Bruins extend conference lead in overtime loss

[ Game summary ]

By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 4/5/2002

ruth be told, the Bruins' last two home games have had an entertainment value of next to zero. Contests against Carolina (a shutout loss Saturday) and last night's 2-1 overtime defeat to the New York Islanders at the FleetCenter were, for the most part, as much fun as watching paint dry.

The difference, however, was a precious point. The Bruins - and especially coach Robbie Ftorek - weren't thrilled with the way the team failed to respond to the Islanders' deadly (dull) trap. But they'll take the point because it meant gaining ground on Philadelphia (loser to Montreal) and Toronto (loser to the Rangers).

Yes, there are concerns about how the Bruins are playing at home, given they're likely to have home-ice

advantage until the Stanley Cup finals (should they get there), but there are also concerns about their sputtering power play, which was a dreadful 0 for 6 last night.

''They played almost a 1-4,'' said Brian Rolston, referring to the Islanders' trapping strategy. ''They dumped it out and iced the puck. They played a disciplined game, but we didn't play with the authority that we can play with. That's something we have to do better at, regardless of whether teams are going to try to slow you up.''

For 118 minutes 11 seconds, spanning the two games, the Bruins couldn't score. Last night, the Islanders took a 1-0 lead on Mariusz Czerkawski's goal with 55.9 seconds remaining in the second period.

With left wing Brad Isbister charging up the left side, Czerkawski skated into the slot. Isbister dished a backhander across and Czerkawski let go a quick wrister that beat Byron Dafoe.

Heading into the final period, things were looking bleak. Through 40 minutes, the Bruins had the edge in shots (24-9), but were behind in virtually every other category. They were losing the faceoff battle (48 percent to 52 percent), were behind in hits (7 to the Isles' 10), takeaways (4 to New York's 6), and blocked shots (9-3).

Then came Glen Murray to the rescue. Murray, who was lost for a time when he was high-sticked in the mouth by defenseman Roman Hamrlik and took about a dozen stitches at 10:01 of the second, potted his 36th of the season with just 2:16 left.

Sergei Samsonov took the initial shot, which goaltender Garth Snow stopped, but Murray - with defenseman Kenny Jonsson checking him hard from behind - managed to stay up long enough to backhand the rebound into the net and send the Bruins to overtime for the 22d time this season.

''We got a point out of it,'' said Murray, ''which we shouldn't have.''

Oleg Kvasha won it with 1:31 remaining in the extra session.

Earlier in the year, Dafoe used to be so distraught by OT losses - given that it goes in the goalie's loss column but is a separate category for the team - he would be halfway to the North Shore by the time the media came into the dressing room. He said it's a different story now.

''Earlier in the year, I wouldn't be too happy right now,'' said Dafoe with a chuckle. ''At this point of the season, I don't really care about overtime losses. To me, it's a point. I guess I'm just like the other 19 guys in here right now. It doesn't matter what goes in my loss column.''

And last night's loss, in the big picture, didn't matter all that much. They got the point when two of their biggest rivals didn't.

''I think the end result is what we wanted,'' said Dafoe. ''It was a huge goal by Glen. Unfortunately, it took all game but it was a big goal that got us a huge point and that's the bottom line.

''Talk about scoreboard watching, that's one game down and 1 point, so it's a victory for us in a sense.

''We got the big one and that's what mattered.''

This story ran on page D1 of the Boston Globe on 4/5/2002.
© Copyright 2002 Globe Newspaper Company.