Blake Wheeler News

The Boston Bruins know better than to look past the struggling Philadelphia Flyers Monday night at TD Garden.

Like Marc Savard, the backchecker in the slot, turning his head a hair too late to get a stick or body on James van Riemsdyk in the third period.

The Bruins [ team stats ] did not look much like themselves for the first month-plus of the season.

With every save he makes in Black and Gold , Tuukka Rask makes the bile in the Maple Leafs' mouth taste even more acrid.

During last night's second intermission, when his players returned to the dressing room with a 3-0 lead, coach Claude Julien reminded the Bruins that the Maple Leafs weren't going to tuck their tails and whimper out of TD Garden in the third period.

Mark Recchi scored twice in the final three minutes, and Tuukka Rask stopped 32 shots for Boston, which opened a three-goal lead and held on to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Thursday night.

When and if time permits, Boston defenseman Derek Morris wouldn't mind taking a trip to the west side of the city -- Kenmore Square in particular -- so he could stroll into Fenway Park and see firsthand what the fuss is all about.

WOBURN, Mass. -- Many Bruins traded in their sticks for shopping carts Tuesday, participating in the team's annual "Holiday Toy Shopping Event." Marc Savard, Blake Wheeler, Milan Lucic and Johnny Boychuck were among the players buying toys for children at seven hospitals in the Greater Boston area.

It was a tough night to be a Leafs fan... Midway through the third period it became painfully clear why Boston is first place in the Northeast division and why Toronto is dead last.

Phil Kessel returned home last night, unaware that his West End reunion would turn into his personal imperfect storm, one that had the Bruins blow away the Maple Leafs, 7-2, and leave the former Bruins' winger washed up on the side of Causeway Street with a line in the scoring summary nearly worthy of summoning the National Guard for emergency ...

BOSTON a ' For two teams that hadn't met yet this season, there certainly seemed to be a lot of animosity when the Maple Leafs dropped a 7-2 decision to the Bruins on Saturday night.

Tonight will be the sixth time that Byron Bitz serves as Marc Savard's right-hand man on the Bruins' No.

Ryder had watched as Elliott stoned Patrice Bergeron, Blake Wheeler and David Krejci in the first three rounds of the shootout.

Marc Savard's importance to the Bruins [ team stats ] never was more apparent than when he recently was sidelined for 15 games and the offense went ice cold.

At 6-1-3 in their last 10 and coming off a 4-0 road trip, the Boston Bruins woke up on Thanksgiving feeling thankful for the return of top-line center Marc Savard and his left wing, Milan Lucic.

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara always sees the game from a slightly different perspective, standing nearly 7 feet tall when he laces up his oversize skates.

Bruins 4, Senators 3 The longer they go, well, the longer they have to go. The Bruins, who nightly stretch the game clock beyond even a plastic surgeon's wildest dreams, went to overtime last night, for a fifth time in six games, and ultimately left the Garden with a 4-3 win over the Senators thanks to Michael Ryder's solo strike in the shootout.

The Ottawa Senators will try to close out an excellent month on a positive note when they visit the Boston Bruins for tonight's Northeast Division clash at TD Garden.

Jamie Langenbrunner and Zach Parise scored shootout goals to make goaltender Martin Brodeur a winner on the day he became the NHL's all-time minutes leader in the New Jersey Devils' 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Friday.

Brodeur wins, becomes NHL all-time minutes leader Eds: APNewsNow. Devils 2, Bruins 1, SO.