[ Game summary ]

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 10/20/2002

DMONTON, Alberta - Their top left wing was home awaiting MRI results. A valuable right wing could be out of the lineup for a month or two. One of their top goaltenders is also on the shelf.

But instead of playing it safe and going with the known quantity, Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek decided to roll the dice. He installed 28-year-old journeyman Tim Thomas in the Bruins' net last night against the Edmonton Oilers, giving the former University of Vermont goalie his first chance to play an NHL regular-season game.

Ftorek's confidence was rewarded. Rookie left wing Ivan Huml scored his first NHL goal with 4:21 to play, and Thomas made 31 saves for his first NHL victory as the Bruins edged the Oilers, 4-3, at Skyreach Centre.

''It feels great,'' said Thomas, who estimated he had 50 friends and family watching back home in Michigan. ''How could it have gone any better? I guess I could've got a shutout, but it doesn't matter.''

Huml's slapper from atop the left circle deflected off the stick of Oilers defenseman Jason Smith and beat Tommy Salo.

''It was kind of a lucky one,'' said Huml. ''I closed my eyes and I tried to shoot it as hard as I could. I don't have a very good slap shot.''

With 1:11 left, Huml was called for hooking. The Oilers called Salo to the bench and used an extra attacker but the Bruins held on.

The Bruins, who improved to 3-1-1, went into the contest without key players Sergei Samsonov (jammed wrist), Marty Lapointe (broken foot), and John Grahame (separated shoulder). Ftorek, who likes to experiment in late October and into November, felt Thomas deserved a shot.

Thomas's career has taken an interesting turn toward full circle. It wasn't the first time Thomas had played a game in the arena made famous by Wayne Gretzky. Back in 1998, Thomas was a goalie hopeful in the Oilers' training camp. That was the year Curtis Joseph found greener pastures in Toronto. Thomas played two exhibition games - losing to Toronto and beating Calgary. The Oilers assign ed Thomas to Hamilton of the AHL and started the season with Bob Essensa and Eric Fichaud.

After playing in Sweden in 2000-01, Thomas came to Boston's camp last year looking for a job. The Bruins signed him but wanted Andrew Raycroft to play in Providence so they loaned Thomas to Karpat in Finland. He played 32 games and finished 15-12-5.

A hernia operation slowed Thomas out of the gate this fall but he played his way onto a roster spot in Providence before being called up after Grahame was injured in the first period of Boston's game in Vancouver Wednesday.

He was the backup to Steve Shields against Calgary Thursday before getting his first start last night.

The coach's faith was rewarded in the scoreless first period. Thomas stopped all 11 shots he faced, including three by former Bruin forward Anson Carter, as Edmonton outshot Boston, 11-5.

The Bruins shuffled their lines because of the injuries and didn't generate much offense in the early going.

In the second, Boston picked up the pace and jumped out to a 2-0 lead. With defenseman Jonathan Girard off for holding at 3:23, the Bruins took advantage of the Oilers' sloppy power play and created an odd-man rush. P.J. Axelsson stickhandled down the middle and dished a pass to his left onto the stick of defenseman Nick Boynton in the left circle. Goalie Salo dove to his right to try to stop Boynton's shot but the puck squirted under him for the 1-0 lead at 3:57. It was Boston's second shorthanded goal of the season.

Brian Rolston's first of the year, at 12:40, gave Boston a 2-0 lead. His slapper from the left circle blew through Salo's pads.

The Bruins have established an early pattern of giving up goals late in periods and last night was no exception. With only 26.9 seconds remaining in the second and the Oilers on the power play, defenseman Bryan Berard was unable to control the puck in front of Thomas and Carter (a game-high five shots in the first 40 minutes) sent it past the goalie to pull the Oilers within a goal.

The Oilers gained a great deal of momentum and came out flying in the third. They tied the contest at 3:38 when center Mike York's slapper from the left point beat Thomas through a screen.

The Bruins clawed their way back on top at 7:28 when Huml backhanded a centering pass to center Jozef Stumpel, who wristed it past Salo from the slot.

A shorthanded goal by another former Bruin pulled the Oilers even again at 11:01. After a turnover, left wing Ethan Moreau skated into the right circle and fed defenseman Steve Staios, who backhanded the puck through Thomas's pad.

This story ran on page E1 of the Boston Globe on 10/20/2002.
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