Bruins back in winner's circle

[ Game summary ]

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 3/5/2003

ALEIGH, N.C. - When the Bruins were last here two weeks ago, they tied the Hurricanes, but their attention was diverted from the contest by the TV in the postgame locker room. No, they weren't checking on the fortunes of another NHL club. They were glued to the final moments of ''The Bachelorette,'' trying to figure out which suitor would be left standing.

Since then, they've been caught in their own version of the elimination game, hoping they won't be the odd club out when the eight Eastern Conference representatives for the playoffs are determined.

Last night, they took a step in the right direction, beating Carolina, 4-2, at the RBC Center to end their winless streak at nine games (0-5-3-1). It was the Bruins' first victory since beating Florida in overtime Feb. 14 and their first triumph in regulation since Feb. 6 against Montreal.

It there is such a thing as a must-win, this was it.

''It's a relief, but I think we've got to build on it,'' said center Brian Rolston, who had a goal and two assists, ''to get over that hump that we couldn't get over even when we were playing good hockey games. To get that win just means a lot for our confidence. We were committed to winning. We had the mind-set that we were going to win. Now we've got to move forward. Our destiny is in our own hands.''

A good start set the tone. Marty Lapointe has been maligned all season because of his lack of production but the right wing has been toiling hard to find his game. Although his points have been few and far between, he appears to have found a home on a new line with center Jozef Stumpel and left wing Rob Zamuner, a unit that came together after Zamuner returned from a broken foot last Thursday.

Lapointe's physical style yielded a power play that led to the Bruins' first goal. At 1:37 of the first, he delivered a hard hit on Carolina defenseman David Tanabe, whose defense partner, Bret Hedican, took exception and went after Lapointe. Hedican was tagged with a roughing penalty, and the Bruins cashed in on the man advantage.

Center Joe Thornton, positioned on the far side of the right circle, found right wing Glen Murray at the inside edge of the circle with a pass and Murray potted his 35th goal of the season at 1:58.

The Bruins didn't exactly take it from there, though. Goaltender Jeff Hackett had to weather a barrage of shots from Carolina, one of which beat him. At 6:38, the Hurricanes pulled even on a tally by left wing Ryan Bayda. Hedican dished the puck to center Ron Francis behind the net. Francis centered it to Bayda in the left circle, and he snapped it past Hackett for his second of the year.

The Bruins staved off the Hurricanes for the rest of the period and took a lead with only 44.6 seconds remaining, with the teams skating four a side. Defenseman Jonathan Girard, who has had trouble in his own zone of late, set up Rolston's 26th goal to give his team the lead back. Girard found Rolston in the right circle, and he beat goalie Arturs Irbe with a backhander.

In the middle period, the Bruins did the opposite of what they had done a night earlier against Vancouver. Instead of letting the opposition back into the game by rolling out a giant welcome mat to their zone, they allowed only five shots (after giving up 12 in the first 20 minutes).

The Bruins' third goal, which turned out to be the winner, came at 11:23 when Mike Knuble potted his 18th of the year.

The Hurricanes made it interesting early in the third when they pulled within a goal on Francis's 20th just 15 seconds in. But the Bruins' penalty killing came to the rescue, snuffing out two Carolina power plays (Zamuner was called for slashing at 2:29 and Knuble for high-sticking at 7:32).

Then Zamuner closed it out by scoring a power-play goal with 2:11 left in regulation, signaling the end of the slump.

''I don't know if it's a relief,'' said Hackett. ''It's been a very frustrating experience for everybody. I'd be lying if I said there hadn't been some sleepless nights for everyone, I'm sure. It's been a battle.

''It's been a sporadic effort. We haven't played a full 60 minutes. Tonight was as close as we've gotten, and you're not going to win too many games in this league when you don't play 60 minutes.

''It's not from lack of caring, it's just ... I wish I knew the exact answer. Tonight was a much more concentrated effort in the neutral zone. I think that's why we had some success - we didn't turn the puck over at the blue line.

''Our second periods have been awful. Tonight was the exact opposite: Our best period was the second.''

Whether it's the start of a different kind of streak remains to be seen.

''We've got to make sure we keep our focus on what's going on,'' said coach Robbie Ftorek. ''We've got to go in and play against a hungry, very assertive, aggressive, relentless team in the Islanders [tomorrow]. So we have to make sure we're ready to come out and do the same thing.''

This story ran on page F1 of the Boston Globe on 3/5/2003.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.