[ Game summary ]

By Frank Dell'Apa, Globe Staff, 2/5/2002

OLUMBUS, Ohio - The Bruins' All-Stars continued their celebration last night with an 8-0 victory over a Columbus team that seemed to be taking an extended All-Star break.

Joe Thornton had a goal and two assists to take over the NHL scoring lead with 59 points - pending Markus Naslund's production in the Vancouver-Phoenix game - and Bill Guerin moved within a goal of the league lead as a hat trick brought his total to 31.

This was among the most decisive of the Bruins' 2,474 regular-season victories in their 77-year history. Only four road wins have been more decisive: 11-0 over Toronto Jan. 18, 1964; 13-3 over the Rangers Jan. 2, 1944; 9-0 over Oakland Feb. 27, 1969; and 10-1 over Quebec Nov. 7, 1981.

The Bruins dominated from the opening minutes, with Sergei Samsonov stunning Columbus by scoring 64 seconds into the contest, one-timing a centering pass from Jozef Stumpel. By the time Columbus goalie Marc Denis made a save on P.J. Axelsson in the final seconds, only a few spectators remained to contribute some derisive cheering.

The Blue Jackets seemed slow to react, either because they were out of position or because they were mesmerized by Boston's passing combinations. The Blue Jackets left the Bruins open for some incredibly easy goals and also appeared out of synch offensively.

The Bruins simply capitalized on their opportunities, and goalie John Grahame (30 saves) helped them withstand an uneven stretch of their own in the opening period. The Bruins went 18:07 of the period without scoring, but concluded the stanza with two-goal lead as Guerin roofed a shot with a quick turn after gloving down a pass from Hal Gill with 49 seconds to play.

''In the beginning we had some poor execution, but [Grahame] kept us in it,'' coach Robbie Ftorek said. ''He was big for us in the beginning. Everything was working. We passed the puck very well, and if you pass well, you score goals.

''It was the first game back [from the All-Star break] and we got some rest for some people. But in the first game back, you are going to make some mistakes, usually along the boards.''

Columbus's best chances included Lyle Odelein nearly stuffing a shot past Grahame in the opening minutes, and an Odelein shot late in the period that ended up between Grahame's skates after the goalie batted it into the air. But Jamie Rivers tied up Jody Shelley with Grahame sitting helplessly at the side of the net.

The Bruins virtually clinched the victory in the second period as Mike Knuble capitalized on a failed clearance at 4:31 and Thornton was left alone near the crease at 12:31 after Nick Boynton decked an off-balance Odelein between the faceoff circles.

Columbus suffered a major letdown in the first minute of the final period as Samsonov combined with Glen Murray on a sharp passing move, and Stumpel was alone to finish into an open net for the fifth goal. Guerin then completed the hat trick with two goals in a 7:22 span, and Benoit Hogue concluded the scoring at 14:01.

This was the Bruins' first victory over Columbus, an expansion team last year, and avenged a 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets Nov. 10 in Boston.

''I got the bounces, we all got the bounces,'' Guerin said. ''And nothing bounced their way.

''They played hard. Expansion teams aren't layups - there are no layups. They outworked us when they beat us last time, but that didn't happen this time. You look at their team and they have guys who are gritty and know how to play the game. They can put some points up and you have to respect that.''

This story ran on page F1 of the Boston Globe on 2/5/2002.
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