Wednesday's Bruins...

[the mugs]

Frogy...Any Canadien info you have is appreciated.

Jim

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BOSTON BRUINS at
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Wednesday, March 6, 2002
Molson Centre; Montreal, Quebec
7:30 pm (ET) - Gametime
7:00 pm (ET) - Bruins Digest
NESN
Tonight's Game
The Bruins visit the Canadiens tonight in the fifth and final game between these teams this season and the third and final game of this season's series at the Molson Centre. The Bruins are 32-19-5-7 overall this season with a 13-11-4-3 record on the road. The Canadiens are 26-25-8-3 overall this season with a 15-11-4-1 record on home ice. The Bruins are 8-6-1-1 vs. Northeast Division opponents thus far this season and are 24-13-2-5 overall vs. Eastern Conference foes. The Canadiens are 3-7-3-1 vs. Northeast Division opponents thus far this season and are 18-16-6-3 overall vs. Eastern Conference foes.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins are 248-307-102-0 lifetime vs. the Canadiens with Montreal holding a 1996-1753 scoring edge in those 657 games. On the road, the Bruins are 96-186-46-0 lifetime vs. Montreal with the Canadiens holding a 1107-780 scoring advantage in those 328 contests. The Bruins are 3-1-0-0 vs. Montreal in this season's series thus far with a 5-3 win in Boston on Nov. 13, 3-2 loss in Montreal on Nov. 20, 5-0 victory in Boston on Dec. 20 and 4-3 overtime win in Montreal on Jan. 30.

Recent Bruins Games
The Bruins are winless in their four games following the Olympic break at 0-3-1-0 with a 3-3 tie at the NY Islanders on Feb. 26, a 6-2 loss to Carolina on Feb. 28, a 4-3 setback in Buffalo on Mar. 1 and a 4-1 loss to Philadelphia on Mar. 4. Their last win was a 2-1 overtime victory in Vancouver on Feb. 12. The three-game losing streak and four-game winless stretch is their longest since a season-high four-game losing streak from Jan. 20-24.

The Bruins are 6-4-2-0 in their last 12 games and have taken points out of 15 of their last 22 games at 10-7-2-3.

The Bruins are 6-3-1-1 in their last 11 home games and are 14-6-1-2 in their last 23 home contests. They are 3-2-1-0 in their last six road games and are 8-5-1-2 in their last 16 road contests.

Recent Canadiens Games
The Canadiens are 2-2-0-0 in their four games following the Olympic break with a 5-2 loss to Ottawa on Feb. 26, 3-2 win in Chicago on Feb. 27, 4-3 loss to Carolina on Mar. 2 and 5-3 win over Atlanta on Mar. 4. They are 8-6-3-1 in their last 15 games overall.

Upcoming Bruins Games
The Bruins will conclude their current two-game road trip in Atlanta on Mar. 8 (7:30 p.m.; NESN & WBZ Radio). They will return to the FleetCenter to host Calgary on Mar. 9 (7:00 p.m.; UPN38 & WBZ Radio).

Upcoming Canadiens Games
The Canadiens will next face the Sabres in Buffalo on Mar. 8, returning home to host Toronto on Mar. 9.

Bruins Injuries
Mike Knuble: Sore back; day-to-day.
Kyle McLaren: Dec. 28 surgery to repair a torn right wrist ligament; out indefinitely.
Rob Zamuner: Hip flexor strain; day-to-day.
Joe Thornton C League Suspension Elig to return March 8th
Total Man-Games Lost: 131

Bruins Recent Transactions
Feb. 26: Andrew Raycroft recalled from Providence/AHL and returned to Providence/AHL after game.
Feb. 28: Andy Hilbert recalled from Providence/AHL.
Mar. 1: Joe Thornton suspended by NHL for three games.

Canadiens Injuries
Donald Audette: Left forearm laceration; out indefinitely.
Sheldon Souray: Fractured wrist; out indefinitely.
Benoit Gratton: Left ankle sprain; 3-4 weeks.
Saku Koivu C Lymphoma Exp out for season

 

[the mugs]

Recent Meetings
Date Home Away Line ATS
1/30/2002 Mtl. 3 Bos. 4 0,105/5 Bos./O
12/20/2001 Bos. 5 Mtl. 0 0,-200/5 Bos./P
11/20/2001 Mtl. 3 Bos. 2 0,100/5 Mtl./P
11/13/2001 Bos. 5 Mtl. 3 0,-200/5 Bos./O

Recent Trends
BOS is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.
Bruins have lost their last three games ATS.
Over is 3-1 in BOS's last four games.
MON is 2-4 ATS in their last six games.
Over is 3-0-1 in Habs last four games.
Under is 17-10 in MON home games this season.

(Initially looks like an OVER play tonight???)

 

[the mugs]

Thornton, McLaren, Lapointe, Zaumner & Knuble

Thornton, McLaren, Lapointe, Zaumner & Knuble

Discipline the key

When Robbie Ftorek took over as coach of the Bruins last year, he had a discussion with Joe Thornton on the topic of discipline. He knew how talented Thornton was, but he also knew that with a pair of two-game suspensions levied against him last season, there was room for improvement.

Last Friday, the NHL again suspended Thornton, this time three games for a cross-checking incident in the previous night's game against Carolina, but Ftorek said the circumstances were extenuating. The contest had deteriorated after Hurricanes defenseman Sean Hill laid a knee-to-knee hit on Sergei Samsonov.

''That particular game, it was very difficult because we weren't getting very many breaks [in terms of] calls or anything, and there was some bad stuff going on,'' said Ftorek. ''It's unfortunate, but that happens.''

Despite the ramifications, Guerin, for one, wants Thornton to retain his feisty nature.

''That's just something that Joe has got to learn to control and use it at the right time,'' said Guerin.

''His head is always thinking good thoughts. He's never doing it for selfish reasons. He was trying to get the guys going or stick up for guys. That's something you don't want to take away from him.''

It was a lesson Guerin had to learn when he was just starting out with the New Jersey Devils.

''I know when I was young, you just get so caught up in the game that you do the wrong things at the wrong time,'' said Guerin. ''That's what veterans are for, that's what older guys on the team are for, to watch them and learn from them.''

''I guess I have to be like that for Joe, and Marty[ Lapointe will be], too. He is a repeat offender and he's got to be careful now, but he is what he is and that's a good thing. Nobody ever told Cam Neely to take it easy, and that's one of the things that made him great.''

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Making his point

Lapointe, who returned Monday after a month-long absence because of a hamstring injury, said he came through the game against Philadelphia just fine. ''I wanted to get back into the lineup,'' said Lapointe, who skated yesterday. ''Just getting a chance to play, especially a team like Philly, it was a big challenge for us. I wanted to go out there and make things happen.'' Ftorek acknowledged that he had trepidations about Lapointe coming back because of his physical style, which was certainly on display against the Flyers, particularly Mark Recchi. ''It'll be nice to see him a week from now still being able to do things,'' said the coach. ''I'm real nervous yet, still. You have to be patient.'' ...

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Defenseman Kyle McLaren continues to make progress in his recovery from wrist surgery. He is due to meet with the doctor Monday and is expecting to be cleared to return to action. ''I can't see me playing before then, unless something drastic happens,'' said McLaren. ''But if everything goes well, and it keeps going the way it is, it will be next week sometime.'' ...

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Rob Zamuner, who has an ailing hip flexor, went on the ice early and departed midway through practice. ''He's probably questionable for [tonight] and probable for Atlanta,'' said Ftorek... Everyone but Mike Knuble(sore back) made the trip to Montreal.

 

[the mugs]

Bruins TRADE for McInnis

Bruins TRADE for McInnis

McInnis wings his way home

The Bruins acquired right wing Marty McInnis from Anaheim yesterday for a third-round pick in this year's draft. McInnis is expected to be in the lineup when the Bruins face the Canadiens tonight.

McInnis, 31, grew up in Hingham and played three seasons at Boston College (1988-91).

''Marty is a local product whom we know well,'' said general manager Mike O'Connell. ''He's a good skater with a good shot and he will be able to play on our top two lines.''

McInnis said he is happy to be coming home and had already spoken with former BC teammate Bill Guerin. He had heard the trade rumors.

''I heard a little bit of something but you hear a lot of things,'' said McInnis. ''It was in the paper a couple of weeks ago, but it's always kind of a shock. I'm really excited to be going home and playing hockey.''

This is the culmination of a dream he's had since he was a youngster.

''I used to think about it when I was younger but you never really think it would happen,'' said McInnis. ''It's great, actually.

''[In Anaheim], things weren't going well. We lost a lot of close games and obviously, when you're losing, they're going to make changes and this is one of them.''

McInnis also knows Bruins forward Glen Murray and defenseman Hal Gill. He believes he can fit in here, no matter what is asked of him.

''They have a real good team and a real good record, so I just want to do whatever,'' he said.

McInnis was drafted 163d overall by the Islanders in 1988 and had his best season on the Island in 1993-94, with 25 goals and 56 points. He was traded to Calgary in 1997, and dealt to Anaheim in 1998.

McInnis scored 20 goals last season and had modest numbers (9 goals, 14 assists in 60 games) this season. At 5 feet 11 inches and 184 pounds, McInnis is not a banger, but should fit into the Bruins' quick-attacking forechecking game.

 

[saint]

sorry for posting mugs, thought this was interested article on bruins...do you know who's in net tonight?

B's still think of rivalry (Boston herald)

by Joe Gordon
Wednesday, March 6, 2002

P.J. Axelsson, who grew up in Sweden and didn't start playing for the Bruins until 1997, had no real way of understanding what the Boston-Montreal rivalry used to mean to the city.


He never experienced the depth of the emotions or the sting of the misery wrought on the Bruins by the Canadiens. Yesterday, a longtime observer was the first person who ever told him the story of the too many men on the ice penalty that cost the B's a probable Stanley Cup, instead losing in the 1979 semifinals.

Axelsson, a smart man of 27 years, will play as hard as he can in Montreal tonight at the Molson Centre when his team faces the Habs for the fifth and final time of the season. With Joe Thornton out for the final game of his league-imposed three-game suspension, Axelsson likely will skate the left wing position with Bill Guerin and Brian Rolston as the team tries to bounce back from three straight losses. The intensity of the rivalry just doesn't seem the same, though, and Axelsson came up with the probable answer.

``During the period I've been here there hasn't been that great rivalry,'' Axelsson said. ``That rivalry usually starts in the playoffs and goes on to the next season. We haven't played them in the playoffs.''

He was correct. The last playoff meeting between the teams was in 1994 when the Bruins won in seven games.

``But the fire is still burning there,'' assured Guerin, who was born in Worcester, raised in Wilbraham and grew up a Bruins fan who suffered along with his team.

``It's always fun to go up and play against them,'' he said. ``I think it brings the best out of both teams, hopefully out of us. We just have to go up there and forget about what's happened (in the last three games).

``I think (the rivalry) changed along with the game. There are a lot more teams in the league. There are fewer games against Montreal and they're more spread out. The rivalry is still there, but it's tougher for it to get heated. They used to play (many more) games a year. That makes a big difference.''

The Bruins won three of the first four meetings this season and their 76 points represent a 13-point bulge over the Canadiens, despite the B's dismal performance since the Olympic break, having gained only a single point of a possible eight.

B's coach Robbie Ftorek, who grew up as a high school hockey legend in Needham and a fan of the Big Bad Bruins, believes the rivalry is felt by those who play the games.

``When you get on the ice it feels the same,'' Ftorek said. ``You know it's very hard to win in Montreal. It always is. There's a heightened intensity. You may not see it or feel it, but the (players) do.''

Meanwhile, the job of filling out the left wing slot on a high-powered line with Guerin and Rolston falls to Axelsson, who is playing with two of the top shooters in the NHL, Guerin racking up 273 in just 59 games and Rolston with 264 in 63 games.

``You want to get the puck to goal scorers,'' said Axelsson of Guerin (34) and Rolston (26). ``They both shoot the puck very often. . . . Of course, you try to get them the puck. But I'm not trying to change my game.

``I think we played better (in a 4-1 loss to the Flyers on Monday), but I still think we have to improve some more. When things are not going your way you have to work a little bit harder.''

 

[the mugs]

No prob Saint...That's the reason why I do this "Bruin Page".

I'm gonna guess the DaFoe will play tonight but I haven't heard yet.

Jim

 

[vindy]

Hackett in goal for the habs, very surprised considering this is a huge game for the habs.

 

[Sports Junkie]

Showcasing for a trade...