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The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • C7

Publication:
The Boston Globei
Location:
Boston, Massachusetts
Issue Date:
Page:
C7
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

The Boston Globe C7 FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012 Khudobin stops Ottawa ADRIAN WYLD ASSOCIATED PRESSTHE CANADIAN PRESS David Krejci and Greg Zanon are among those to congratulate goalie Anton Khudobin on his first win as a Bruin. JANA CHYTILOVAGETTY IMAGES Bruins winger Milan Lucie has a reception line waiting after scoring in the third period. Boychuk escapes with mild left knee sprain BRUINS Continued from Page C5 helped me a lot from the start. Marty Turco talked to me. He said, 'Let's just go have some The future is still unclear for Khudobin.

Tuukka Rask was originally projected to miss the start of the playoffs because of a lower abdomengroin strain suffered March 3. But Rask is recovering and has resumed skating. It's possible Rask could be healthy and ready to serve as Thomas's backup for Game 1. If Rask isn't fit for backup duty, Khudobin will be in uniform for Game 1 and (shudder) on the ice if Thomas suffers an injury. Turco is not eligible for the playoffs.

For at least one game, Khudobin proved he's capable to serve as an NHL goalie, regardless of the situation. "There's no doubt he was our best player tonight," Julien said. "It was nice to see that. He's been playing pretty well all year in Providence. There's an opportunity that he might have to start with us in the playoffs.

We don't know whether Tuukka's going to be ready or not. To give that kind of performance is certainly encouraging for us and for the whole team. Tonight was just proof that he's a good goaltender. It's very deserving for him to get the accolades today. If it wasn't for him, I don't know if the score might have been different." The 5-foot-l 1-inch, 203-pound Khudobin doesn't play a traditional butterfly style.

He has some of Thomas in his game as an athletic, battle-ready goalie. Khudobin stood in contrast to the 6-7, 215-pound Bishop. Khudobin, however, was flawless in his positioning. He was square to shooters all game, and quick enough to reposition himself for rebounds. Khudobin was busy throughout the night.

In the first, he turned back all 17 shots the Senators flung his way. In the second period, Khudobin foiled Nick Fo-ligno three times, including twice on consecutive in-close shots. The only puck that eluded By Fluto Shinzawa GLOBE STAFF OTTAWA When Johnny Boychuk struggled off the TD Garden ice Tuesday night, plac the playoffs or a practice net-minder. Khudobin's 44-save sparkler showed he's up to being the former. "Playoffs is different hockey," Khudobin said.

"At the same time, I got a little shots. I got a little experience. I got a little feeling of the NHL. If they need me, I'll be ready to go." Ottawa needs just one more point to lock down seventh place in the Eastern Conference and set up the Bruins-Senators matchup. Ottawa plays at New Jersey Saturday.

The Bruins had one more chance to send one final regular-season message to the Senators. But with no guarantees of a Boston-Ottawa first-round showdown, rest for the lead dogs was the No. 1 priority. Playing well without their top guns was No. 2.

They accomplished both objectives. "Regardless of whether we've got second place locked up or not, we still want to play the right way and do the right things," Lucie said. "We felt like we did some pretty good things today. Obviously, Khudobin stepped up and played huge here tonight. All in all, our game's coming to where we want it to be at this time of the year." Khudobin was an across-the-grain Jason Spezza snapper.

Even that shot didn't beat Khudobin cleanly. Spezza's shot clanged off the left post, caromed off Khudo-bin's backside, and crossed the goal line at 13:56 of the second. Khudobin wasn't fazed by Spezza's goal. In the third, he bricked up his net. Khudobin made his best save during an Ottawa power play.

Daniel Alfreds-son has made a living baffling goalies with one-timers off the left half-boards. This time, after Alfredsson teed up one of his trademark slappers, Khudobin gloved the captain's attempt at 8:25. "That last shot on Alfredsson," Khudobin deadpanned when asked if any stops stood out. "I think that was a pretty good save." Beyond this season, Khudobin gives the Bruins some options. Khudobin is currently on a two-way contract.

Next year, Khudobin will be on a one-way deal, meaning he will earn $875,000 whether he's in Boston or Providence. Thomas will be entering the final season of his four-year contract. Thomas's no-movement clause expires on July 1. If the Bruins believe Rask can be the go-to goalie and Khudobin can serve as his backup, Thomas could be moved for assets. In the short term, Khudobin will be either a backup goalie in ing no weight on his left leg, BRUINS more confident than the first game," said Julien.

"He skated and moved the puck so well. I really liked his game tonight. I thought he was a solid contributor. Certainly a really good player for us." Mottau was the healthy scratch on the back end. Up front, Lane MacDermid was the healthy scratch Nathan Horton resumed skating on his own Wednesday.

Julien was loath to disclose how Horton was feeling after the skate. "Don't read too much into it," Julien said. "He just started skating. It's a situation where he's still not even close to where you guys might think it is." David Krejci was the third alternate captain Zanon blocked 10 shots; the Senators totaled eight. Bruins 3, Senators 1 at Scotiabank Place, Ottawa FIRST PERIOD BOSTON 1, Ottawa 0 Pouliot 16 (Rolston, Caron) 10:36.

Penalty BOSTON, Rolston (slashing) 14:25. SECOND PERIOD BOSTON 2, Ottawa 0 Zanon 3 (unassisted) 3:51. Penalty BOSTON, Krejci (holding) 11:04. BOSTON 2, Ottawa 1 Spezza 34 (Karlsson, Kuba) 13:56. Penalty Ottawa, Turris (holding) 14:14.

THIRD PERIOD Penalty BOSTON, Thornton (delay of game) 6:40. Penalty Ottawa, Turris (high-sticking) 11:11. BOSTON 3, Ottawa 1 Lucie 26 (Krejci, Krug) 15:27. Penalty BOSTON, Ference (roughing) 16:23. Penalty Ottawa, Carkner (roughing) 16:23.

Penalty Ottawa, bench, served by Winchester (abuse of officials) 18:59. SCORE BY PERIOD BOSTON 1 11-3 Ottawa 0 10-1 SHOTS ON GOAL BOSTON 7 12 8-27 Ottawa 17 17 11 45 Power plays: BOSTON 0-3; Ottawa 0-3. Goalies: BOSTON, Khudobin 1-0-0 (45 shots-44 saves). Ottawa, Bishop 3-3-2 (27-24). Referees: Dan O'Halloran, Kelly Sutherland.

Linesmen: Scott Cherrey, Scott Driscoll. Attendance: 20,500 Time: 2:27. Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawaglobe.com. Follow him on Twitter GkbeFluto. Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawaglobe.com.

Follow him on Twitter GlobeFluto. "American Owned And Operated Since 7 983 HEAD TO HEAD DISTANCE CHALLENGE Take the Speed Trials challenge at Worldwide Golf Shops for your chance to win the 2012 Chevrolet Camarcr Coupe LS 1 LS. PARTICIPATE AND WIN A NOTEBOOK the Bruins feared their No. 3 defenseman had suffered a season-ending injury. They got better news than that.

On Thursday, coach Claude Julien announced that Boychuk had suffered a mild sprain. Boychuk is day-to-day, according to Julien. "It's good news," Julien said. Boychuk missed Thursday night's game against Ottawa because of the injury. There is no definitive word on whether Boychuk will be available for the start of the playoffs.

Game 1 will most likely be Thursday at TD Garden. The Celtics have a home game Wednesday. That Boychuk can even be considered a possibility for the playoffs is positive for the Bruins. Boychuk was injured when he collided with Arron Asham in the third period of a 5-3 loss to the Penguins. Play was halted as Boychuk was unable to get to his skates.

With help from Chris Kelly and Brian Rolston, Boychuk left the ice. Boychuk walked out of the Garden with a heavy limp. Boychuk is considered one of the toughest players on the team with a high tolerance for pain. On Dec. 28, during a 2-1 overtime win over Phoenix, Radim Vrbata drilled Boychuk with a shot below the belt.

Boychuk didn't miss a shift. On Feb. 25, Ottawa's Chris Neil steamrolled Boychuk with an open-ice hit. Boychuk slammed the back of his head on the Scotiabank Place ice and suffered a concussion. Boychuk missed only two games.

Boychuk is a vital piece of Boston's blue line corps. In 77 games, he has five goals and 10 assists. Boychuk is averaging 20:36 of ice time, third-most on the team behind Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg. The right-shot defenseman projected to be on the second pairing alongside Andrew Ference to open the playoffs. Options in play If Boychuk can't go when the first round opens, Joe Corvo could slide into the vacant position.

Like Boychuk, Corvo is a right-shot defenseman. In 73 games, Corvo has four goals and 21 assists. Corvo has 45 games of playoff experience, the most recent being seven matches in 2010for Washington. It might not be that simple. The Bruins have been pleased with the performance of Greg Zanon and Mike Mottau on the third pairing.

With a full complement of defensemen, Mottau projected to be No. 8 on the depth chart. But the chemistry between Zanon and Mottau has created a pair whose sum is greater than its parts. "They're safe D's," Julien said. "They're safe.

They don't overex-tend themselves. They defend extremely well. They make the simple passes. Both those guys are intelligent defensive defense-men. They move the puck well.

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Zans has always been a great shot-blocker. He's one of those guys that seems to fit into our system extremely well. He doesn't have to run around. He does a great job of playing his position." If the Bruins keep Zanon and Mottau together as a third pairing, they could bump Adam McQuaid up to the second pairing with Ference. Chara and Seidenberg will remain together as the shutdown duo.

That would make Corvo the odd man out to start the series if Boychuk can't play. "It's being on the same page," Mottau said of his chemistry with Zanon. "When you get the puck, it's having the ability to see those options. It's a nice feeling when forwards are continually doing the same thing over and over, shift after shift. You have a game plan when you're going back to get the puck and making the simple play.

It's the right play. I think that's what Zans and I do best." McQuaid in and out Adam McQuaid returned to the lineup after missing three straight games. However, he was limited to seven minutes of ice time. McQuaid skated one shift in the second and didn't play in the third. "He didn't feel quite right," said Julien.

"It was very, very minor. The trainer just came to see me, and I told him it would be safer to take him out. I was OK with that. He might be OK tomorrow. We weren't going to take a chance at this point." McQuaid was not diagnosed with a concussion after being blasted into the TD Garden end boards by Jason Chimera March 29.

The hit opened a cut over McQuaid's left eye, which was swollen shut for several days. McQuaid played with a visor on Thursday. He does not usually wear a shield. Krug gets first point Torey Krug earned his first NHL point by assisting on Milan Lucie's third-period goal. Krug had one shot and three blocks in 15:57 of ice time.

Thursday was Krug's second NHL game. He made his big league debut Tuesday. "Just the way he handled the puck and moved, he seemed a lot I NIKE GOLF 4 Exclusively At Worldwide Golf Shops Roger Dunn LFSH PS GOLFERS'IAAREHOUSE I PHESSayl Bll BIBbI 75 Brainard Rd 4 Newbury St 321-GSpeen St 2 Campanelli Dr 60 Freeway Drive (860)522-6829 A (978)777-4653 A (508)651-2582 A (781)848-9777 A (401)467-8740 Stores Closed on Easter Sunday.

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