End of overtime, Bruins 2-1: The Bruins just got a huge two points as David Krejci won a huge faceoff back to Zdeno Chara, who then blasted it from the point and Miroslav Satan then tipped it home for his second goal of the game with 1:35 left.
The Bruins are still in the top eight and they came through with a huge one here as they kept pace with the teams chasing them and ahead of them.
End of regulation, 1-1: This game is headed to overtime and while the Bruins got at least one point and will remain in the top eight in the Eastern Conference playoff race, they still desperately need two points as the Habs are about to beat the Sabres.
Third period, 4:55, 1-1: The Bruins could only muster one shot on that power play and are now 0-for-2. But David Krejci is everywhere out there, and missed a solid chance. He is really taking the team on his shoulders right now. Tuukka Rask is great again tonight but Krejci has been the Bruins' best player by far with five shots on net and an assist.
Third period, 8:03, 1-1: The Bruins are headed on to their second power play with a chance to pull ahead late here.
Third period, 11:29, 1-1: Let's take a quick look around at the teams in competition with the Bruins for the final playoff spots in the East.
The Rangers are winning 3-1 in the third period at Florida and with a Bruins loss would knock the Bruins out of the top eight. The Thrashers got a point in an OT loss to the Penguins and the Habs are up 2-0 on Buffalo in the third.
Third period, 15:55, 1-1: Blake Wheeler broke in alone at the end of that power play but couldn't beat Jonas Gustavsson for the short-handed bid. The Leafs are now 0-for-3 after the Bruins killed another power play.
Third period, 18:08, 1-1: Marco Sturm fell awkwardly into the boards and couldn't get off the ice in time before the Bruins were called for too many men on the ice. The Leafs are 0-for-2.
Third period, 19:13, 1-1: A great opening shift for Milan Lucic, playing his first game with Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi. Lucic almost connected a one-timer feed in front from Bergeron but Jonas Gustavsson made the save.
Second intermission, 1-1: Just did a quick hit (yes, I can multitask at times), on the Team 990 in Montreal with mates Sean Campbell and Mitch Gallo on their show NHL Live. Of course, the topic was what happened to Dennis Wideman and Michael Ryder but interestingly, also Zdeno Chara this season?
End of second period, 1-1: After being out-shot 14-5 in the first period, the Bruins came back with more energy in the second and played with an edge out-shooting the Leafs 9-8 in the middle frame. As a result, the Bruins will enter the final stanza tied 1-1.
Great play by Krejci waiting until his teammates crashed the net and Satan scooped up the rebound. Krejci is just on fire with 18 points since the Olympic break. But the guys around him there made that happen too and the other lines followed. A much more intense showing from the Bruins and they are in position to take at least a point here.
Second period, 2:21, 1-1: Sensing some panic and the Leafs starting to buzz around the Bruins' zone, Claude Julien has called a timeout. Good move!
Second period, 3:57, 1-1: Thanks to good friend Brian Ferraro for emailing that Christian Hanson is the son of Dave Hanson. "Foiling up coach!"
Second period, 5:56, 1-1: The Bruins couldn't convert on that power play and they're 0-for-1. But they seem to be gaining momentum over the last ten minutes and they need to ride it. Taking the lead into the third period would be huge.
Andrew Bodnarchuk has played nine shifts for 6:28 minutes and is a minus one thus far. The rookie is getting more comfortable as the game goes on.
Second period, 9:15, 1-1: Could the tide be turning here? The Bruins are going on their first power play as Christian Hanson is headed to sin-bin for interference. Yes, he is the son of one of the Hanson Brothers from Slapshot fame. Not sure which one though.
Second period, 11:59, 1-1: The Bruins have tied it on a Miroslav Satan goal that was created by the patience and passing of David Krejci. Krejci entered the zone with the puck and back-handed it on on the net and Satan banged home a rebound. Dennis Wideman got the secondary assist.
Second period, 13:03, Leafs 1-0: Apparently, Don Cherry wore his Bruins black and gold tie on Coach's Corner on Hockey Night In Canada tonight. If the Bruins saw him earlier with that tie, how can they not be pumped to beat the Leafs on Hockey Night In Canada with 'Grapes' showing them love? What does it take for this team?
Second period, 14:17, Leafs 1-0: The Bruins are struggling to create chances as they can't get that stretch pass going.
Second period, 16:56, Leafs 1-0: Underway in the second period and the Leafs are buzzing. The Bruins had a great chance when Brad Marchand set-up a streaking Vladimir Sobotka but Jonas Gustavsson was there for the save.
First intermission, Leafs 1-0: The Bruins have confirmed that Dennis Seidenberg is out for the game after leaving in the first period with what appeared to be a wrist injury. And the injury beat goes on. Andrew Bodnarchuk's first NHL game just got a whole lot memorable as he will be thrown into the fire and see increased minutes!
End of first period, Leafs 1-0: For the second straight game, the Bruins gave up the first goal and head to the dressing room for the first intermission trailing by one. The Bruins had some good chances — and yes, they did kill off a 5-on-3, but guess what? We're used to that with this team! They always get chances and they always kill off penalties, so really no silver lining there. This isn't the time of season for silver lining. The bottom line is, they're losing another must-win game!
On top of losing right now on the scoreboard, their blue line could be in even more trouble as Dennis Seidenberg left the game with a wrist injury after being slashed by what looked like a skate. That would be a huge blow and we'll keep you posted on on his condition.
Once again, thankfully they have Tuukka Rask as the Bruins were out-shot 14-5 but Rask came up big again.
First period, 2:27, Leafs 1-0: Every time I watch this Leafs team, they seem to be getting better. They're fast and skilled and with a big center or two, could be a playoff contender next season.
First period, 5:00, Leafs 1-0: Dennis Wideman has come back after blocking a shot but it doesn't look good for Seidenberg, who was slashed by a skate on what appeared to be his wrist. The Bruins can't afford to lose what has become their No. 2 defenseman.
First period, 7:01, Leafs 1-0: OK, the good news is the Bruins killed off that two-man advantage for the Leafs but the bad news is that already missing Mark Stuart on the blue line, the Bruins just watched defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (wrist) and Dennis Wideman (blocked shot) get injured. Wideman has returned.
They also missed a brilliant chance when Daniel Paille missed the post. They're simply snake-bitten!
First period, 10:07, Leafs 1-0: Things just keep getting worse for the Bruins as they're now killing a 5-on-3 and both Dennis Seidenberg and Dennis Wideman have been injured and headed to the dressing room.
First period, 11:31, Leafs 1-0: Colton Orr just got under the skin of the Bruins and they are showing their frustration with Michael Ryder taking a hooking penalty on Mikhail Grabovski. Orr is simply creating havoc out there and guess what, the Bruins counterpart is not out there as Shawn Thornton is up top thanks to what the Bruins are calling a upper-body injury.
First Period, 12:37, Leafs 1-0: According to Jack Edwards, in eleven of the last twelve games, the Bruins have played, the team scoring first has won. The Bruins had early chances but as usually been the case as of late, they couldn't convert. The Leafs go down the other end and convert their chance.
First period, 14:50, Leafs 1-0: Colton Orr has given the Leafs a 1-0 lead. It's likely ot many expected Orr would administer pain on the scoreboard, but he has and the Bruins are in an early hole once again.
Dion Phaneuf and John Mitchell had the helpers.
First period, 19:35: Underway at the ACC in Toronto after the customary Hockey Night In Canada Saturday delay. What Bruins team will show up tonight?
6:50 p.m.: Almost ready for faceoff at the Air Canada Centre and word from NESN rinkside reporter Naoko Funayama is that rookie defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk will be paired with Dennis Wideman in his first NHL game tonight in Toronto.
Here are the rest of the d-pairings and you can find the forward lines below as well.
Zdeno Chara–Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Bodnarchuk-Dennis Wideman
Matt Hunwick–Johnny Boychuk
Tuukka Rask (19-12-4 with a 1.99 GAA, .930 save percentage, five shutouts) will start in net with Jonas Gustavsson (16-14-8 with a 2.84 GAA and .903 save percentage) between the pipes for the Leafs.
1 p.m.: By the way, Joe Haggerty will be joining me at 2:25 p.m. ET on the Inside Hockey Radio Show to tee up Bruins-Leafs and I'll also welcome on Boston College head coach Jerry York at 3:05 p.m. ET to preview the Frozen Four. You can tune in via NHL Home Ice XM 204/Sirius or online at www.team990.com
12:53 p.m.: NESN rinkside reporter Naoko Funayama is reporting from Toronto that defenseman Andrew Bodnarchuk, called up earlier today on emergency basis from Providence, will fill in for Mark Stuart who was sent home with an infection in his right hand.
Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com said the infection is cellulitis which folks, I can tell you is very serious. Can spread and be dangerous. Yours truly was hospitalized for that last summer. Scary stuff, so good for Bruins taking no chances!
Haggerty is also reporting that Shawn Thornton is out of the lineup as well. Thornton missed Thursday's 1-0 loss to the Panthers Thursday with a upper body injury but told NESN.com yesterday that he was "good to go". So it appears he is a healthy scratch, which in this scribe's view, is asinine! How do you scratch a heart and soul, tough player at this time of the season and also playing against Colton Orr? This is the guy whose 21 fights this season is the most of any Bruin in nine seasons.
Yesterday it appeared that Claude Julien had lost his patience with his longtime pupil Michael Ryder and that Ryder may be sitting in the press box tonight but instead it looks to be Thornton and Trent Whitfield.
Here's what the forward lines should look like. We're not sure on the defense yet.
Milan Lucic–Patrice Bergeron–Mark Recchi
Marco Sturm–David Krejci–Miroslav Satan
Brad Marchand–Vladimir Sobotka–Blake Wheeler
Daniel Paille–Steve Begin–Michael Ryder
9:32 a.m.: The Bruins (35-30-12, 82 points) visit Toronto Saturday to play the Maple Leafs (29-36-13, 71 points) for the last time this season.
After Saturday, "Kessel Mania" can be put to rest as the former Bruins sniper will have played the Bruins six times and is by far a Maple Leaf now. But while that can be put to rest and in the past, both the present and the future are very much at stake for the Bruins. The B's are trying to make the playoffs and at the same time, bury the Leafs further down in the standings to increase the chances that Boston picks in the top two picks overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft with Toronto's first round pick received in the Kessel deal.
This game is not only a two-point swing in the standings but a chance to secure the Bruins' chances of improving the team for the future and maybe finally replacing the scoring void left by Kessel.
Obviously the present is of the utmost importance and the Bruins take on a team hungry to ruin their chances of making the playoffs and their chances at top prospects Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin and Cam Fowler. The Leafs season is over but they truly have a lot to play for in this game and can be the ultimate spoiler.
With the Habs winning 1-0 at Philadelphia Friday night, the Bruins now sit in seventh place trailing Montreal by two points and tied with the eighth place Flyers in points. This will be another test for the Black and Gold to see how much they truly want to play beyond next Sunday when they close the regular season out in Washington.