ITTSBURGH - In the last few weeks, the Bruins have been preaching carpe diem.
With Carolina sitting in the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, the Bruins shouldn't have to be told that if they don't seize the day, they'll soon be seizing the golf clubs.
Last night against the Penguins, the Bruins played well enough to earn a point with the 2-2 overtime tie at the Igloo. But as the number of games dwindles, a point here and there might not be enough to overtake the Hurricanes, who are now 2 points ahead with one game in hand.
Yes, the Penguins have Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Alexei Kovalev. But last night the Bruins had a 2-0 lead and couldn't finish it off. Defensively, they're playing much better (just two goals in each of their last three games) since goalie Byron Dafoe came back. But the killer instinct is still proving elusive.
The Bruins started off very strongly, dipped significantly in the second period, and then finished pretty well.
''I thought we had an excellent first period,'' said coach Mike Keenan. ''We got away from our game plan in the second period - it probably cost us a point. We came back strong in the third and played a decent overtime. We picked up a point on the road. We have to be more desperate than that.
''I would make the assessment that in the second period, we didn't shoot the puck, we didn't go to the net hard, we didn't generate the offense that we could've to put them away when we had the lead.''
In the opening period, the Bruins outshot the Penguins, 14-5, and dominated in all facets. Boston went ahead at 1:38, with left wing Sergei Samsonov setting up right wing Bill Guerin for Guerin's 36th tally of the season.
The Bruins made it a 2-0 lead by cashing in on the power play at 11:36, with just three seconds remaining on the man-advantage. Guerin, positioned below the left circle, dished a pass to center Joe Thornton, who ripped a shot past goalie Johan Hedberg for his 31st of the year.
The Penguins closed within 2-1 on the power play at 16:07. With center Jason Allison in the box for roughing, center Martin Straka relayed the puck to defenseman Hans Jonsson at the right point. Jonsson blasted a one-timer through a screen past Dafoe.
The Bruins' lead evaporated at 2:20 of the second period, only 20 seconds after a Boston power play expired. Straka, skating through the left circle, beat Bruins forward Mikko Eloranta and backhanded the puck at the net. It hit center Jan Hrdina's stick and deflected past Dafoe.
Left wing Andrei Nazarov tried to give his team a spark when he battled Penguins enforcer Krzysztof Oliwa. Oliwa ended up having to leave the game with a hamstring injury as a result of Nazarov knocking him to the ice.
At 11:15 of the second, the game was delayed for several minutes because a dump-in shot by Bruins defenseman Hal Gill shattered a pane of glass behind Hedberg.
It took a couple of minutes for the clubs to get back on track after the delay, and even though both had prime scoring opportunities, no one could cash in.
The Bruins had a terrific chance early in the third period. Allison took a long lead pass at center ice from Nazarov and raced in on a breakaway. He lost control of the puck, regained it, and while running out of room, was almost able to guide it into the net at the right post. But Hedberg stayed with it and blocked it with his pad as Allison tumbled into the net.
The Bruins had another prime opportunity with a man-advantage midway through the period but couldn't get anything going. The only shot during the power play - which even featured a Boston timeout - was a shorthanded one by Straka.
''We didn't want to shoot the puck,'' said Keenan. ''When it's not going well, you take the puck back to the point and you shoot it.
''Did you notice their power play? That's all Straka did. He shot the puck and it went in the net. We just will not do that and I'm lost for the reason. I guess they just don't have confidence in [Brian] Rolston's shot.''
Thornton said he was pleased with the team's start but disappointed they didn't get more out of it.
''We came out and had a purpose,'' he said. ''We know we were going to have to win a lot of these games coming up. It's crunch time and we're going to have to play our best hockey.''
They keep saying it. So far, they haven't done it on a consistent basis. And there isn't much time left.
''It shows they've got a lot of development to undergo and understand what it takes to win,'' said Keenan. ''They just, as a group, don't know yet.''
