Game Day: Bruins and Senators; Thomas may start

The Boston Bruins will play the Ottawa Senators tonight from the TD Garden. Boston is coming off of a 2-1 SO loss yesterday against the Devils. Ottawa is coming off of a 2-1 victory against Columbus.

Boston and Ottawa are tied for first place in the Northeast division, so tonight's battle is a big one. The Bruins has won five games in a row against the Senators at the Garden.

There is a lot of speculation that Tim Thomas will make his return to the Boston crease tonight. Thomas has been sidelined with a reported hand injury, and has not seen action since Nov. 14, in Pittsburgh.

After making his return to the lineup on the 19th, Milan Lucic is out again with an ankle injury. Lucic is expected to be out until Christmas. Vladimir Sobotka is expected to take Lucic's spot in the lineup while Lucic nurses his ankle.

The Bruins have obtained points in nine of their last 10 games, and with that have moved to fifth place in the Eastern Conference. A win tonight can propel Boston to the third spot in the conference.

UPDATE: Rene Rancourt is in the house. It is always a good night when Rene kicks off the game with the anthems.

Mike Fisher, a center for the Senators will also play tonight. Fisher has missed the last two games for Ottawa with an upper-body injury.

It looks like the goalie match-up will be Tim Thomas vs. Brian Elliott tonight @ the Garden in the battle for first.

Savard ready to go

The Boston Globe is reporting that Marc Savard will play tomorrow night in St. Louis. They are also noting that Savard will center a line with Marco Sturm on the left and Byron Bitz on the right.

With Savard back, this leaves Boston with 13 healthy forwards. The likely scratch will be Vladimir Sobotka. Sobotka will likely be the scratch over Daniel Paille because of Paille's value on the penalty kill.

The team's penalty kill was horrendous before Paille's arrival, but is now positioned as the 5th best PK unit in the NHL. Look for Paille to be in there against St. Louis, who is one of the four teams with a better PK percentage than Boston.

Bruins best Buffalo in overtime

The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres met tonight in a Northeast division throw down. The game lived up to a traditional divisional battle, as the Bruins and Sabres had to settle things in overtime.

The Sabres struck first in this game, just four minutes and twenty seconds into the first period.

Bryon Bitz was sent off for tripping Patrick Kaleta at 16:37, and Buffalo was able to take advantage on the power play.

Paul Guastad, who was parked on the doorstep, got his stick on a Jason Pominville slapper from the blue line, and Buffalo was off to a good start.

Gaustad's fifth goal of the season carried the Sabres into the locker room with a 1-0 lead.

The second period was all Boston, and about half way through the second, their hard work was rewarded.

Tuukka Rask had just made a nice save, and the puck deflected out to Byron Bitz who beat a Buffalo defender to the puck. Bitz brought the puck up ice, two-on-one with Milan Lucic.

Bitz made a feed across the slot for Lucic, and Lucic deposited the pass, past Ryan Miller with a quick wrister.

The goal was Lucic's first goal of the season. This was Lucic's second game back after returning from a 14 game absence due to a finger injury.

Buffalo controlled the majority of the play in the third period, out shooting the Bruins, 15-6 in the stanza.

However, Rask was up to the challenge, and he would carry Boston into overtime. This was Boston's fourth overtime battle in their last five games.

Boston would not wait long in the overtime session to make their mark. Patrice Bergeron scored 47 seconds into overtime, to give Boston the 2-1 victory.

Bergeron won the face off in the Buffalo zone and then went to the slot to tip in a shot by Zdeno Chara.

The win for Boston pulls them within two points of the Sabres for first place in the Northeast division.

Rask made 25 saves in the win for the Bruins, making his third straight start. Tim Thomas has been sidelined due to an undisclosed injury.

Boston will next be in action on Monday night in St. Louis. This game has been speculated to be the return game for Marc Savard.

Lots to look forward to for Bruins fans, as Boston has won back-to-back games, and the Bruins leading point man is ready to make his return to the lineup.

Marchand assigned, Savard still not ready, Rask to start again

The Bruins and Sabres will get at it tonight in Buffalo. Here are some quick hits to bring you up to speed for tonight's game.

*Marc Savard will not play tonight in Buffalo. Savard could make his return Monday night in St. Louis.

*Brad Marchand has been assigned to Providence. Boston is now down to 13 forwards with the big club. This would lead you to believe that Marc Savard will return Monday night.

*It's Tuukka Time again tonight in Buffalo. This will be Rask's third straight start. Tim Thomas is still sidelined due to minor undisclosed injury.

*Marc Savard is close to signing a seven year extension, worth $39 million ($5.7 million per) according to a report from Canada’s RDS.

Whitfield placed on waivers

The Boston Bruins have place forward, Trent Whitfield on waivers. If Whitfield is not claimed, he will re-join the Providence Bruins.

This move was expected, now that Milan Lucic has returned. The Bruins may be returning one more player to Providence soon also, as Marc Savard is expected back in the lineup within the week.

Lucic set to make return tonight

We were all wondering when we would see Milan Lucic and Marc Savard back in the lineup. Well, for at least one of those players, the wait ends tonight.

Boston Bruins GM, Peter Chiarelli announced that Milan Lucic will play in tonight's game against the Atlanta Thrashers. Lucic is not expected to be back in the top six mix tonight.

Marc Savard did make the trip with the club, but will not suit up tonight. Savard is, however, expected to play at some point during the team's four game road trip.

The train wreck continues, Isles burn Bruins, 4-1

A train wreck is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an accident, such as when a train wheel jumps off a track in a derailment; or when a boiler explosion occurs.

That description comes when you look up the definition of a train wreck. The same description could be found when describing the Boston Bruins at the present moment.

The New York Islanders beat down the Bruins, 4-1 tonight at the TD Garden to continue the trains path off the track.

Tonight, it was offensive Juggernaut, Matt Moulson who netted two goals to sink the Bruins. Also, number one overall draft pick John Tavares scored an ugly goal.

Early in the third period, with the Islanders holding a 2-1 lead, Dennis Wideman turned the puck over by the Boston cage. The play was all too familiar to Bruins fans, as the turnover by Wideman lead to the Isles third goal, and the final nail in the coffin.

The ugly goals have been piling up as of late for Boston. The overtime winner in Pittsburgh on Saturday night was mirrored yet again tonight.

This time Tuukka Rask played the role of Tim Thomas and gave the puck to the Islanders who were quickly able to get the puck to the slot and into the back of the net.

The Bruins played quite the ugly game, and will be worked like dogs over the next couple of days in practice to make up for their lackluster effort.

The only Bruin who seems to show consistent passion is Shawn Thornton, and even he looks like he is getting frustrated.

The Bruins will go on the road for a four game road trip before the Thanksgiving holiday. The trip could be the return for both Milan Lucic and Marc Savard.

Lucic is expected to return either Thursday in Atlanta or Saturday in Buffalo. Savard may make a return to the team by the trips end, next Wednesday in Minnesota.

The return of the duo can not come soon enough, as the train has already derailed, and isn't that far from exploding.

Bruins and Penguins pre-game notes

The Boston Bruins are in Pittsburgh, for tonight's match with the Penguins.

The Bruins are coming off of a 1-0, SO loss to the Florida Panthers. Tim Thomas has recorded back to back shut outs against Florida, and Pittsburgh.

Look for Thomas to start in goal tonight for the black and gold, with Marc-Andre Fleury starting in net for Pittsburgh.

The Bruins lines remained the same today at practice and are as follows.

Forwards:

Sturm - Bergeron - Recchi

Wheeler - Krejci - Ryder

Paille - Sobotka - Marchand

Thornton - Begin - Bitz

Defense:

Chara - Morris

Stuart - Wideman

Hunwick - Ference

The Penguins will have one of their super stars back in the lineup tonight. Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma announced that Evgeni Malkin will return to the lineup tonight against Boston, while Chris Kunitz is out with a lower body injury.

The Penguins should line up like this tonight.

Forwards:

Fedotenko-Crosby-Malkin

Bourque-Staal-Guerin

Cooke-Letestu-Dupuis

Rupp-Adams-Godard

Defense:

Skoula-Lovejoy

McKee-Goligoski

Eaton-Engelland

Look for a steady dose of the Chara and Morris pairing on the ice whenever the Crosby-Malkin line is out there. The two teams will face off from the Igloo tonight at 7:30.