Wednesday's PLAYOFF Bruins...

[the mugs]

Scruff is coming in nicely

B's have to nail any and all chances against Brodeur and hope their goaltending keeps them in it....That's really their only shot at this...

BOSTON BRUINS at NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Wednesday, April 9, 2003
Continental Airlines Arena; E. Rutherford NJ
7:00 PM (ET) - Gametime

Tonight?s Game
The Bruins visit the Devils tonight in the first game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Quarter-Final series.

Lifetime Series
The Bruins and Devils are meeting for the fourth time in post-season play with the Devils holding a two-to-one series lead, an 11-7 edge in playoff games played and a 55-52 scoring edge in those 18 post-season games. The Bruins won the first series between these teams with a four games to three victory in the 1988 Prince of Wales Conference Championship series. The Devils won the next two series with a four games to two victory in the 1994 Eastern Conference Semi-Final series and a four games to one win in the 1995 Eastern Conference Quarter-Final series.

Bruins Regular Season Recap
The Bruins finished the regular season with a 36-31-11-4 record, 23-11-5-2 at home and 13-20-6-2 on the road. The Bruins were 9-9-1-1 vs. Northeast Division opponents and were 27-22-9-2 overall vs. Eastern Conference opponents. They outscored opponents by a 245-237 margin while outshooting opponents, 2636-2322, on the season. They finished the season taking points out of six of their last eight games (3-2-0-3) and 12 of their last 17 contests (8-5-3-1). The Bruins were 3-3-3-0 in the nine games since Mike O'Connell replaced Robbie Ftorek behind the bench on Mar. 21.

Recent Devils Games
The Devils finished the regular season with a 46-20-10-6 record, 25-11-3-2 at home and 21-9-7-4 on the road. The Devils were 13-2-5-0 vs. Atlantic Division opponents and were 33-15-10-2 overall vs. Eastern Conference opponents. They outscored opponents by a 216-166 margin on the season. They finished the season taking points out of their last 11 straight games at 6-0-4-1.

Upcoming Series Schedule
The Bruins and Devils will play game two of this series in New Jersey on Friday, April 11 (7:00 p.m.). The series will then shift to Boston for game three on Sunday, April 13 (3:00 p.m.) and game four on Tuesday, April 15 (7:00 p.m.). All games will be broadcast on both NESN and WBZ Radio. If necessary, game five will be in New Jersey on Thursday, April 17 (7:00 p.m.), game six in Boston on Saturday, April 19 (time TBA) with game seven in New Jersey on Monday, April 21 (7:00 p.m.).

Bruins Injuries
Sean O'Donnell: Lower body injury; day-to-day.

Bruins April Transactions
Apr. 3: Andy Hilbert recalled from Providence/AHL.
Apr. 5: Andy Hilbert and Andrew Raycroft returned to Providence/AHL.

 

[the mugs]

Lining up

The lines at today?s (4-8-03) practice were as follows:

White: Joe Thornton, Glen Murray, Mike Knuble
Gold: Jozef Stumpel, Marty McInnis, Sergei Samsonov
Red: Brian Rolston, P.J. Axelsson, Martin Lapointe
Teal: Michal Grosek, Rob Zamuner, Lee Goren
Gray: P.J. Stock, Sean Brown, Krzysztof Oliwa

 

[the mugs]

Injuries

Injuries

Boston Injuries
Richard Brennan D Ankle Out indefinitely
Andrew Raycroft G Groin day-to-day
Jeff Hackett G Finger Ques Wed

New Jersey Injuries
Sergei Brylin C Wrist Early May
Mike Danton F Suspension Out indefinitely

 

[the mugs]

bostonbruins.com

bostonbruins.com

O?Donnell to be reevaluated

Sean O?Donnell has had his foot injury reexamined, because the pain had not subsided.

?O?Donnell had to get re-looked at,? said O?Connell. ?The bruise on his foot is hurting still.

?It would be tough [to lose him], because he is a very important part of our team, but we?ll see how he feels later on. I?ll have a better indication later on.?

 

[the mugs]

Recent Meetings

Recent Meetings

Date Home Away Line ATS
4/3/2003 NJ 1 Bos. 1 -0.5,-200/5 Bos./U (02-03)
3/13/2003 Bos. 4 NJ 3 0.5,-145/5 Bos./O
2/21/2003 NJ 3 Bos. 2 -0.5,-150/5 NJ/P
12/30/2002 Bos. 0 NJ 1 -0.5,105/5 NJ/U

4/7/2002 NJ 3 Bos. 2 0,-155/5 NJ/P (01-02)
11/15/2001 Bos. 5 NJ 4 0,110/5 Bos./O
11/3/2001 NJ 1 Bos. 2 0,-230/5 Bos./U
10/30/2001 Bos. 3 NJ 4 0,110/5 NJ/O

4/6/2001 NJ 5 Bos. 2 0,-240/6 NJ/O (00-01)
1/27/2001 Bos. 4 NJ 3 0,155/5.5 Bos./O

 

[the mugs]

Recent Trends

Recent Trends

The under is 9-2 in BOS's last 11 overall.
BOS is 8-20 ATS in their last 28 road games.
BOS is 1-6 overall ATS playing on 3+ days rest.
NJ is 2-5 ATS in their last seven overall.
NJ's last three overall have played under.
The under is 8-4 when NJ's on two days rest.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Globe 4-9-03

Boston Globe 4-9-03

Some real good info here today...

Shields likely to get the call


General manager/coach Mike O'Connell still wasn't saying, but all signs at practice yesterday pointed to Steve Shields getting the call in net tonight when the Bruins open their first-round series against the New Jersey Devils at the Meadowlands.

O'Connell said he hadn't made up his mind, but both Jeff Hackett and Tim Thomas were on the ice quite a bit longer than Shields, and Shields said he felt ''dynamite.''

Hackett, battling back from a broken finger, has had two straight workouts with his teammates, but ''dynamite'' wasn't a word that came to mind when describing his demeanor yesterday. ''Frustrated'' seemed a better term.

Hackett badly wants to play, but his finger is still painful; one injury you can't rush back from is a broken bone. But Hackett is close, and if Shields falters in Game 1, look for Hackett to step in for Game 2.

=====

Suiting up

The players didn't seem nervous about heading into the playoffs, but the rookie coach did. Tonight will mark O'Connell's first postseason game as an NHL coach.

''I'm nervous and excited,'' said O'Connell. ''It reminds you of when you played. Your timetable is all the same. In fact, you're here a little earlier than you were as a player, but getting ready for the game, your preparation, it's very similar to when you played.

''So, yeah, all those feelings come back a bit, but you're wearing a suit. I don't know how it's all going to play out. We'll know in two weeks. Experience or no experience, it really comes down to how much you want it, how much the players want it, and some of the breaks.''

=====

Scratch O'Donnell

The Bruins will take a hit by not having defenseman Sean O'Donnell, who will be sidelined for at least Game 1 because of a bruised foot. ''It'll be tough,'' said O'Connell. ''He's a very important part of our team.'' O'Donnell skated Monday but said [the foot] wasn't ready to go. ''There were certain movements that were OK, but I certainly couldn't do everything I need to do to play in a game,'' said O'Donnell. ''We'll wait a day or two and try to skate again. It's day to day. It's not a break, but they just said there's some stuff in there and you just have to give it some time and try to stay off it as much as you can. I'll just keep icing it and taking anti-inflammatories. When it's ready to go, it's ready to go. It's not fun. You never like to be injured. The timing isn't what I hoped for, but there's not much you can do about it.'' O'Donnell was injured in the next-to-last regular-season game (also against New Jersey) six days ago. He thought skipping the regular-season finale against Buffalo Saturday would give him enough time to mend. Don Sweeney appears to be the one to take O'Donnell's place.

=====

"D" Pairings

The pairings yesterday were:

Ian Moran - Bryan Berard
Sweeney- Dan McGillis
Hal Gill - Nick Boynton.

The lines look to be:
Mike Knuble - Joe Thornton - Glen Murray
Sergei Samsonov - Jozef Stumpel - Marty McInnis
P.J. Axelsson - Brian Rolston - Marty Lapointe
Rob Zamuner - Michal Grosek - Lee Goren

 

[the mugs]

Globe 4-9

Globe 4-9

Elements of surprise in this series


All three Bruins goaltenders are healthy, at least healthy enough for postseason work. But general manager/coach Mike O'Connell isn't sure, or isn't saying, who will tote glove, blocker, and paddle tonight when his charges face the Devils in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Depending on the choice, we'll all be surprised to some degree when, come game time, the Mysterious Mr. X takes his place in net. Once past the ''Hmmm'' stage - be it Steve Shields (hmm ...), Tim Thomas (hmmmmmmmm ...), or Jeff Hackett (HMMMM!!!!) - we then can sit back and start to second-guess the decision.

Such is the state of Boston goaltending with 82 games gone: a surprise in every cage.

However, there are more significant surprises to be concerned with at this time of year. Take last April, for instance. Take it, that is, if you can withstand the pain of the memory.

''The biggest thing you learn,'' said Bruins winger Mike Knuble, ''is the pit you have in your stomach when a series ends. That's what we learned last year, getting beat and thinking what could have been, what should have happened.''

With emotions stoked high after finishing first overall in the 2001-02 regular season, the Bruins got themselves bushwhacked by the small, shifty, and unrelenting Canadiens forwards, who showed up as miniaturized, steroidized versions of their great, great Habs grandfathers.

Who's in net tonight? Compared with the surprise of a year ago, when the sky came crashing down roughly six weeks short of a Cup parade, the netminding decision registers at about the weight of a half-cup of ice shavings.

By comparison, the Devils present somewhat of a reassuring opponent. When the puck drops tonight, the Devils no doubt will be the team the Bruins expect. No one on or around the Boston bench will be looking up at, say, the 2:38 mark of the first and bellowing, ''Who are those guys?!''

The Canadiens of a year ago were quick-change artists, and they ultimately undressed the Bruins.

The Devils aren't going to be anything but what they've been all year: defensive-minded, goalie-oriented, scoring-phobic, and extremely difficult to beat. They have a hard time scoring, an even harder time on the power play, but their front-to-back defense and their Mountain Man in net, Martin Brodeur, make them legitimate Cup contenders.

Think back to the days when Pat Burns, the New Jersey coach, was Boston's bench boss. Shortly before he was cashiered on Causeway, Burns heard his game plan depicted as a ''0-0-5'' checking scheme by his boss, Harry Sinden. Take that 0-0-5 and stick Brodeur behind it, and what you've got is a club that tied with Philadelphia (now there's a surprise) for the fewest goals-against all season.

''We know they're going to trap us up through the neutral zone,'' said Bruins center Brian Rolston, an ex-Devil well-acquainted with New Jersey's Brodeur-and-broad-shoulder approach. ''We've got to get through there with speed, or chip it in and go get it - and no turnovers in the neutral zone, because they just thrive on that.''

The Bruins are near-polar opposites of their Northeast Corridor neighbors. Their goaltending remains suspect, their front-to-back defense a shift-to-shift uncertainty. What they do have is offensive pop. Their 245 goals ranked them second only to Ottawa (263) in the Northeast Division, and both New Jersey (216) and Tampa Bay (219) won divisions with less striking power. The spend-heavy Dallas Stars, as a matter of fact, only matched the Bruins witih 245 goals and finished first overall in the West.

If the Bruins have a chance, it resembles that of a salesman trying to get a foot in the door, because the Devils will be hard-pressed to score if the Bruins get the early lead. Plan A in New Jersey is to score first and nurse it. Better yet, try to build it to a 2-0 lead and then hand the whole thing, pucks and sticks and Zamboni keys, over to Brodeur.

Plan B ... well, there is no Plan B, not with Petr Sykora now a proud member of the Disney Ducks and Jason Arnott in Dallas. Those two ex-Devils combined for 57 goals this season. Pack that kind of punch into the current model, even with the conservative Burns running the show, and the Devils might be headed into the second season as prohibitive favorites to win the Cup.

Thirty-one years removed from their last Cup, the Bruins resume their seemingly endless pursuit again tonight. To get on that road to another party in Government Center, they first must pay a toll at Exit 16W - and Brodeur is working the booth.

''He's been so good, for so long,'' said Knuble. ''He just never beats himself. There's never a game when he's his own worst enemy. In just about every series they've won, he's been the difference-maker. He's just done it time and time again. I guess you'd have to say he's part of their mystique.

''The key is, you can't change anything in what you do. If there's a shot, you have to take it. They want you to second-guess yourself, maybe look to pass instead of shoot. And then you know what happens - they get it, transition, and you're going the other way.

''It's kind of like golf; you can't be thinking about hitting the ball down the middle of the fairway with trees on both sides. You think, and sure enough, it's going in the trees. We've shown all year we can score.''

Now they have to show they can keep scoring. If so, then the biggest surprise of all will be on the other guy.

 

[the mugs]

Globe 4-9

Globe 4-9

Bruins hope to find their second wind

The talking is all but over, and the matchups on paper won't mean one whit when the puck is dropped tonight at the Meadowlands for the beginning of the best-of-seven opening-round series between the Bruins and New Jersey Devils.

Sure, the clubs matched up well during the regular season (New Jersey won the series, 2-1-1), but that doesn't mean anything either. What's more, the Bruins are just as happy to put their last 82 contests behind them. No longer do they want to hear about their great start, their roller coaster middle, and their mediocre finish. What matters is how they do from now on.

''We've seen the bottom and we've seen the ups and downs,'' said defenseman Hal Gill. ''The best thing about the playoffs is you either do it or you don't. There's no, `Hey, let's turn it around.' There's no mulling it, thinking about things. You've got a game, and if you don't win it, you've got to win the next one. It's not, `Let's see what happens.'

''We've got to win. We've got to go out and do our jobs. It's not as much of a mental thing [as the regular season]. All your focus is on winning the next shift, winning the next period, winning the next game. That's all we worry about. I think we play well when we play against better teams and we keep it simple. When we get that taste of blood, we have to bite.''

The Bruins are facing New Jersey in the postseason for the first time since the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, when the Devils went on to win their first Stanley Cup. One subplot is that the Bruins are going up against a former coach, Pat Burns. Gill thinks Burns is a perfect fit in New Jersey.

''He's a patient guy,'' said Gill. ''They're not afraid to take it 0-0 and go into overtime. That's a good game for them. They'll take their chances that way. Pat's always coached like that, and we have to be willing to match that patience. And, at the same time, when we have a chance, we've got to take it and bury it.''

Bruins general manager/coach Mike O'Connell said he and his team know pretty well what to expect.

''You know how Pat's teams play, they play hard,'' said O'Connell. ''His team is playing very well right now and they've played well all year. It's going to be difficult.

''Every coach, every team, and every organization has their signature. Their signature is solid defense and minimize mistakes and he's bought into it and he's got them all to buy into it, too.''

The Bruins' weakness all year has been a tendency to force plays that aren't there. If they do that in this series, they know the Devils will eat them for lunch.

''I think that's the biggest thing about the playoffs,'' said Gill. ''I know last year we wanted to go out there [in the first round against Montreal] and bury them, and you can't do that. You've got to take your time and pick your spots, and if it's not there, you can't force it.

''We've just got to keep chipping away at it, get it in on them, and work them and try to spend as much time in their end as possible.''

If there are teams the Bruins can gamble against, this is not one of them.

''They're good at just kind of sitting back,'' said Gill. ''They don't give up a lot but they don't really attack you at all. They bend without breaking. We've got to be smart and not give them anything that will break you. They'll wait in the center and give you the outside and you keep taking the outside and you keep taking the outside until you think you have something in the middle and then they take it and they're gone.

''They're quick and they transition fast, and we have to match their intensity that way.

''Everyone's excited. During the season everyone's looking forward to it, and finally we're here. I think we have a good shot against this team. I think we match up with them.''

Ultimately, it could be a long series but one that won't necessarily excite the fans.

''It's going to be a boring series, a lot of defensive hockey,'' said Gill. ''But there's a lot of talent out there, so we'll see.''

 

[the mugs]

Globe 4-9

Globe 4-9

A huge hand in this

Samsonov's return buoys playoff hopes

He woke up Sunday morning trying to sort out the pain in his wrist. Was it soreness? Soreness is something Sergei Samsonov can live with, from now until the end of the Bruins' playoff run, however long that might be. But the other pain, the kind that sends jolts of electric agony through the bone, well, that would be too much to bear.

''It's been tough,'' said Samsonov's agent, Neil Abbott. ''The unfortunate part about this injury was it was something that happened 12 years ago that came back to haunt him.''

Twelve years ago, when Samsonov was living in Russia, he broke his wrist. The doctors put it in a cast, but, as Abbott explained, ''The cast probably wasn't snug enough, so the bone didn't heal fully. There was a certain spot where, when he got bumped, there was a bone fragment suddenly adrift.''

Samsonov is an offensive specialist. His unusual ability to control the puck, his heralded ''drag and curl'' move, often befuddles even the best defensemen and goaltenders, and requires a wrist that allows him the full range of motion with a minimal amount of discomfort. For 31/2 months, since Samsonov underwent surgery, he has been waiting for his wrist to reach that threshold.

''It's going to hurt,'' Samsonov reported after a team workout at the FleetCenter Sunday. ''I feel it. But I'm a lot more comfortable than a month ago. What soreness I have now is from the fact I had surgery, and they cut through the muscles - not soreness from the bone.''

This is excellent news. The Bruins, who open their first-round playoff series tonight in New Jersey, have been aching for their left winger, who put 70 points on the board a year ago. Sure, the Black and Gold can count on some production from Joe Thornton, Glen Murray, and Mike Knuble, but wouldn't it be nice to have legitimate scoring threats on the other shifts as well?

There were days (many of them) when Samsonov's pain left him moping on the couch, forced to watch games from his living room. Much has happened during his forced respite, including a trade that brought a new goaltender and a firing that brought a new coach.

Samsonov's prolonged absence brought about another change - in linemates. In his first game back (an 8-5 win over Buffalo Saturday), Samsonov skated with Jozef Stumpel and Marty McInnis, and he potted a goal.

Samsonov looked so good that his team is already projecting him as a potential difference-maker in this playoff series.

''I would expect Sergei to be everything he's been from the time he put on a Bruins jersey,'' GM/coach Mike O'Connell said. ''He's a dynamic player, a hard worker.''

But what about the fact that he has missed so much time? Shouldn't O'Connell take into account a certain lack of conditioning and timing?

''I'll take Sergei Samsonov with bad timing any day,'' O'Connell replied.

Told what his new coach had said, Samsonov cringed slightly.

''That's a lot of pressure,'' Samsonov said. ''Being realistic, I don't think I will be where I would be if I played the whole season. I'm still feeling out certain things. I'm thinking first before I take a stride. It may take a little while.''

Therein lies the problem. The Bruins, quite frankly, are short on time. They are playing a defensive-minded New Jersey team with home ice advantage, and they hope someone with Samsonov's instincts can help them shake their late-season mediocrity.

''Having him definitely changes the dynamics of the team,'' said goaltender Steve Shields. ''You can't just focus on one line anymore, like teams have been doing to us for the last three or four months.

''Sergei is definitely a threat to make something happen every time he's on the ice. He's one of those guys who can get around all the grabbing and hooking that goes on. The guy is not fazed by anything, and that should be something another team should be concerned about.''

''The whole team is excited about having him back,'' said McInnis. ''I expect a lot out of him. He holds onto the puck so much longer than everyone else, it gives you a chance to get open. There are only a handful of guys who have [the command] he has.''

Samsonov spent a little extra time reacquainting himself with Stumpel and McInnis, in hopes of quickly developing the chemistry that is so critical when players must rely on each other's tendencies to be successful.

''We've taken a little extra time to go over some things,'' said McInnis, ''but we've all played a lot of hockey. Sammy will be fine. He's a scary guy to play against. He can almost embarrass you with his [puck control]. If you're playing against him, you have to be real cautious around him. He's even better than I thought he was.''

Although Samsonov had been practicing for more than a week before he actually put on his game jersey, the difference quickly became apparent Saturday. As he stepped on the ice, Samsonov felt as if he were pedaling a bicycle in the middle of a freeway.

''It seemed pretty fast out there,'' Samsonov said. ''I don't think I'm 100 percent in that way. But during the game, when you are in the middle of it, you forget about everything.''

The best part was waking up Sunday morning and realizing the soreness was merely that - fatigued muscles voicing their displeasure. As for the worst part ...

''The worst part was realizing I needed the surgery,'' Samsonov said. ''I was having trouble with my wrist in October, but I didn't have the surgery until the end of December. I was trying to play through it, but after a while, I couldn't. The most frustrating part was realizing two months later surgery was what needed to be done. You wish you could take it back and do it right away.''

He probably won't be his old self until next season, but that's fine. For the moment, he can gut out the stiffness and pain that is bound to follow each game.

''Nothing pain-killers can't handle,'' Samsonov said. ''After the [Buffalo game], I knew it would be sore, but it's not like I had to go the hospital.''

Samsonov still will have to log serious time in the training room, but if that's the price to pay to be off the couch and back in the game, consider it done. He is back, gunning for the Devils and goaltender Martin Brodeur, ready to lay some of the hurt on someone else for a change.

 

[the mugs]

Boston Herald 4-9-03

Boston Herald 4-9-03

B's stay low key: Check emotions for playoff run

When the puck dropped to open the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, the only thing higher than the expectations for the Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens was their emotional level.

As it turned out, the top-seeded B's emotions ran far too high. They came out flying, but unfocused, and it helped cost them Game 1 of the series. They never did gain control from the less-talented Habs, bowing out in a six-game upset.

The Bruins are now a year older and, they hope, much wiser than last season, when they returned to the playoffs after a two-year absence. If they're able to stay disciplined, that should go a long way toward dashing the Stanley Cup dreams of the favored New Jersey Devils when the first-round series begins tonight at Continental Airlines Arena.

``I think guys realize that we can't be on the high that we were last year,'' Martin Lapointe said yesterday before the team chartered to New Jersey. ``We have to make sure we stay focused and disciplined. You win a game or you lose a game, it's only one out of seven and it's not done till the fat lady sings. We've got to make sure we bring that feeling.''

Lapointe touched on that subject when he gathered the team for a pre-playoff pep talk yesterday at the FleetCenter. Lapointe, playoff-tested from his years with Detroit, said he discussed the content of the talk with captain Joe Thornton, as well as veterans Glen Murray, Sean O'Donnell and Don Sweeney.

``It was just a matter of making sure the guys were ready,'' Lapointe said. ``We just wanted to make sure that each and every one of us has a role to play. You want to identify that and make sure you bring that to the game. The whole point is that guys have to realize that we're at the time of year that you have to make sacrifices. That's how you win in the playoffs.''

Another thing the Bruins hoped to learn is that their seed means nothing right now.

``It doesn't matter how well or how badly the regular season went, the playoffs are a new season and it doesn't matter if you finished first or eighth,'' Sergei Samsonov said. ``We've got to snap out of it and realize it's the playoffs and anything can happen. We have a lot of talent and we can go far in the playoffs, it's just a matter of putting it all together.''

And, as Samsonov put it, style points don't matter.

``Last year we just thought we were going to run Montreal out of the building and it didn't happen in the first game, didn't happen the second game. We realized that we had to change a few things,'' Samsonov said. ``I think this year we're more calm and a more mature team where we know what we need to do to win. We don't have to go out and beat the team 6-0. We don't need to put on a show. Playoffs can even be boring hockey at times. You just have to do what you need to win.''

Last season, of course, the B's lived rather charmed lives in the regular season as they finished first in the Eastern Conference. But after a 19-4-3-1 start, this season has been a daily struggle. And that can be a good thing, according to defenseman Hal Gill.

``Last year it seemed like everything was on a high and when we hit that low in the playoffs, we couldn't get out of it,'' Gill said. ``Going into the playoffs, we had fallen back a bit and we didn't know how to recover. This year, we've been battling ups and downs, highs and lows and I think we're more mature for it. Hopefully we can keep an even keel in the playoffs.''

 

[prospector]

geezuz, i just LOVE this stuff.

thanks Mugs. now even i'm ready to play!

 

[ddubs]

Good luck to you and the B's in the playoffs, mugsy

GO B's!!!!!!

 

[Vicc Inzagio]

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Well, i was thinkin' hard 'bout this game, wanted to play on NJ, but don't know way i prefer to stay away........... So hope u the best on this one mugs............... enjoy the game bud !!!!