Rivalry renewed Friday night. Wait, what?

Hey, we're all bored with four days in between games, so let's reminisce. Boston is playing Dallas on Friday and there is some history there believe it or not.

Remember old friend Steve Ott and the last year when the Bruins met the Stars in the hub?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-D09wj5VtU

Ohhhhh, now you remember. Will the Bruins open up the box of boom on Ott and the Stars? With the rocky start to the season, and a hockey players powerful memory, signs point to yes.

If you're looking for something more cheery, old friend Alex Auld is the backup in Dallas. Will Dallas give him the nod to face his old team? A must see Friday night, in what is the Bruins first road game of the season.

Well, I hope I was able to pump some of you up. You all seemed a little down and out with the Monday loss and break 'til Friday.

Wideman ruled out for tomorrow, Boychuk to make season debut

According to the Boston Globe, Dennis Wideman will not play tomorrow because of an injured left shoulder. Johnny Boychuk will make his season debut tomorrow in place of Wideman.

Wideman could be seen favoring his left shoulder on the way off the ice, but it didn't seem like he was overly uncomfortable on his way to the room.

Hopefully the injury will be minor and Wideman will not be forced to miss an extended period of time.

No roster moves are necessary as Boychuk was already on the Bruins roster.

Bruins storm back from three down to win in SO, 4-3

The Boston Bruins and New York Islanders met tonight at the TD Garden and the Bruins made it seem like it was going to be another stinker.

After forty minutes of hockey, Boston was in a 3-0 hole and the crowd was not letting them forget that. Boston heard the boo birds out in full force as they made their way to the locker room.

Then, a turning point. Half way through the third period, the Bruins were still down 3-0, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.

Marc Savard started the Bruin scoring party, with his second of the season. Savard had a puck kick his way and lit the lamp. The assists went to Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic, and the momentum started to build.

Then, with 4:25 to go in the third period the Bruins got their second strike, courtesy off Byron Bitz. The "Cat" came through the middle and with his back turned to the goal put one past Dwayne Roloson. The puck looked to deflect off of Islander defenseman, Freddy Meyer and past Roloson.

Less than two minutes later Boston evened the score thanks to Matt Hunwick. Hunwick had the puck back at the blue line and threw the puck towards the goal. The old adage of throwing the puck towards the net paid off, as his knuckle puck found some twine.

With 2:34 to go, Boston had tied the game at three, and the TD Garden crowd almost blew the roof off of the building.

The final two and a half minutes ticked off the clock and the teams went to overtime. The OT stanza moved rapidly, and with no goals a shootout was in order.

Blake Wheeler lead the shootout off with a goal, but Rob Schremp quickly knotted the score. After misses by Patrice Bergeron and Brad Park, Marc Savard netted a nifty backhander for the 2-1 shootout lead.

With the Bruins leading by one in the shootout, Tuukka Rask needed to stop Kyle Okposo for a Bruin victory. The end result, was a Rask pad save and a 4-3 (SO) Boston victory.

With the win, Boston moves to 2-2 and have earned some much needed momentum going into the Columbus day tilt with the Colorado Avalanche.

The final line on Rask in his first start of the season was, 35 saves on 38 shots.

Your player of the game is Marc Savard, with the Bruins first goal in regulation and game winner in the shootout. We'll have more tomorrow.

Rask gets nod vs. Islanders tonight

It's Tuukka time folks. Rask in goal for the B's. The young Fin, looks ready to go. More after the game.

Milan Lucic - Marc Savard - Marco Sturm
Blake Wheeler - David Krejci - Michael Ryder
Mark Recchi - Patrice Bergeron - Chuck Kobasew
Shawn Thornton - Steve Begin - Byron Bitz

Zdeno Chara - Derek Morris
Andrew Ference - Dennis Wideman
Mark Stuart - Matt Hunwick

Tuukka Rask
Tim Thomas

GAME DAY: Bruins vs. Islanders; Savard and Boston talking extension

Game Notes for tonight's game against the New York Islanders.
* Tonight will be Mark Stuart's 200th game.

* I just got a call from a buddy at the TD Garden. He said by the looks of it, Dwayne Roloson and Tim Thomas will be the goaltenders tonight.

* John Tavares, the first overall pick in the 2009 draft is in the hub and ready to light some lamps. Tavares, who has played in two games thus far, has already netted a goal and has a total of three points.

So, even though the Islanders are a sub-par club, the sight of Tavares is still a must see.

Savard a Bruin, past 2010?

Now, back to the rumor mill. Yes, I know that we are only three games in to the 2009-2010 season but the mill is burning. Milan Lucic was the first pending free agent to get extended by the Bruins. The second could very well be the Bruins number one center.

The Boston Herald is reporting that Savard and the Bruins are talking about an extension, although a deal hasn't been struck yet.

"The camps are believed to have discussed pacts of various lengths, including three years for an average of $6.5 million," the Herald reports. "Thus far, apparently, Savard hasn’t received an offer he’s willing to sign, though he made it clear he wants to remain a Bruin."

“I’d like that,” said Savard. “We’ve got to be patient. This is where I’d like to stay if it’s possible. I hope it happens.”

Recchi replaces Ference at Bruins player rep

Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference has been replaced by veteran winger Mark Recchi as Boston's player representative and member of the PA's executive board.

According to two reports, Ference withdrew his name for consideration to be re-elected to the position, making way for Recchi to assume it unopposed.

Ference angered a number of players in the Boston room, following the August 31 firing of PA executive director Paul Kelly. Players said Ference was not sharing all of the details with them and took offense.

EDIT: Mark Stuart is the actual player rep, with Dennis Wideman as the alternate.

Lucic's three-year extension may mean the end for another in Boston

Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has signed forward Milan Lucic to a three-year contract extension through the 2012-13 NHL season

According to multiple reports, the deal was worth $12.25 million over three years. Lucic will earn $4 million in each of the next two years and $4.25 million in 2012-13.

Lucic would have been a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

Now, your initial reaction when reading this is, yes, Lucic in black and gold for the next four years. Yes! Lucic cleaning clocks in the Northeast division until 2013.

However, this signing, as good as it feels may mean the end of an era in the hub.

The player who may be priced out of bean town next season is the Bruins perennial leading point scorer, Marc Savard. Savard, a UFA at season's end is likely looking at a $6 million+ annual cap hit.

Boston is tight to the cap, which is no surprise. The lack of cap space was the main reason the Bruins were not able to offer an acceptable bid for RFA, Phil Kessel.

With Lucic getting a bump from $618,333 to $4 million, and with other key free agents like Blake Wheeler and Tuukka Rask looming look for Savard to be heading off of Causeway and over the border.

The rumors have already been surfaced, but now with the smoke, there appears to be a fire; perhaps a big one. Savard and Kessel together again in 2010-2011?

Of course, the Bruins could dish a big salary out of Boston to maintain Savard. The one salary they could dish, to save the current Bruin pivot may be another fan favorite in Tim Thomas.

Thomas will make $5 million against the cap next season, but could be expendable with a promotion of a young star in the making in Rask. Rask, however will most likely be looking for a deal of at least $3 million.

The headache that awaits Peter Chiarelli this off-season is going to be a big one. That is undoubtedly why Chiarelli is looking to lock up some of his bigger name free agents now, rather than June.

Could players like Mark Stuart and Blake Wheeler be next on Chiarelli's laundry list of free agents to be? Here's a case of Advil Peter, you'll need it.

Lucic excused for "Personal issues"

Hello Bruins faithful, it has been a crazy last few days. Sorry for the lack of posts.

The only big note from today's practice, which according to head coach, Claude Julien wasn't big, was that Milan Lucic missed practice.

According to Julien, ''He was just excused [from practice] for non-hockey-related personal issues,'' Julien confirmed that Lucic would be back on the ice tomorrow.

In Lucic's absence, Matt Hunwick filled in up front. Hunwick of course played some wing last year, when Boston was struck with the injury bug.

Johnny Boychuck took Hunwicks spot on the back side today in practice.