Shawn Thornton News

ROUSED: Boston overtook Buffalo for the top spot after Bruin s coach Claude Julien delivered a pre-game speech that Marc Savard said was the best he had ever heard REUTERS AND AP, BOSTON AND SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA Monday, Dec 07, 2009, Page 19 Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Colton Orr, left, and Boston Bruins left wing Shawn Thornton fight in the ...

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.

Michael Cammalleri celebrated the Canadiens' 100th birthday with his second hat trick of the season.

So apparently the Bruins don't have to go to extra sessions every time they play.

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.

Any day now, possibly today, slick center Marc Savard is expected to sign his new contract with the Bruins, a seven-year extension beginning in 2010-11 with an average cap hit in the $4.5 million-$4.8 million range.

The Bruins offensive-minded defenseman netted a goal and an assist to help lift the Bruins to a 4-3 shootout victory against the Ottawa Senators last night and claim first place in the Northeast Division.

For the Bruins coaching staff, it wasn't so much Byron Bitz's hands or wheels that earned him the promotion to top-line duties alongside Marc Savard last night.

Photo by flickr user Dan4th. Things were going to be different once Milan Lucic and Marc Savard were able to suit up again.

Last night, after missing more than a month because of a broken left foot, Marc Savard made his return to the Bruins lineup against the Blues at the Scottrade Center and contributed the following: zero goals, zero assists, zero points, 16:30 of ice time, and one third-period wipeout.

Now it's off to Buffalo, where the Sabres have three games in hand, but have left the door open for the Bruins to remain in a race for first place in the Northeast Division.

The planets couldn't have aligned any better for Bruins center Marc Savard , who this week is expected to sign a lucrative long-term extension that could tie him up for seven more years at a cost of about $32 million, according to The Boston Globe.

The man who is never a loss for words, Jack Edwards of NESN has asked fans to help name find a nickname for the Bruins' 4th line .

Boston Bruins left wing Shawn Thornton, right, lines up a punch as he fights New York Islanders right wing Tim Jackman in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, on Nov.

And that's a shame for a guy like Shawn Thornton. One of the most negative trends in the National Hockey League - unless, of course, you're one of the lucky few striking it rich - is the lucrative second contracts being handed to young players.

For the last eight games, their fundamental play has been as solid and impenetrable as Fort Knox; their forechecking has picked up; they're getting plenty of quality scoring chances.

They knew at the time the pair would miss at least 10 games and probably more - a stretch where the B's could slip well down the Eastern Conference standings.

Florida's Tomas Vokoun stops a shot by the Bruins' Shawn Thornton on Thursday in Boston.

The Bruins have felt they've been on the right track for a while. Last night they finally got some evidence to support that notion.

Maybe he didn't get to relax, or let his guard down, or allow his mind to wander during timeouts to some warm Caribbean isle, but Tim Thomas finally got to breathe a little last night, which is something he's rarely been able to do this season.