Associated Press
12/21/2006 9:54:05 PM
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Bruins had only six shots on goal in the second period and didn't have a single one in the third. They allowed three-power plays in the final 15 minutes and barely had possession of the puck during that stretch.
But goaltender Tim Thomas made sure none of that mattered.
Thomas made 39 saves for his second NHL shutout to lead the Bruins to a 2-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
''It's just one of those games where you're finding the puck through everything, and you're body is just ready to react in any direction,'' Thomas said. ''Sometimes you can find it, sometimes you can't.''
Patrice Bergeron and Glen Murray scored power-play goals for the Bruins, who won their second straight and third in four games despite being outshot 39-19 overall and 14-0 in the third period.
Thomas, in his second season as Boston's primary goalie after bouncing around the minor leagues for eight seasons, made 12 saves in the first period and 13 in the second. He won his eighth game in 11 decisions.
The Canucks' best scoring chances came midway through the third. Thomas fell down while saving two close-range shots from Taylor Pyatt, and Brendan Morrison missed on a rebound from in front of the goal.
Vancouver finally got the puck past Thomas with 0.01 second left, but the goal was disallowed because Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara was called for an illegal stick penalty at 19:59.
''Thomas could have been first, second and third star,'' Bruins coach Dave Lewis said. ''He was great, he bailed guys out at the net.''
Thomas' first shutout came in his 15th career NHL game when he made 44 saves in a 5-0 victory in Ottawa on Jan. 30. This was Thomas' 69th career game.
Dany Sabourin made 17 saves for the Canucks, who lost their second straight after winning all three games during last week's homestand. Sabourin, playing for the first time since Dec. 9 to give Roberto Luongo a night off, dropped to 0-3 on the season and 0-7 for his career.
''I felt like I played a good game,'' Sabourin said. ''We have to play in the first period like we did in the second and third - with a sense of desperation.''
Two nights after a 7-2 win in Ottawa, Boston continued its strong offensive play in the first period by taking a 2-0 lead.
Bergeron put Boston up 1-0 3:14 in when he retrieved Marco Sturm's pass just outside the crease, and fired the puck past Sabourin.
FULL STORY
12/21/2006 9:54:05 PM
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Bruins had only six shots on goal in the second period and didn't have a single one in the third. They allowed three-power plays in the final 15 minutes and barely had possession of the puck during that stretch.
But goaltender Tim Thomas made sure none of that mattered.
Thomas made 39 saves for his second NHL shutout to lead the Bruins to a 2-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
''It's just one of those games where you're finding the puck through everything, and you're body is just ready to react in any direction,'' Thomas said. ''Sometimes you can find it, sometimes you can't.''
Patrice Bergeron and Glen Murray scored power-play goals for the Bruins, who won their second straight and third in four games despite being outshot 39-19 overall and 14-0 in the third period.
Thomas, in his second season as Boston's primary goalie after bouncing around the minor leagues for eight seasons, made 12 saves in the first period and 13 in the second. He won his eighth game in 11 decisions.
The Canucks' best scoring chances came midway through the third. Thomas fell down while saving two close-range shots from Taylor Pyatt, and Brendan Morrison missed on a rebound from in front of the goal.
Vancouver finally got the puck past Thomas with 0.01 second left, but the goal was disallowed because Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara was called for an illegal stick penalty at 19:59.
''Thomas could have been first, second and third star,'' Bruins coach Dave Lewis said. ''He was great, he bailed guys out at the net.''
Thomas' first shutout came in his 15th career NHL game when he made 44 saves in a 5-0 victory in Ottawa on Jan. 30. This was Thomas' 69th career game.
Dany Sabourin made 17 saves for the Canucks, who lost their second straight after winning all three games during last week's homestand. Sabourin, playing for the first time since Dec. 9 to give Roberto Luongo a night off, dropped to 0-3 on the season and 0-7 for his career.
''I felt like I played a good game,'' Sabourin said. ''We have to play in the first period like we did in the second and third - with a sense of desperation.''
Two nights after a 7-2 win in Ottawa, Boston continued its strong offensive play in the first period by taking a 2-0 lead.
Bergeron put Boston up 1-0 3:14 in when he retrieved Marco Sturm's pass just outside the crease, and fired the puck past Sabourin.
FULL STORY
