Saturday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

God damned Flyers You'd think they could have made the team bus and been on time for the start of the game last night... Oh well, the Rangers are keeping the pressure on by winning last night. Caps only a point ahead of the Bolts for 1st place in the southeast...

Both teams need points - should be a good one.

Go B's!

BOSTON BRUINS vs. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Saturday, March 8, 2003
FleetCenter; Boston MA
1:00 PM (ET) - Gametime NESN

Tonight?s Game
The Bruins host the Capitals tonight in the fourth and final game between these clubs this season and the Capitals' second visit of the season to the FleetCenter. The Bruins are 30-26-8-3 overall and are 18-10-4-2 on home ice thus far this season. The Capitals are 32-25-8-4 overall with a 12-14-6-2 record on the road thus far this season. The Bruins are 8-6-3-0 vs. Southeast Division opponents this season and they are 22-20-6-1 overall vs. Eastern Conference foes. The Capitals are 5-8-2-0 this season vs. Northeast Division opponents and they are 28-16-5-3 overall vs. Eastern Conference foes.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins are 55-30-20-1 lifetime vs. the Capitals with a 381-290 scoring edge in those 106 games. On home ice, the Bruins are 30-15-8-0 lifetime vs. Washington with a 198-142 scoring advantage in those 53 contests. The Bruins are 1-1-1-0 vs. Washington in the first three games of this season's series with a 7-2 win in Washington on Oct. 30, a 5-3 loss in Washington on Dec. 19 and a 3-3 tie in Boston on Jan. 20. The Bruins are unbeaten in their last three home games vs. the Capitals at 2-0-1-0 with their last loss to Washington in Boston a 2-0 setback on Dec. 2, 2000.

Recent Bruins Games
The Bruins have won consecutive games for the first time since a three-game win streak from Jan. 23-28 with a 4-2 win in Carolina on Mar. 4 and a 4-1 victory over NY Islanders on Mar. 6. They have taken points out of 14 of their last 22 games at 8-8-4-2.

Recent Capitals Games
The Capitals are unbeaten in their last three games at 2-0-1-0 and have taken points out of each of their last six games at 4-0-1-1 with a 4-1 in vs. Montreal on Feb. 24, a 3-2 win over Buffalo on Feb. 26, a 2-1 overtime loss in New Jersey on Mar. 1, a 2-0 win vs. Carolina on Mar. 2, a 2-1 victory in Buffalo on Mar. 4 and a 4-4 tie with Atlanta on Mar. 6. Their last regulation loss was a 5-1 setback to Detroit on Feb. 22.

Upcoming Bruins Games
The Bruins will next face a two-game road trip, playing in Chicago on Mar. 9 (3:00 p.m.; ESPN & WBZ Radio) and in Ottawa on Mar. 11 (7:00 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio). They will return home to host New Jersey on Mar. 13 (7:00 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio).

Upcoming Capitals Games
The Capitals will next return home to host Philadelphia on Mar. 10, Los Angeles on Mar. 14 and Colorado on Mar. 16.

Bruins Injuries
Richard Brennan: Right ankle bruise and fractured foot suffered Jan. 28 vs. Nashville; out indefinitely.
Sergei Samsonov: Dec. 24 right wrist surgery; out indefinitely.

Bruins Recent Transactions
Feb. 17: Ivan Huml recalled from Providence/AHL.
Feb. 21: Shaone Morrisonn recalled from Providence/AHL.
Feb. 22: Zdenek Kutlak returned to Providence/AHL.
Feb. 26: Ivan Huml returned to Providence/AHL.
Feb. 26: Andy Hilbert recalled from Providence/AHL.
Feb. 28: Andy Hilbert, Shaone Morrisonn and Kris Vernarsky returned to Providence/AHL.

 

[the mugs]

Injuries

Injuries

Washington Injuries
Kip Miller LW Hand Doub Sat
Jean-Francois Fortin D Back I-L

EDIT - From the caps website...
(G) Sebastien Charpentier has a bruised hand and is day-to-day.
(D) J-F Fortin has back spasms and is day-to-day.
(F) Kip Miller has a hand injury and is day-to-day.

Boston Injuries
Brian Rolston LW Head Ques Sat
Rich Brennan D Ankle Mid Mar
Sergei Samsonov F Wrist Late Mar

 

[the mugs]

Recent Meetings

Recent Meetings

Date Home Away Line ATS
1/20/2003 Bos. 3 Wash. 3 -0.5,-115/5.5 Wash./O (02-03)
12/19/2002 Wash. 5 Bos. 3 0.5,-150/5.5 Wash./O
10/30/2002 Wash. 2 Bos. 7 -0.5,110/5.5 Bos./O

1/14/2002 Wash. 1 Bos. 0 N,N/N -/- (01-02)
1/5/2002 Bos. 7 Wash. 4 0,-175/5.5 Bos./O
12/13/2001 Wash. 2 Bos. 1 0,-140/5.5 Wash./U
10/8/2001 Bos. 4 Wash. 0 0,105/5.5 Bos./U

1/5/2001 Wash. 1 Bos. 1 0,-185/5.5 P/U (00-01)
12/2/2000 Bos. 0 Wash. 2 0,-130/5.5 Wash./U
12/1/2000 Wash. 3 Bos. 2 0,-170/5.5 Wash./U

 

[the mugs]

Boston Globe 3/7/03

Boston Globe 3/7/03

Hackett, Rolston: Minor ails

The Bruins pinned up 2 important points with their win over the Islanders last night, but when the night ended, coach Robbie Ftorek hinted that top goalie Jeff Hackett was ailing and that prized forward Brian Rolston had a minor injury.

Asked first about Hackett, Ftorek said, ''He just wasn't ready to go.'' Speculation in the dressing room was that Hackett, who backed up Steve Shields, had a touch of the flu. He was the last to leave the morning skate, not departing until about 11:15, working up a heavy sweat under the tutelage of netminding consultant Gerry Cheevers.

Rolston, according to Ftorek, suffered a couple of bruises, but would not specify where Rolston was hurt. Postgame, Rolston said it was nothing that would keep him from tomorrow's Causeway matinee against the Capitals.

Hackett was not available after the game.

=====

Misc...

P.J. Axelsson was assessed a two-minute minor for roughing, boosting his total PIMs this year to 18...

Prior to his win over the Hurricanes Tuesday, Hackett had gone 4-13 in his last 17 decisions, including his 0-5 skid prior to being dealt out of Montreal...

Martin Lapointe's first-period assist for the Bruins was only his fifth point in the 16 games he's been back from the injured list. He has only two goals and began the night with a team-worst minus-21.

Michal Grosek, a rare visitor to the scoresheet, picked up a pair of helpers on McInnis's goals. He popped a couple of Islanders with good hits, too.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Globe 3/8/03

Boston Globe 3/8/03

Blue liners no longer on loose

WILMINGTON -- Few would argue the Bruins' two-game winning streak isn't a modest achievement. But given the nine-game winless streak that preceded it, two victories in a row at this time of year is a big deal, especially given the tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

Heading into today's matinee against the Washington Capitals at the FleetCenter, the Bruins have tightened up their defensive play and have given three goals in two games after allowing bushels for better than a month.

The improvement is due in no small part to the return of veteran defensemen Sean O'Donnell (knee) and Hal Gill (finger) from injury.

''Things are getting cleaned up,'' said coach Robbie Ftorek. ''It's nice when you have Hal and Sean back there because they've got experience and they've got size and that makes things a lot better for us, but everybody's got to pull their weight and everybody's got to do their jobs. It's a process you've got to go through. Is it all cleared up? I'd say no, but it's certainly better than it's been.''

O'Donnell said he can see a gradual improvement as the roster has gotten more healthy and newcomer Jeff Hackett has gotten more used to his new teammates.

''I think as a team we're playing a little more solid,'' said O'Donnell. ''Hal and I coming back has helped out, but now you're not asking Jonathan Girard and Nick Boynton and Bryan Berard to play 30 minutes. It's pretty hard to be effective playing 30 minutes a game. They're back playing more like 20 or 22, and that's more realistic. So I think they're probably playing better. So I think it's kind of a trickle-down effect, everyone is helping everybody.''

Starting in the middle of January, the Bruins put together a streak of 4-1-1-0 heading into the All-Star break. But they were bitten by the injury bug after that and did a free fall through the standings.

''If you look at the four or five games before the All-Star break, I think we played really well,'' said O'Donnell. ''Then, Hal and I went down and we're just getting back into that groove that we were in. I definitely think we can get a little better, but we're learning and playing with each other all over again. Hal and I are getting back into [game] shape and I think we'll be fine. It's been very tough. With the injuries we've had and the ups and downs we've had, you can't blame it on injuries at all, but we certainly have had some key injuries at certain times where it looked like we were just starting to play well and turned the corner. We have kind of made up for that. Hopefully, we can stay injury-free the rest of the year and get back to playing the way we were at the start of the year.''

=====

Rolston gets rung up

Forward Brian Rolston was the lone Bruin who didn't practice yesterday. Rolston had his bell rung during the third period of Thursday's win over the Islanders. If he passes the neuro-psych tests, which were scheduled for yesterday, he could be in the lineup this afternoon. ''I'll be told what he can do and what he can't do, and we'll go from there,'' said Ftorek. ''We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.''...

Hackett, who was unavailable to play Thursday because of an undisclosed ailment, went the distance in the workout, and Ftorek said the goalie was fine...

Defenseman Rich Brennan continues to make steady progress in his recovery from a fractured right ankle. He was on the ice yesterday for the first time in five days. ''I skated and it felt better than it did when I tried it last week,'' said Brennan. ''After talking to the doctors, it's right where it's supposed to be for the injury that it was and we're coming up on six weeks on Tuesday. I was told it was a full six weeks for this kind of injury so hopefully, in five or six days, it will be great. It's getting better. It just takes time.''...

The Bruins will charter to Chicago and take on former coach Brian Sutter and the Blackhawks tomorrow afternoon.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Herald 3/8/03

Boston Herald 3/8/03

B's hope spark is for real: Healthy `D' critical to streak

WILMINGTON - It's amazing what a couple of victories can do for a team's psyche.

There seemed to be a pall over the Bruins locker room earlier this week as they were trying to end what became a nine-game winless streak. Media updates on coach Robbie Ftorek's job status - mostly erroneous - came almost every hour.

But after Thursday's snowstorm, the sun shined brightly yesterday outside the B's practice facility at the Ristuccia Arena. And with two straight victories, there was a little bit of that sunshine inside the rink, too.

Earning a couple of much-needed wins will do that.

``It's nice,'' defenseman Nick Boynton said. ``Real nice.''

Is the Bruins' modest two-game win streak an indication that they are on the right track or is it just an unexplainable and momentary spike for a team that's been flatlining for months?

It shouldn't take long to get the answer.

The B's play Washington this afternoon at the FleetCenter and visit Chicago tomorrow night.

``I'd say ask us after this weekend,'' Mike Knuble said. ``If we come through that pretty well then we'll be able to say we're getting somewhere. And we've got a big test in Ottawa on Tuesday. We'll see if it's going to be for real and if we have turned the corner or not. We've got some big games in front of us and that'll be a better measuring stick than just two games in a row.''

Yes, it was just two games in a row. But can you remember the last time the Bruins won two straight games in regulation? You'd be forgiven if you had to consult the game-by-game stats. It was way back on Nov. 29-30, when the B's were finishing up a five-game win streak.

The B's, of course, are far removed from those heady days when they looked down at the rest of the Eastern Conference in the standings, but there have been some promising signs, more in their solid 4-1 win against the Islanders on Thursday than their rather shaky victory over lowly Carolina on Tuesday.

The biggest thing was the improvement in their own end. The Bruins limited the Islanders to 22 shots, the lowest total since they allowed Colorado 21 on Feb. 4, the game in which Sean O'Donnell sprained his knee, causing him to miss the next 3 weeks. Hal Gill also missed six games with a broken finger in that span.

``I think we played really solid (on Thursday). With Hal and Sean back, for the defensemen anyway, they make it a lot easier to go out and play. They've got experience and they settle things down,'' said Boynton, who'd been given a burden in their absence from which he never backed away.

Ftorek sees some definite improvement in his team's recent play and feels the return of Gill and O'Donnell is part of it.

``We've had a few games, but we've got to continue to progress and continue to make good plays because you can easily falter,'' Ftorek said.

``(Steve Shields) made some big saves (Thursday) night and (Jeff Hackett) made some big saves the night before and we still were giving up some chances. But we didn't give up half as many as we did the few games prior to that, so things are getting cleaned up.

``But everyone's got to pull their weight and continue to do their job and continue to get the back pressure that we did (Thursday),'' he added. ``It's a process that you've got to go through. Is it all cleaned up? I'd say no. But it's certainly better than it's been.''

=====

Bruins notes

Brian Rolston, who got his bell rung Thursday and left the game in the third period, did not skate yesterday and his availability for this afternoon's matinee against the Capitals is up in the air.

``We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, which apparently will be (today),'' Ftorek said. . . .

As he did late in the game, Michal Grosek took Rolston's spot on a line with Marty McInnis and P.J. Axelsson in practice yesterday, but the B's cannot afford to lose Rolston, who mans the power play, kills penalties and is starting to click with his linemates. . . .

=====

With the March 11 trade deadline approaching, the Bruins reportedly had a scout at San Jose's game against Montreal on Thursday and it's expected that the Sharks will move defenseman Bryan Marchment and possibly forwards Teemu Selanne or Vincent Damphousse. Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell said that he's continuing to talk to teams. . . .

Ftorek said Hackett, who missed Thursday's game with an undisclosed malady, will be available for today's game. . . .

The coach likes the recent work of his second power-play unit of Jozef Stumpel, Martin Lapointe and Rob Zamuner, which produced the team's first goal Thursday.

``They've kept things really simple and really sound. Then you're going to get your goals. It's been a good lesson,'' Ftorek said.

 

[the mugs]

Herald 3/7/03

Herald 3/7/03

Time for B's to shift focus: Trade deadline, not Ftorek, key

Fire Robbie Ftorek. Don't fire Robbie Ftorek. At this point, it really doesn't matter.

The focus for Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell should be the March 11 trading deadline.

If O'Connell and the rest of the Bruins' brain trust really want to make sure the team gets into the playoffs and makes some semblance of noise in the postseason, they'll forget about the coach, and zoom in on the biggest problem currently plaguing this team: the blue line.

Most nights, the Bruins are a defensive lapse waiting to happen. They're easy prey in their own zone.

Maybe a different coach - be it Gerry Cheevers, or O'Connell, or whoever - could do a better job of masking the club's holes on defense. Maybe Scotty Bowman could make them play better in front of Jeff Hackett or Steve Shields. I tend to doubt it.

A new coach isn't going to help Jonathan Girard or Bryan Berard move people out from in front of the net, or prevent them from being run over in the defensive zone. A new coach isn't going to somehow get 6-foot-7, 230-pound Hal Gill to play a more physical style. A new coach is not going to turn back the clock for Don Sweeney. Maybe a new coach can turn Nick Boynton back into the confident player he was in October, but that still won't be a cure-all.

Translation? The best avenue for improvement in this area right now is via a trade. The Bruins haven't been what one would call big players at the deadline in recent years. History tells us there probably won't be a blockbuster deal like Toronto made in acquiring forward Owen Nolan from San Jose on Wednesday.

O'Connell, however, has to recognize the problem area, and do something before Tuesday to try and fix it. As it is, he refused to acknowledge his blue line woes after the speedy Montreal forwards exposed them in the playoffs last season. Berard was signed, and while he's contributed offensively, has done little to improve play in the defensive zone. The only true rock 'em, sock 'em defenseman they had was Kyle McLaren, and he's now employed by the Sharks.

At least one physical, bruising defenseman would go a long way toward solving the B's woes. San Jose's Bryan Marchment is said to be available, and while he has a reputation for being somewhat of a dirty player, he has the kind of toughness and ability that's needed.

LA Kings defenseman Aaron Miller, who has been rumored in deals, would also be an upgrade. Carolina's Glen Wesley (rumored in some circles to be returning to the Bruins, the team he began his career with) and Buffalo's Alexei Zhitnik will likely be moved, they just don't fit the profile.

Essentially, the Bruins need another McLaren. They need a big body who isn't afraid to move people. That's where O'Connell has to start to improve his club during the final month of the season.

When asked if he would welcome a blue line bruiser before the deadline, Bruins captain Joe Thornton flashed a smile.

``That could be a possibility. Obviously, defense wins you championships,'' the B's captain said before last night's 4-1 win over the Isles. ``If we get another `D', that's just a bonus. But I like our `D.' I have no complaints.''

Fans watching the past few months, however, have plenty of complaints with the porous displays of defense.

In recent days, O'Connell is said to be working the phones, trying to get help. For what it's worth, most experts believe the best available players out there are forwards - Buffalo's Miroslav Satan is certainly an appealing possibility - as oppposed to rugged defensemen. Ultimately, the B's GM might be better served going in that direction, getting better quality up front and hoping the best defense is a better offense. The point is, O'Connell can't stand pat.

Thornton, meanwhile, slyly projected the likely ``trade'' his boss would make.

``With Sergei (Samsonov, who is working his way back from wrist surgery) coming back, that's like getting another awesome player out there for us,'' Thornton said. ``That's probably our big trade this year.''

Too bad Samsonov can't play defense.

 

[homerh]

good stuff as usual
good luck today

 

[Vicc Inzagio]

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GL today bud !!!!

 

[the mugs]

Hackett vs. Kolzig today

 

[the mugs]

Kolzig...

10 minutes...

6 shots...

3 goals...

Good night!

 

[Chenker]

The B's are back in town

time to start growing that playoff beard

 

[the mugs]

Ya know...They just have to make things interesting...

5-4 win in OT - There's no way in the world it should have come to an OT result. Good news is they only gave up 1 goal on a 5 on 5.
Bad news, 2 PP goals and one short handed.

Tough upcoming week. It's on to Chicago tomorrow. After that - HORNS - we're coming to get ya on Tuesday...Followed by the
Devils at the Fleet. Tough games this week.