[ Game summary ]

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 3/27/2002

ALEIGH, N.C. - Since the Olympic break, Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek has been extra mindful of his players' ice time. The coach also has seen to it that certain players have practice days off to conserve their energy.

Brian Rolston has been one of them. The center, who represented Team USA in the Olympics, has a grueling workload, playing even strength, on the power play, and penalty killing, and it takes its toll. After a very strong start, Rolston's production has tailed off in the second half.

But tired or not, he showed again last night why he is the club's greatest scoring threat in shorthanded situations. With Carolina on the power play late in the second period, Rolston blocked a shot by Jeff O'Neill and took off on a breakaway, beating Arturs Irbe to propel the Bruins to a 3-2 victory.

It was the eighth shorthanded tally of the season for Rolston, which sets a club mark.

The Bruins have won six in a row on the road for the first time since Oct. 13-Nov. 2, 1997. Boston has won six straight overall and nine of its last 10.

''It only took me five breakaways to get that eighth one,'' said Rolston, ''but I knew I'd get it right sometime.''

''It was huge,'' said Ftorek. ''They were putting the pressure on, and all of a sudden - boom - it's down the other end of the ice. Obviously the goal makes it even that much better. It was a real momentum-changer.''

The Bruins didn't start out very well in this one. They were playing their third game in four nights, and it showed. They looked listless early, and the Hurricanes were able to take a lead.

Rod Brind'Amour put Carolina up, 1-0, at 15:56 of the first period with his 19th of the season, finishing off a three-on-one break. Bates Battaglia carried the puck up the left side, and with only Don Sweeney back for Boston, he dished the puck to Brind'Amour. He relayed it to Erik Cole, who sent it right back to Brind'Amour in the right circle.

Only seconds after Brind'Amour's shot beat Byron Dafoe, the lights in the arena flickered and then went out - the effect of a lightning storm outside. The lights automatically reset after 15 minutes, so officials elected to tack the final 5:04 of the period onto the beginning of the second.

The Bruins weathered several Hurricanes flurries early in the second, and around the nine-minute mark, the Bruins began taking over the contest.

Sergei Samsonov had a terrific scoring chance when he rifled the rebound of a Hall Gill shot at an off-balance Irbe from the slot. But somehow Irbe made the stop.

A couple of minutes later, Samsonov did cash in. Jozef Stumpel relayed a pass to Glen Murray in the right circle. Murray dished the puck to Samsonov in the slot, and his one-timer sailed past Irbe at 11:27 to tie it up. It was Samsonov's 28th goal of the year.

At 17:57, Dafoe made one of his best saves after Brind'Amour beat defenseman Kyle McLaren and charged toward the net. Brind'Amour tried to beat Dafoe between the pads but the netminder kept it out.

Then came Rolston's goal, which gave Boston the lead for good.

The Bruins' third goal came at 15:46 of the third period, Murray's 34th of the year. It was his fifth goal in six games and third in three. Murray's strike came just 10 seconds after his tripping penalty expired. Murray beat Irbe on a two-on-none give-and-go with P.J. Stock.

''I saw him coming, and I thought, him with 30-plus goals and me with 0, his chances were probably better,'' said Stock. ''I took a little heat for not shooting it, but it worked out all right.''

Penalty trouble allowed the Hurricanes to make it interesting in the final minute. With Carolina riding a three-man advantage as a result of Irbe at the bench and two Bruins in the box, Brind'Amour scored with 29.3 seconds left in regulation.

This story ran on page F1 of the Boston Globe on 3/27/2002.
© Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.