After being called out by head coach Claude Julien after practice Wednesday, defenseman Dennis Wideman wasn't really in the mood to provide an elaborate response on Thursday morning.
"I don't really read papers or watch the news, but a couple of the guys told me about it and it's nothing I don't know already," Wideman told NESN.com. "I know what I need to do and I just need to go out there and do it. That's all I can really say."
Wideman didn't seem happy but acknowledged once again that he must go out and improve his game.
Marc Savard also addressed the media and said that he is targeting the Jan. 29 game at Buffalo to return from a partially torn right MCL. Savard has been out of the lineup since Jan. 7, when he left the Bruins' 5-2 loss to Chicago after getting hurt on his first shift.
The Bruins were once again without forwards Marco Sturm (leg), Byron Bitz (undisclosed) and Steve Begin (undisclosed). All are out for Thursday's tilt with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Tuukka Rask will get his first start since Jan. 13, when he suffered a 4-3 loss at Anaheim. In that game, he stopped 28 of the 32 shots he faced. Rask did relieve Tim Thomas in the second period Monday and stopped 15 of 17 shots.
Here's the expected lineup for the Bruins on Thursday:
Forwards
Milan Lucic–David Krejci–Blake Wheeler
Daniel Paille–Patrice Bergeron–Mark Recchi
Miroslav Satan–Trent Whitfield–Michael Ryder
Shawn Thornton–Vladimir Sobotka–Drew Larman
Defensemen
Zdeno Chara–Derek Morris
Mark Stuart–Dennis Wideman
Matt Hunwick–Johnny Boychuk
Goaltenders
Tuukka Rask
Tim Thomas
