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Bolts Best Beware This Bear

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

eerlendsson@tampatrib.com

Published: December 4, 2008

TAMPA - The back of the mask worn by Boston Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas bears the wording of caution: Beware of Bear.

This year the statement has proven to be more than just a saying paying homage to Thomas' affection for hunting. It might was well be a warning for Boston's opposition as the Bruins have been one of the best - and most dangerous - teams in the league.

Boston comes to town tonight with the fewest regulation losses - four - in the Eastern Conference and was tied with the New York Rangers atop the conference standings heading into Wednesday night with Boston now having played four fewer games than the Rangers. The Bruins are also as hot as any team in the league with an 11-1-1 record in the past 13 games, including a convincing 4-1 victory against defending champion Detroit on Saturday.

"I've watched a bunch of their games and I'm impressed with the job Boston coach Claude Julien, he's got that team buying into his system," Lightning interim coach Rick Tocchet said. "And the thing I like about their team is they don't do one thing unbelievable, they do everything good and those type of teams win."

Boston has a conference-best 82 goals scored and a conference low 55 goals against. With the emergence of Phil Kessel and his 13 goals on offense and stellar goaltending combination of Tim Thomas - .940 save percentage - and Manny Fernandez, who is 7-1-1, the Bruins are a blend of high octane offense paired with a brick wall defense.

While captain Zdeno Chara represents perhaps the only marquee name on the Bruins roster, the rest of the cast has pulled together to become one of the more complete teams in the league from top to bottom.

"A lot of people probably didn't give them credit for having that deep of a team," Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby said on a recent league conference call."But they're getting contributions from everyone. They're getting some good goaltending. Their defense is playing well. Overall they're really getting some strong play with everyone, and that's what they need to win. I don't think there's any secret, they've got some support from everyone there. That's why they're winning."

Bruins center Marc Savard, who is the sixth-leading scorer in the league with 30 points, said last week there is camaraderie that has allowed that depth to shine through.

"We get along so well. I know a lot of teams say that, but we really do," Savard said.

NOTES: G Mike Smith did not practice Wednesday but is expected to start. ... Judging from the line combinations during practice, LW Ryan Craig will be back in the lineup while LW Evgeny Artyukhin and RW Radim Vrbata could be the two forward scratches. ... C Vinny Lecavalier left practice early for "body maintenance" purposes. ... Tampa Bay prospects G Dustin Tokarski and C Dana Tyrell have been invited to Team Canada evaluation camp for the World Junior Championships. ... Sun Sports will debut an "Inside the Lightning" special on Lecavalier after tonight's telecast.

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

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