into the playoffs playing well. The idea of not making the playoffs hasn't even been discussed.''

Of course, no one could have dreamed a few months ago the B's would now find themselves battling with four other teams for three spots.

``Who would have thought that 19-4 start would help us hang on to the eighth spot now?'' O'Donnell said. ``I didn't think that early cushion we got would be to help us make the playoffs - I thought maybe first in the division, or first in the conference, or at least home ice. But now it's come to this point. Every game is huge now.''

 

[the mugs]

Herald 3-1

Herald 3-1

O'Donnell back

WILMINGTON - When the Bruins' medical staff predicts a timetable for a return from injury, it's remarkable how accurate its prognosis normally is. In the case of defenseman Sean O'Donnell, the medical people were delighted to be proven wrong.

After O'Donnell suffered a moderate right knee sprain Feb. 4, he was expected to miss 4-6 weeks. But he'll return to the lineup today against Philadelphia - just 25 days after the injury.

``I think (strength and conditioning coach) Johnny Whitesides and (physical therapist) Scotty Waugh have done a great job working with me every day, and it just came to a point now where I've simulated every game situation and it's been fine. The doctor looked at it. I've just got to tape it up, wear the (custom-made) brace and it should be a good recovery,'' O'Donnell said.

O'Donnell has been advised he is at no grave risk of re-injuring the knee.

``The doctor said the gains I've made in the last 3 weeks have been great, but at this point, even if I sat out another couple of weeks, the gains I'd make would be minimal,'' O'Donnell said. ``He said I'm really not at great risk coming back now. I'm probably a little more susceptible to re-injury, but not any more than I would be three weeks from now. It's not as strong as it was, but it's as strong as it's going to be for a little while. So let's go.''

=====

Tending to business

An awful lot of soft goals have been finding their way into the Bruins' net recently, but Jeff Hackett provided the best goaltending performance in a while Thursday.

Hackett made 43 saves in the 4-1 loss. While the B's hardly want their goalie subjected to such an onslaught, they were happy to see Hackett return to good form.

``He was really sharp,'' coach Robbie Ftorek said. ``You couldn't fault him on any of the four goals. He made what, 43 big saves - some really big ones. The one he made on (Eric) Lindros at the end of the game was unbelievable. He's been working very hard - as has Shieldsie (Steve Shields) - and he played very well. It's a good sign.''

=====

Bad call

The reaction of defenseman Nick Boynton to the kneeing major and game misconduct he was assessed early in Thursday's game: His hit on Robert Petrovicky should not have been deemed a major.

``It was a joke to me, but whatever,'' Boynton said. ``There's nothing I can do now, but I don't know what he saw or what he was calling. Making those kind of calls at this time of year, you'd better be 100 percent certain.'' . . .

=====

With Rob Zamuner and defensemen O'Donnell and Gill all back this week from injuries, the Bruins yesterday sent forwards Andy Hilbert and Kris Vernarsky and defenseman Shaone Morrisonn back to Providence (AHL). . . .

Defenseman Rich Brennan (ankle bruise) skated with the team for the first time yesterday and could be available to play next week.

 

[grooven]

If the bruins don't come away with a win today Robbie Ftorek will be on comm. ave selling the Boston Herald And Gerry Cheevers will be behind the bench Have fun at the game

 

[cooz3]

mugs ..last minute decision ..looks like a scalper today...know anyone?

cooz

 

[ddubs]

Big game today, GO BB'S!!!!!!

 

[the mugs]

Just getting back home...Sorry Cooz, as soon as I posted in your thread, my friend was picking me up. I don't know anyone outside anymore. Used to know a couple that wouldn't tuck you too badly.

Stupid mental mistakes killed them again today.

I missed the first Philly goal...Listen to my friend and was getting beer :shrug:

2nd Philly goal...Soft rebound, thank you

GW goal...Stupid fricken turnover at the Philly blueline leads to a 2 on 1 in OT. Thank you, drive safe, good night.