Tuesday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

BOSTON BRUINS at
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Air Canada Centre; Toronto, Ontario
7:30 pm (ET) - Gametime
7:00 pm (ET) - Boston Globe Pre-Game Report
NESN
Tonight's Game
The Bruins visit the Maple Leafs tonight in the second of five games between these clubs this season and the second of three games of this season's series at the Air Canada Centre. The Bruins are 11-2-3-1 overall and are 6-1-2-1 on the road thus far this season. The Maple Leafs are 6-10-2-0 overall with a 4-7-1-0 record on home ice thus far this season. The Bruins are 3-0-1-0 vs. Northeast Division opponents this season and are 7-0-2-0 overall vs. Eastern Conference foes. The Maple Leafs are 1-3-1-0 this season vs. Northeast Division opponents and they are 3-7-2-0 overall vs. Eastern Conference foes.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins are 248-240-98-1 lifetime vs. the Maple Leafs with Toronto holding a 1763-1713 scoring advantage in those 587 games. On the road, the Bruins are 90-153-51-0 lifetime vs. Toronto with the Maple Leafs holding a 992-758 scoring edge in those 294 games. The Bruins won the first game of this seaosn's series with a 4-1 victory in Toronto on Oct. 21.

Recent Bruins Games
The Bruins had their four-game win streak snapped with a 2-2 tie in Philadelphia on Nov. 16, but are unbeaten in their last five games at 4-0-1-0, outscoring their opponents by a 23-8 margin over that span. They are 5-0-1-1 in their last seven games with a 3-2 victory over the NY Rangers on Nov. 2 as Bryan Berard netted the game-winning goal at 19:21 of the third period, a 2-1 overtime loss in Detroit on Nov. 7, a 7-1 win over Ottawa on Nov. 9, a 6-1 victory over Edmonton on Nov. 11, a 4-3 win in Buffalo on Nov. 12, a 4-1 victory vs. NY Islanders on Nov. 14 and a 2-2 tie in Philadelphia on Nov. 16. The Bruins have taken points out of 15 of their last 16 games at 11-1-3-1, including an eight-game unbeaten streak at 6-0-2-0 from Oct. 14-30. Their lone loss regulation loss in that span was a 4-1 setback to Anaheim on Oct. 31.

Recent Maple Leafs Games
The Maple Leafs had their two-game win streak stopped with a 2-1 loss to Detroit on Nov. 16. That followed a 4-3 win over Los Angeles on Nov. 12 and a 3-2 win in Buffalo on Nov. 15. They are 4-5-1-0 in their last ten games overall and are 2-5-0-0 in their last seven games on home ice.

Upcoming Bruins Games
The Bruins will next return home for a four-game home stand, hosting Carolina on Nov. 21 (7:00 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio), Buffalo on Nov. 23 (7:00 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio), Calgary on Nov. 26 (7:00 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio) and Montreal on Nov. 29 (12:00 noon; NESN & WBZ Radio). Tickets are available for all of these games.

Upcoming Maple Leafs Games
The Maple Leafs conclude their current three-game home stand hosting Philadelphia on Nov. 23. They will then face the Senators in Ottawa on Nov. 25.

Bruins Injuries
P. J. Axelsson: Knee sprain suffered Nov. 16 in Philadelphia; day-to-day.
Mike Knuble: Mild concussion suffered Nov. 12 in Buffalo; day-to-day.
Martin Lapointe: Fractured foot suffered Oct. 17 in Calgary; out indefinitely.
Sergei Samsonov: Wrist sprain suffered Oct. 17 in Calgary; out indefinitely.

Bruins November Transactions
Nov. 1: Jarno Kultanen assigned to Providence/AHL on a conditioning assignment.
Nov. 3: Peter Hamerlik returned to his junior team in Kingston/OHL from Providence/AHL.
Nov. 5: Jarno Kultanen recalled from Providence/AHL.
Nov. 12: Brantt Myhres recalled from Providence/AHL; returned to Providence/AHL after the game.
Nov. 14: Matt Herr recalled from Providence/AHL.
Nov. 18: Shaone Morrisonn recalled from Providence/AHL.

 

[the mugs]

Injury Report

Injury Report

Boston Injuries
Sergei Samsonov RW Wrist day-to-day
Martin Lapointe LW Foot Out indefinitely
Kyle McLaren D Holdout Out indefinitely

Shaone Morrisonn is expected to play his first NHL game Tuesday night when the Bruins face the Maple Leafs in Toronto. P.J. Axelsson is expected to miss the game with a knee sprain suffered Saturday night in Philadelphia when the Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers skated to a 2-2 tie at the First Union Center.



Toronto Injuries
Nik Antropov C Knee Mid Nov.
Gary Roberts F Shoulders Out until Jan-Feb

 

[the mugs]

Recent Meetings
Date Home Away Line ATS
10/21/2002 Tor. 1 Bos. 4 -0.5,-135/5.5 Bos./U (02-03)

3/14/2002 Bos. 1 Tor. 2 0,-150/5.5 Tor./U (01-02)
1/3/2002 Bos. 1 Tor. 2 0,-130/5 Tor./U
11/24/2001 Tor. 2 Bos. 0 0,-170/5 Tor./U
10/25/2001 Bos. 2 Tor. 1 0,-130/5 Bos./U
10/23/2001 Tor. 2 Bos. 0 0,-160/5 Tor./U

3/28/2001 Tor. 0 Bos. 3 0,-170/5.5 Bos./U (00-01)
1/24/2001 Tor. 1 Bos. 2 0,-220/5.5 Bos./U
12/21/2000 Bos. 4 Tor. 0 0,140/6 Bos./U
11/5/2000 Tor. 7 Bos. 1 0,-240/6 Tor./O

 

[the mugs]

Trends

Trends

Boston has won its last five ATS.
Boston is allowing 1.60 goals/game in its last five.
The last nine meetings have played under.
Toronto is 3-1 ATS in the last four meetings.
The Leafs are scoring 2.40 goals/game in their last five.
Toronto's last two games overall have played under.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Globe 11/19/02

Boston Globe 11/19/02

Bruins will give Morrisson a taste

TORONTO - Shaone Morrisonn, 19 years old and full of hope, promise, and maybe a few goals and assists, too, made the trip here with the Bruins yesterday and is expected to make his NHL debut tonight against the Maple Leafs.

The nap the defenseman took on the flight should help.

''I couldn't sleep at all [Sunday] night,'' said Morrisonn, checking in late yesterday afternoon, only some 24 hours after learning he would be called up from the American Hockey League affiliate in Providence. ''Too excited - way too excited.''

Morrisonn will suit up not because of an injury on defense, but because left winger P.J. Axelsson wrenched his knee for a second time this season in Saturday's 2-2 tie at Philadelphia. According to coach Robbie Ftorek, Morrisonn will suit up as a seventh defenseman, meaning the Bruins will have only 11 forwards to take on Eddie Belfour and the Leafs.

Morrisonn, Ftorek expects, will be worked in slowly.

''Just like Boynts,'' said Ftorek, referring to Nick Boynton's emergence last year, when he blossomed in the NHL at age 22. ''We'll nurse him along.''

Unless he really lights it up, Morrisonn doesn't figure to stay long on the Boston roster. Up front, the Bruins are without Mike Knuble (concussion) and Axelsson, but neither one is expected to be out very long. Once Ftorek feels more comfortable about going with 12 forwards, and provided there aren't more injuries, then Morrisonn will be dispatched back to the Baby B's.

This past September was Morrisonn's second training camp with Boston. He impressed everyone in his first camp, but returned for one more year of junior hockey out West, with the Kamloops Blazers, with the thinking that another year of Junior A would give him a running start into the NHL this season. When he failed to impress this September as he did last year, the Bruins dropped him to Providence for seasoning.

''I think my second camp was probably better,'' said Morrisonn, a 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pounder with mobility. ''I know I felt more confident than I did in my first camp, more at home.''

Morrisonn was often paired with Boynton, something that Ftorek no doubt will keep in mind when he and assistant coach Jim Hughes are contemplating the defense pairings against the Leafs.

''We've seen him play last year, and this year,'' said Ftorek, his club riding high in the Eastern Conference and carrying a five-game undefeated streak (4-0-1) into tonight. ''Down in Providence he's been contributing on the power play, the penalty kill, taking regular shifts - everything he's supposed to be doing at this stage. So this is a good opportunity to see how he's progressing.''

A Canadian kid making his NHL debut in Toronto is like a US kid suiting up for the first time in Yankee Stadium. Morrisonn grew up in British Columbia, thousands of miles to the west, but the impact of the moment isn't lost on him.

''It's awesome,'' he said. ''To be here in Toronto, and all the history between the two teams, two teams in the Original Six - it's just great.''

Meanwhile, Axelsson, who originally sprained his right knee a couple of weeks ago, is awaiting a brace before he skates. He took the flight here but skipped workouts both Sunday and yesterday, and said the pain and swelling have abated enough that he isn't concerned.

''It's calmed down,'' he said. ''It should be all right.''

 

[the mugs]

Globe 11/19

Globe 11/19

Short on shots

They are scoring better this year, especially on the power play (10 goals over the last four games), but the Bruins are behind last year's pace for shots on goal. For the 2001-02 season, they outshot the opposition, 2,596-2,057, over 82 games. Thus far in '02-03, they have been outshot, 502-494. Compared with last year's average of 31.7 shots per game, they have slipped some 9 percent, to 29, or about one less shot per period ... The four defensemen on this year's roster who also played last year - Sean O'Donnell, Hal Gill , Nick Boynton , and Don Sweeney - totaled only 14 goals last season. Boston blue liners already have connected 11 times this season: Bryan Berard(5), Jonathan Girard(3), Gill (2), and Boynton (1) ...

Shaone Morrisonn, who will make his debut tonight for Boston, won't turn 20 years old until just before Christmas. Picked 19th overall in the 2001 draft, he represents the seventh first-round draft pick on the Boston roster, along with Joe Thornton(1/'97), Samsonov (8/'97), Glen Murray(18/'91), Berard (1/'95), Boynton (21/'99), and Sean Brown(21/'95). And that doesn't count Kyle McLaren(9/'95) ...

Thornton, who no doubt will have his own cheering section at the Air Canada Centre, is on track to score 111 points - far beyond his career high of 71 ...

John Grahame, who posted 46 saves in Saturday's 2-2 tie at Philadelphia, boosted his save percentage to an impressive .929. Steve Shields, raised in Toronto and likely to get tonight's start, isn't far behind at .916 ...

The Bruins will play their next four games in the Hub of Hockey, beginning with a visit Thursday by the Hurricanes and the bedraggled Sabres Saturday night. Chris Drury and the Calgary Flames come in next Tuesday, followed by the Habs for a Friday noon matinee.

 

[the mugs]

Globe 11/19 (Rumor mill)

Globe 11/19 (Rumor mill)

Thrasher talk on Dafoe rumor line

TORONTO - Rumors circulated yesterday that ex-Bruins goalie ''Days Gone'' Byron Dafoe had signed a deal with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Not so fast, said his Concord-based agent, Bryant McBride.

''We've been talking to a number of clubs, Atlanta one of them, but there's nothing new to report,'' said McBride. ''It could change quickly, but there's nothing yet.''

Realistically, there are three potential landing spots for the 31-year-old Dafoe, who averaged slightly more than $3 million a year in his last three years with Boston. Atlanta makes sense, but so do both metro New York squads, the Rangers and Islanders. All three clubs are struggling, and none of them has a clear-cut No. 1 for the net.

The Rangers, who extended Mike Richter's deal for two years over the summer, have an $8 million commitment tied up in their veteran backstop. However, he is currently sidelined with a concussion, after a 2001-02 season that ended with a fractured skull. Young backup Dan Blackburn doesn't appear ready for prime time.

The Islanders, rumored to be talking with Boston about flipping goalie prospect Rick DiPietro to the Hub for holdout Kyle McLaren, aren't getting consistent netminding from either Chris Osgood or Garth Snow.

The Thrashers, all but left for dead the first three weeks of the season, got it going a little with Finland's Pasi Nurminen in their net. But Nurminen faltered badly over the weekend, and that could be enough for general manager Don Waddell finally to pony up the dough for a legit No. 1 such as Dafoe.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Herald 11/18/02

Boston Herald 11/18/02

Injury fells Axelsson

WILMINGTON - The Bruins may have lost more than a point when John LeClair tied Saturday night's game in Philadelphia late in the third period. The B's may also have lost another player to their growing injury list, at least for the short term.


Winger P.J. Axelsson, who has scored four goals in his last five games, reaggravated a knee sprain he's been nursing for the past couple of weeks when he collided with Philly's Mark Recchi in overtime.

When asked yesterday if he might miss time because of the injury, Axelsson said, ``I might, yeah.''

Axelsson, who did not skate during practice at Ristuccia Arena, has been fitted for a brace and is waiting for the device to arrive. He said it was a medial collateral ligament sprain.

``It's just a mild sprain, but it's the fact that I keep re-doing it all the time,'' said Axelsson, who has been skating on a line with Brian Rolston and Rob Zamuner. ``It's just part of the game. But when it comes to your knees, you don't want to push it too hard.''

Knuble practices

Mike Knuble skated for the first time since suffering a concussion on a hit from the Sabres' Rhett Warrener last Tuesday in Buffalo. The B's winger said he felt no residual effects of the head injury.

Knuble still needs to pass a league-mandated cognitive test for players coming back from concussions. And, regardless of the outcome of the exam, neither Knuble nor coach Robbie Ftorek thought he'd play tomorrow night against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

``We're going to have to see, but I don't think so,'' said Ftorek. ``I don't feel confident that, after being off for a week, that he'll be ready to go. I've got to talk to him, but he only has (today to practice) and then, boom, he's jumping into a game and I don't know if that's a real smart thing to do.''

Knuble understands the careful approach.

``I think with your head you want to be even more cautious about it and you want to make sure that everything is OK,'' said Knuble. ``I think the guideline around here is that you're going to be out at least one week, which I think is a good idea.''

The setback came at an inopportune time for Knuble, who'd been skating on the first line with center Joe Thornton and Glen Murray. Knuble had notched a point in five of his previous seven games before getting hurt.

``When things aren't going well for you, that's when it seems you're 100 percent healthy all the time,'' said Knuble. ``It's frustrating, but you have to have the confidence that you can get back to that point and that you can do it again.''

Samsonov, Lapointe skate

Left winger Sergei Samsonov skated with the team but did minimal activity with his sprained wrist and is expected to miss the Toronto game. Right winger Martin Lapointe, meanwhile, is expected to skate today for the first time since breaking his foot. . . .

Former Bruins goalie Byron Dafoe's camp has been in contact with the New York Rangers, who are still assessing Mike Richter's post-concussion status.

 

[the mugs]

Herald 11/19/02

Herald 11/19/02

Lapointe in slow motion

WILMINGTON - Martin Lapointe took to the ice for the first time yesterday since breaking his left foot on Oct. 17. And Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek didn't exactly paint the prettiest picture of the stocky forward's brief workout.


``He looked like a rhinoceros trying to start off,'' Ftorek cracked.

While Lapointe said he took it slow in the 15-minute skate, Ftorek is taking his usual cautious approach, perhaps even moreso, about the winger's comeback because of Lapointe's history with hamstring problems.

``I told him, no stops and starts, and he's out there . . . he wants to do everything yesterday,'' Ftorek said. ``It's not his foot that I'm worried about, it's the groin and hamstring and everything else. It's just like training camp. So I guess I'm going to have to talk to him a little more.''

Lapointe said that he felt fine going straight ahead and crossing over on his right foot, but crossing over on his left was still a little bothersome. And while Ftorek was concerned about him overdoing it, Lapointe seemed committed to taking his rehab carefully.

``I've got to stretch before I go on (the ice) and stretch after and I've got to take it slow,'' said Lapointe, who missed 14 games last year with hamstring problems. ``When you go out and try to do too much, that's when you pull a hamstring or a groin or whatever, so I have to make sure I do a lot of stretching and it's why I only skated for 15 minutes.''

Lapointe, waiting to see how the foot responds to yesterday's skate, has set no target date for a return.

``It's just the first day and we'll see how it is (today). If it's sore or swollen, we'll go from there,'' Lapointe said.

The B's have survived remarkably well without the services of both Lapointe and Sergei Samsonov, which has made Lapointe's time on the shelf slightly more palatable.

``I do watch them and it's been better than I thought it would be. The team's been winning and obviously you want that as a teammate and that's all I'm looking at. And when you come back, you want the team to keep winning,'' Lapointe said. ``As a hockey player, you want to be out there. You don't want to be on the sidelines. I'm the type of guy who wants to be out there all the time and when I'm not, it can be tough. But when the team is winning, it's easier.''

Lapointe also knows that, with the success of the team in his absence, just where he'll be plugged into the lineup might be complicated. He'd been a fixture on the third line with Brian Rolston and P.J. Axelsson, currently on the shelf with a knee sprain. Rob Zamuner has stepped onto that line recently and the unit had played well. The better fit for Lapointe could be on the second line with Jozef Stumpel.

Whatever the case, Lapointe is not concerning himself too much about where he'll land at this stage.

``That's something I can't control. The only thing I can control is working hard to get back in shape and then, from there, earn my spot,'' Lapointe said. ``I truly believe that no spot is acquired until you prove that you earn it. That's one of the challenges I'm going to face, and challenges are good for you. It makes you a better player. It's when you have no challenge that you tend to be in a comfort zone and you don't push yourself.

``That's one thing I'm going to have to do, push myself to get better and make sure I earn my spot.''

 

[ND2002HORNS]

mugs,

I like the Bruins in this spot tonight. What do you think? Thoughts? Side or Total?

HORNS

 

[the mugs]

I'm trying to be objective but I am leaning towards the B's tonight. Toronto has been a thorn in their side over the past few years but I think Cujo had a lot to do with that. Bruins are hot and I'm not sold on the Leaf "D" or the Eagle in net.

I am AWFUL at totals so I don't usually play them.

Hope this helps. Do you have any more pics???

Mugs

One other note, heard on the radio today that Jonathan Girard will be on left wing on a line with Thornton.