36 shots for his fifth career shutout, Keith Ballard scored and the
Florida Panthers beat Boston 1-0 on Thursday night to prevent the Bruins
from getting comfortable in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Bruins remained in a three-way tie
with Montreal and Philadelphia for sixth place in the East; the Flyers
lost at the New York Islanders, and Montreal was idle. Atlanta, two
points back in ninth place, lost at Washington.
But the Bruins couldn’t help
themselves, giving up Ballard’s goal 7:15 into the game and then,
despite controlling the puck much of the game, failing to beat
Clemmensen.
Tuukka Rask stopped 19 shots for
Boston.
The Bruins attempted 86 shots, with 32
blocked by the defense and another 18 missing the net, to 30 for
Florida.
The Panthers were winless in their
previous four games, including a 6-2 loss on Wednesday against Buffalo.
But they jumped ahead in the first when Ballard took a pass from Cory
Stillman in the slot and put it between Rask’s pads.
That ended Rask’s shutout string of
121 minutes, 42 seconds.
Notes
Rask was selected the Seventh
Player in an online vote of Bruins fans for going above and beyond the
call of duty. … Bruins forward Shawn Thornton missed the game with an
undisclosed injury. … Florida and Boston each have five games
remaining. … It was Ballard’s first career goal against the Bruins. ..
Clemmensen, who went to Boston College, has two of his five career
shutouts against the Bruins.