Tuesday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

I know...No B's game today but it's a jump on tomorrow.

McLaren gets OK to play tomorrow

WILMINGTON - Defenseman Kyle McLaren, who has missed 31 games following right wrist surgery, was reexamined yesterday after practice and cleared for tomorrow's game in New York. Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek will bring McLaren along gradually.

''Some of those [defensemen] have had to play a lot of minutes, and they've played their butts off,'' said McLaren. ''I feel I can take off some of that added pressure they've had on them. If I can help in any way and give them a break, then that's something that should help the team.''

McLaren said he has made a lot of progress.

''The last couple of weeks have been a total 360,'' he said. ''Their concern is not about reinjury, it's more about mobility, my confidence, and my conditioning. It's so much easier on the mental side, though, when the team is winning. I want to play as many games as I can, but I also want to be healthy for the long term.''

Also on the verge of returning is forward Mike Knuble, out four games with a sore back. Knuble, along with McLaren, took the ''gauntlet'' test yesterday when he had to skate the path between his teammates and the boards while taking a few good-natured shoulders and elbows in the process.

''It lingered for a while,'' said Knuble. ''I was favoring it. But today I felt strong throughout practice. I'm ready to go.''

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Still smarting

Center Joe Thornton won't be ready for a while, according to Ftorek. Thornton's bruised shoulder has prevented him from shooting the puck in practice, and he was placed on the injured reserve list, retroactive to March 7, to make room for McLaren. Thornton technically could be ready to play by Saturday, but Ftorek said, ''Joe's a long way away.'' The indication was that Thornton might not be available for game duty through the weekend. Forward Martin Lapointe(hamstring strain), who skated with McLaren before the full practice, is hoping for a return Saturday when the Red Wings come to town.

 

[the mugs]

DaFoe

DaFoe

WILMINGTON - Byron Dafoe was his own worst critic after the Bruins' fourth straight loss last Wednesday in Montreal, a game in which Joe Juneau scored twice on Dafoe in the first minute of a 5-3 loss.

''It wasn't so much that one game that bothered me,'' said Dafoe after yesterday's practice at Ristuccia Arena. ''But during losing streaks, that's the time to step it up, and I thought Montreal was an opportunity for us, and by me not having a great first period we kind of squandered that chance. Losing streaks are contagious, and at this point of the year, you can't have that.''

What Dafoe and the Bruins have instead is a two-game winning streak going into tomorrow night's road game against the Rangers. Dafoe made 21 saves in a 3-0 victory Friday at Atlanta and kicked out 29 the next night as the Bruins nipped Calgary, 3-2, at the FleetCenter.

Dafoe said what he had to say after the Montreal game, then put it behind him.

''You can't dwell on a bad game, because it kills your confidence,'' he said. ''You take it as motivation to work harder the next day in practice. And sometimes when things aren't going right, you've got to work extra and get back to basics.''

Dafoe, who has a 2.27 goals against average, 4 shutouts (plus one shared shutout), and a .904 save percentage, said he analyzes just about every shot that eludes him.

''It's not that either of those first two goals [in Montreal] were overly bad, but the timing was bad. That's not a good way to start in someone else's building,'' he said. ''But you just put that in the data bank and start anew the next day. Sometimes it's just a matter of muscle memory when you've gotten away from good habits.''

One habit Dafoe and the Bruins have shaken from a year ago is worrying whether one or two losses could mean the difference in making the playoffs.

''It's just so much more fun to be playing for first place overall as opposed to the last spot, which is a logjam every year,'' he said. ''I remember last year at this time every game was so much pressure, so much desperation. Now, we're playing more relaxed, and ultimately, we're performing better.''