[ Game summary ]

By Kevin Paul Dupont, Globe Staff, 11/11/2001

hey hit posts with Grade A chances, botched other good offensive opportunities, totally flubbed up a five-on-three advantage, turned their defensive end into a disaster zone that only FEMA could untangle, and, according to a confidential source with direct ties to the FleetCenter's bullgang, just barely escaped being flattened and swept under the Zamboni.

Yeah, it was quite a night for the bumbling Bruins. Their unending series of boo-boos, uh-ohs, faux pas, and Wile E. Coyote-like decision-making (kabloom!) turned into a 5-1 loss to the previously offensively challenged Columbus Blue Jackets.

''Maybe we've been reluctant to do the little things it takes to win games,'' said longtime defenseman Don Sweeney, who ushered his Boston teammates out of corner hiding rooms after the loss in order for them ''to face the music'' with the media.

''We need to get back to it, no matter who the hell we're playing.''

Only 48 hours before, the Bruins suffered a humiliating 5-3 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. Then came the Blue Jackets, who had scored all of 26 goals in 16 games prior to arriving on Causeway Street (a.k.a. the land of good 'n' plenty). Two nights, two weak sisters, two five-goal tattooings that left the Bruins surrounded by a fetid aura that was all too reminiscent of their bumblings last season that led directly to a mid-April start to their summer vacation.

''It wasn't a good game for us,'' said coach Robbie Ftorek, who would poke out his own eyes before fingering any member of his team for errors. ''We made mistakes, they capitalized; we had some chances, but we didn't do well enough to win.''

Five forwards scored for Columbus: Blake Sloan, Mike Sillinger, Mathieu Darche, Ray Whitney, and Kevin Dineen. To understand the weight of all of them scoring, consider: Except for Sillinger, every one of those guys scored his first goal of the season. Sillinger, the leader of the pack, now has two. Congenial town, the Hub of Hockey. Before they catch a plane today, perhaps the Blue Jackets will want to peruse a couple of Sunday open houses in the Back Bay.

Meanwhile, the Bruins continued to pound away with shots, only to get virtually nothing for their work. They finished with a 37-18 advantage, but could only count Sergei Samsonov's goal as their reward. Two nights earlier, they piled up 56 shots and lost by two goals. In those two games alone, Bill Guerin collected a total of 21 shots (9 last night) and got blanked.

''Rob's a guy who believes in his players,'' said Guerin, knowing that Ftorek may have no option but to mix up his lines to try to dredge up more offense. ''Who knows, this might be the last straw.''

The collapse evolved around two key episodes in the second period. To wit:

Trailing, 3-1, the Bruins found themselves on a five-on-three power play for 48 seconds once Lyle Odelein was whistled off for a cross-check at 13:38. Ftorek rolled out five forwards, with Joe Thornton, Samsonov, and Martin Lapointe up front, backed by point men Brian Rolston and Guerin. All they could muster on goalie Marc Denis was one shot. Then the runover five-on-four advantage was negated when Mike Knuble was whistled off for a high-stick - in the offensive end.

In the final seconds before the intermission, Whitney crossed the blue line on right wing and immediately found himself stuck between Thornton and Hal Gill. For reasons perhaps only their astrologers could fully explain, Thornton pulled away and headed to the slot, while Gill backed up and lost track of the puck carrier, an oversight worthy of a Massport executive appointment (or a buyout, at the very least). Result: Whitney plucked along and canned the 4-1 lead with but 16 seconds left on the clock. Game over.

''We had it,'' said Thornton, rolling his eyes over mention of the play. ''He got behind me, and I didn't want to haul him down. Then I thought Hal was going to get him. Just bad. Then it bounced off my skate in the crease, then off Bycie [Byron Dafoe], and then to an open Whitney. Terrible.''

It's only November, but the latest returns have been bad. Still, the Bruins are not a bad team. Most nights, they play well with the puck, press the offense, get strong goaltending, and pile up the shots. Every team turns in a stinker now and then, and last night was it for the Bruins.

What they must guard against now, with the hated Habs ready to roll into town, is that one bad night doesn't set the tone for weeks to come. The augurs of the Zamboni await the weak.

This story ran on page D5 of the Boston Globe on 11/11/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.