Allison ends drought with a game-winner

[ Game summary ]

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 1/25/2001 ORONTO - The 400-pound gorilla and the grand piano are finally off his back. The albatross is no longer around his neck.

Jason Allison scored a goal last night - the winner, no less - at 6:53 of the third period, lifting the Bruins to a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. The win ended the Bruins' losing skid at three games.

It was the first tally for Allison since Dec. 21, also against Toronto, a span of 15 games.

Allison certainly made it look easy, with a little help from the Maple Leafs' defense. Allison, skating in on a two-on-two, made a move on defenseman Cory Cross in the right circle and went to cut inside. Cross lost his footing, giving Allison plenty of time. He skated the puck into the slot and roofed a shot over goalie Curtis Joseph.

Allison, like many of his teammates, has had trouble producing. Along with the goal, he has just seven assists in those 15 games, and has been held pointless in 10 of them.

When asked if this was a giant load off his back, Allison said, ''Definitely. It's never fun to be in a drought, especially when your team needs some goals.

''Sometimes you get chances and you hit the post. I've hit some posts or the goalie has made some big saves and I've just missed some shots. After that happens a few times, it seems like you start gripping your stick a little tighter and they don't come as easy.''

Coach Mike Keenan said he thinks last night's goal will go a long way toward helping Allison regain his confidence.

''That's a big goal for him,'' said Keenan. ''Not only being able to score a goal but a big goal, a very important goal against a real top goaltender. It's going to help him for sure.''

Keenan made it crystal clear dreadful efforts such as Monday night's loss to Florida were not acceptable. He expected a much better start from his team than he had been getting in the three-game losing streak. He got it. The Bruins came out much more focused, with more jump and more determination.

''We had a lot more energy going into this game, and that was very apparent,'' said Keenan. ''We had the big win in New Jersey, we were flat to start the game in Carolina. We responded during the game but it was too late to recover. The game we felt we had the opportunity to win was in Nashville and we just couldn't put the puck in the net.''

The Maple Leafs got on the board early in the first period, with Mats Sundin potting his 17th goal of the year, at even strength just 3:38 into the action.

Sundin, who has been struggling offensively, relayed a pass to Steve Thomas, who dropped it right back atop the right circle. Sundin ripped a shot that beat goalie Byron Dafoe to the far side. It was Sundin's first goal in four games and just his fourth in 14.

''I think I should've had it,'' said Dafoe, who made his 18th consecutive start and had 20 saves. ''I think it slipped under my pad.

''I was really impressed with how we came back after they scored. We stayed with them and came back and got a big goal and then basically played with them the rest of the game and waited for our chance.

''Fortunately, Jason came up with a great individual effort and came up with a huge goal late in the game.

''He's been playing very well for us. He's just not getting the numbers. People have to realize he doesn't always have to put up points to play well. He's done very well in our own end and on big draws. He's had some tough luck.''

The Bruins tied it midway through the first period with a goal from an unlikely source: role-playing forward Andrei Nazarov. Mikko Eloranta flung the puck at the net, it hit the outside of the cage, and then it bounced out in front for Nazarov, who fired it past Joseph to make it 1-1 at 9:28. It was the first goal for Nazarov since Oct. 16, when he was still playing for Anaheim.

Then Allison came through, and the Bruins had something to celebrate.

''We have to realize we can play like this every night,'' said Dafoe. ''There's no reason why we can't. If we can do it against the great teams, we should definitely be able to do it more so against the not-so-great teams. Tonight was just another effort that proves that.''

This story ran on page 01 of the Boston Globe on 1/25/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.