Bruins deliver punch line

Lapointe (3 goals) keys a knockout of Devils

[ Game summary ]

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 3/14/2003

fter his 15th straight game without a goal, Marty Lapointe said he stopped thinking about his depressing statistics. In his first 47 games, he had two goals on 89 shots.

And those 89 shots paled in comparison with the number he's been taking before, during, and after practice.

And last night, that perseverance finally paid off for the Bruins right wing. He potted his second career hat trick and his first goals in 18 games as Boston edged New Jersey, 4-3, halting its winless streak at two games (0-1-0-1).

It was impossible to figure out who was happiest -- Lapointe or his teammates, who have been keeping their fingers crossed for him during this most difficult of seasons.

"We're all thrilled with the way things went for Marty," said linemate Mike Knuble, who had a goal and an assist. "He's been working so hard. It's been the season from hell for him. He's doing all the right stuff every day in practice. Anyone around at practices sees all the work he does. The guy can score goals. It's just ridiculous what's happening to him. He saved it for a great day. The timing for him to get three goals in a game was fabulous."

Lapointe, who had three goals on four shots, played down his first hat trick in three years (the last one came on March 26, 2000, against the Rangers when he was playing for the Red Wings).

"I've had a strange season so far," said Lapointe, who has missed 22 games because of injuries. "I've been working hard during practices and doing a little extra time after and before practice. Tonight, the puck was bouncing my way."

Coach Robbie Ftorek has been shuffling his lines, hoping to find combinations that can produce. And he found one last night as in addition to Lapointe's 3 points and Knuble's 2, Jozef Stumpel had three assists. Lapointe has played on just about every line in his coach's attempt to get him rolling.

"I think Robbie has been great with me," said Lapointe. "Even though I haven't produced a lot this season, he knows that I'm working hard and he sees that in me. By the same token, he's given me a chance to play with great players and I've got to respect that, and I thank him for that."

After an uneventful opening 20 minutes, the action picked up in the second period. Jamie Langenbrunner put the Devils up, 1-0, at 4:11, but Lapointe answered just 34 seconds later on a deflected slapper from the left point that beat goalie Martin Brodeur.

Lapointe buried another one at 8:40, this time from the right point. Knuble, coming through center ice, relayed the puck to Lapointe, who ripped a slapper from the right point over the glove of Brodeur to make it 2-1.

Only 38 seconds later, Knuble potted his 22d of the season as a result of a nice individual effort. Knuble had his first shot blocked by Devils captain Scott Stevens. He got the puck back, skated into the right circle, and beat Brodeur at 9:18. One of the assists went to defenseman Ian Moran, who was making his Bruins debut.

Devils coach Pat Burns, sensing a need to calm down his troops, called a timeout after the third Boston goal.

But shortly afterward, the Bruins scored again, chasing Brodeur. Stumpel started the tic-tac-toe play when he took advantage of a giveaway by defenseman Brian Rafalski behind the Devils' net. Stumpel relayed the puck to Michal Grosek in the left circle and he made the quick dish to Lapointe, who was going to the net. Lapointe redirected it in front at the 10-minute mark and that was all for Brodeur. The goalie, who surrendered four goals on 20 shots, went to the bench in favor of backup Corey Schwab. If the timeout didn't wake up the Devils, perhaps the goalie switch did because New Jersey scored a pair of goals less than four minutes apart to close within one.

Elias beat Jeff Hackett with a backhander from the slot at 12:50 and Scott Gomez, who was a healthy scratch in the Devils' last game, made it 4-3 with a tally at 16:21 on the power play. With defenseman Hal Gill in the box for closing his hand on the puck, Gomez got the puck and curled to the left point. He moved to the middle and teed up a slapper from just inside the blue line that beat Hackett through a screen. It was the first power-play goal for the Devils in 10 games. But that was as close as they'd come.

With the 2 points in the bank, the Bruins were able to celebrate -- as much for Lapointe as for themselves.

"A lot of things go through your mind," said Lapointe, asked how he kept from being discouraged as the goose eggs piled up. "I stopped thinking after 15 games you don't score. You can't let that affect you. It can be hard at times, but I've been working hard in practice and it was just a matter of time but it's just one game. I've got to keep working hard [tomorrow] and hopefully it's going to keep going in."

This story ran on page D1 of the Boston Globe on 3/14/2003.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.