The Bruins still have a long way to go at 4-7-0, but this was an important step toward getting this season turned around.
Third Period, 17:18, Bruins 5-3: Greg Campbell and Zack Smith finally get the fight they were denied in the first as they square off after the faceoff in the Boston end. Smith landed some good shots early, but Campbell hung in and got a few of his own in as well.
Third Period, 17:09, Bruins 5-3: Since retaking the lead, the Bruins are doing a better job of keeping the pressure on the Senators. Boston's up to 40 shots now to Ottawa's 25.
Third Period, 14:03, Bruins 5-3: The Bruins get the kill they needed against Ottawa's potent power play and are back at even strength with a two-goal lead and just under six minutes to play.
Third Period, 12:03, Bruins 5-3: The Bruins have a big penalty to kill off here, as Brad Marchand is sent to the box for holding the stick.
Third Period, 7:18, Bruins 5-3: The Bruins add another as Daniel Paille scores on a breakaway to give Boston its first two-goal lead of the night.
Shawn Thornton and Greg Campbell pick up the assists as they each earn their first points of the season on the play.
Third Period, 6:41, Bruins 4-3: The Bruins answer right back as Johnny Boychuk fires in a shot from the right point off a pass by Chris Kelly.
Jordan Caron and Rich Peverley helped create the traffic in front for Boychuk's first goal of the year.
Third Period, 5:04, 3-3: The Senators continue to press and get the equalizer on Jared Cowen's first NHL goal.
The rookie defenseman scored from the left point off a pass from Nick Foligno with Chris Neil supplying the screen in front.
Third Period, 4:49, Bruins 3-2: Mad scramble in front of the Bruins net, but Thomas holds the fort. The Bruins have yet to get a shot this period, while Ottawa has four. the Bruins can't afford to try to sit on a one-goal lead.
Third Period, 4:19, Bruins 3-2: Zdeno Chara with the big hit, burying Erik Karlsson in the corner of the Bruins zone.
Third Period, 1:45, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins couldn't convert that power play which spanned the two periods and are now 1 for 5 on the man advantage in this one.
Third Period, 0:00, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins will look to close this one out, but it won't be easy against an Ottawa club that has already scored 21 goals in the third period this season. Prior to this game, the Bruins had only scored 21 goals in all three periods combined this year.
Boston does open with 1:15 left on Chris Neil's slashing penalty.
Second Intermission Notes: The Bruins put together a much better effort in the second period and were rewarded with a pair of goals to take a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Boston hasn't surrendered a lead after two periods this season, though it's only the third time they've led after two all year.
Some nice redemption for the third line, which was on the ice for both Ottawa goals in the first, but combined for the go-ahead tally in the second. Chris Kelly got the goal against his old team, but it was set up by a great rush by Rich Peverley and aided by a screen in front by Jordan Caron.
The Bruins have a 33-16 edge in shots, and that could be even more lopsided if not for Ottawa's 13-6 advantage in blocked shots. Still, the Bruins are getting enough shots through and need to keep up that pressure in the third. They can't afford to sit back now.
End Second Period, Bruins 3-2: Two periods done here at the Garden and the Bruins have finally taken a lead after a strong middle frame. They now need another solid 20 minutes to close this one out and end their three-game losing streak.
Second Period, 19:14, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins have a chance to build on that lead as Chris Neil is back in the box again, this time for slashing.
Second Period, 18:00, Bruins 3-2: The Bruins take their first lead of the night as Chris Kelly scores a huge goal against his old club.
Rich Peverley took the puck in down the right wing and around the back of the net, coming out on the left side and feeding it to Kelly for a one-timer from the high slot as Jordan Caron supplied the screen in front.
Second Period, 16:49, 2-2: The Bruins had some great chances on the power play, but can't cash in as the sides are back at even strength. Lucic nearly set up Horton for an open net at the left post, but Horton couldn't handle the pass.
Second Period, 14:49, 2-2: It's the Bruins' turn on the power play again as Chris Neil is called for goalie interference after a pileup in front of the Boston net.
Second Period, 13:32, 2-2: The Bruins shut down Ottawa's top-ranked power play again, with Gregory Campbell playing a big role as he laid out to block a Sergei Gonchar blast from the point.
Second Period, 11:32, 2-2: The Bruins are shorthanded now as Nathan Horton is called for boarding Zack Smith. David Krejci tripped up Chris Neil during the delayed call, and Neil went back after Krejci, drawing a crowd but no further penalties.
Second Period, 8:30, 2-2: The Bruins can't convert that chance as they are now 1 for 3 on the power play in this one.
Second Period, 6:30, 2-2: The Bruins are carrying the play now and they'll have a chance to do more damage as they go on the power play with Jason Spezza sent to the box for hooking.
Second Period, 5:52, 2-2: The Bruins nearly have their first lead of the night as Chris Kelly gets a chance in front off an Ottawa turnover, but Anderson makes a glove save on Kelly's bid from the top of the crease.
Second Period, 4:21, 2-2: The Bruins pull even off a nice rush by the Bergeron line.
Tyler Seguin carried it down the right wing and centered it to Patrice Bergeron between the circles, and Bergeron buried the wrister.
Second Period, 1:45, Senators 2-1: Chris Neil rams Joe Corvo hard into the boards between the benches. Corvo was in pain and very mad as he made his way onto the Bruins bench.
Second Period, 0:00, Senators 2-1: The middle frame is under way here at the Garden, with the Bruins needing to play a lot sharper than they looked in the first.
First Intermission Notes: The Bruins had some of the energy they sought in the first, but it wasn't always channeled in the best direction.
They played physical with Shawn Thornton trying to wake the team up with another fight and Milan Lucic delivering a huge hit, but they were also way too sloppy with the puck. They squandered a slew of scoring opportunities with missed passes and poor decisions, while at the other end they were coughing up the puck with ill-advised passes and clearing attempts in their own own.
The third line is off to a particularly rough start with former Senator Chris Kelly, Rich Peverley and Jordan Caron each a minus-2 as they were on the ice for both Ottawa goals. On the plus side, the power play finally struck for a goal and despite the sloppy play the Bruins put 17 shots on goal. Ottawa managed just nine, but two of the first five beat Tim Thomas.
End First Period, Senators 2-1: The first period is in the books and the Bruins go into the break trailing by one despite a 17-9 edge in shots as some sloppy play proved costly early.
First Period, 16:21, Senators 2-1: Tyler Seguin with a nifty move to deke around Erik Karlsson, but he tried to drop a pass back rather than go straight to the net for the shot and the play is broken up.
First Period, 13:24, Senators 2-1: Milan Lucic delivers a huge hit on Jared Cowen in the corner of the Ottawa zone. Things have calmed down after a wild opening 10 minutes, but it remains a very physical contest.
First Period, 9:40, Senators 2-1: The Bruins are able to shut down Ottawa's top-ranked power play as the sides are back at even strength.
First Period, 7:40, Senators 2-1: The Senators get their first power play as Greg Campbell gets a boarding penalty. Campbell and Zack Smith squared off and dropped the gloves, but the linesmen jumped in to prevent the fight.
They each got two for unsportsmanlike conduct, with Nathan Horton serving Campbell's original boarding penalty.
First Period, 7:28, Senators 2-1: The Senators answer right back as Nick Foligno drops a nifty pass back through his legs to Stephane Da Costa, who fires it home from the top of the crease just 16 seconds after Boston's goal.
First Period, 7:12, 1-1: The Bruins convert this chance, with Milan Lucic lifting a rebound at the right post.
Lucic flipped in a backhander top shelf over Anderson to tie the game.
First Period, 5:31, Senators 1-0: The Bruins get another power-play chance as Gonchar is in the box again for hooking.
First Period, 5:23, Senators 1-0: The gloves come off as Thornton tries to get the Bruins going with a long scrap with Zenon Konopka. Both switched hands and landed plenty of shots in a spirited bout.
First Period, 5:19, Senators 1-0: The Senators strike first with a strange goal that required a video review before being upheld for the early Ottawa lead.
Nick Foligno drove to the front of the net for the initial shot. Thomas stopped his backhander, but Bobby Butler and Stephane Da Costa crashed the crease along with Adam McQuaid and Chris Kelly, with Folingo getting credit for the goal.
First Period, 3:46, 0-0: The Senators have the 29th-ranked penalty kill in the NHL, but they didn't have much trouble shutting down the Bruins' 25th-ranked power play on that chance as the sides are back to even strength in a scoreless game.
First Period, 1:46, 0-0: The Bruins get an early power-play chance as Sergei Gonchar is sent off for hooking less than two minutes into play.
First Period, 1:10, 0-0: Chara and Thornton each with giveaways in the Boston zone, but the Bruins are able to clear the puck without any damage from the turnovers. Still a sloppy start for Boston.
First Period, 0:00, 0-0: We're under way here at the Garden, where the Bruins are looking to snap a three-game losing streak and the Senators are trying to extend their six-game winning streak.
7 p.m.: This one could get physical early, as the Bruins will start with the fourth line of Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton, with Andrew Ference and Adam McQuaid on defense and Tim Thomas in goal.
The Senators counter with Chris Neil, Zack Smith and Erik Condra up front, Chris Phillips and one-time Bruin Sergei Gonchar on the blue line and Craig Anderson in net.
6:55 p.m.: The Bruins make it official, Benoit Pouliot and Steven Kampfer are the scratches for Boston in this one.
6:50 p.m.: The Senators have scratched defenseman Brian Lee for the seventh straight game. Ottawa doesn't have any healthy scratches up front with Daniel Alfredsson out with a concussion.
6:40 p.m.: Benoit Pouliot is not o the ice for warm-ups. He returned to practice on Monday and skated Tuesday morning, so he's presumably a healthy scratch for this one.
Steven Kampfer did take warm-ups but was not in the line rushes. The defense pairs were chaged up a bit though, with Zdeno Chara skating with Joe Corvo and Dennis Seidenberg with Johnny Boychuk.
The full line combinations from warm-ups:
Lucic-Krejci-Horton
Marchand-Bergeron-Seguin
Caron-Kelly-Peverley
Paille-Campbell-Thornton
Defense pairs:
Chara-Corvo
Seidenberg-Boychuk
Ference-McQuaid
6:30 p.m.: Tim Thomas did in fact lead the Bruins out for warm-ups and will get the start in this one as expected.
Craig Anderson led the Senators onto the ice and will be in net for Ottawa.
6 p.m.: The Bruins will look to end their three-game losig streak in just about an hour.
It won't be easy though, as they'll have to end Ottawa's six-game winning streak to do so.
Tim Thomas is expected to get the start in goal, but tat won't be confirmed until warm-ups in about 30 minutes. Thomas is 19-8-2 with a 1.91 GAA, .938 save percentage and six shutouts all-time against Ottawa, including a 3-1-0 record, 0.75 GAA, .976 save percentage and two shutouts last year.
1:52 p.m.: It is likely going to be Tim Thomas between the pipes tonight.
Click here to see the projected lines and to also check out some of Claude's pregame quotes about the team's energy crisis.
8 a.m. ET: The Bruins should be glad that November has finally arrived, as October was filled with far more tricks than treats.
Boston exited the opening month of the season with a scary 3-7-0 record and a three-game losing streak. The first test of November doesn't promise to be easy either, with Ottawa coming to the Garden Tuesday night riding a six-game winning streak.
The Senators have been winning despite some shaky defense. They've actually been outscored 45-39, but boast the league's top power play (31.0 percent). At 7-5-0, Ottawa has more than twice Boston's points, but the Senators are just 2-3-0 on the road and the Bruins are 14-4-0 against Ottawa in the last three years.
Boston needs to continue that dominance on Tuesday to snap out of its early funk and start climbing back up the Eastern Conference standings. They can't dig all the way out of the basement in one night though, and have to focus just on beating the Senators before worrying about anything bigger.
Bruins coach Claude Julien knows that the key to breaking out of a slump is to simply focus on the upcoming game. Looking any further ahead than in the hopes of making up the points already squandered can be demoralizing.
"The big picture can be scary," Julien said. "Right now we should be looking at the small picture, and which is one game at a time, and once you get yourself back on track, usually the rest of it takes care of itself. So we're focused on [Tuesday] and not Saturday right now."
The puck drops at 7 p.m., so check back here for updates on all the action from the Garden.
