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 The Bruins, 5-6-0 in the first 11 games with the line searching
for its offense, rolled to their fifth straight victory on Monday
night, a 4-2 decision over the New Jersey Devils; and the line again
led the way.
Bergeron, the center and one of the best in the league, had a goal
and two assists Monday and has six points during the winning streak.
Right winger Reilly Smith had a goal and an assist on Monday and
also has six points during the run. Left winger Brad Marchand was
held off the score sheet Monday but has four goals and three assists
during the winning streak.
"I think you're seeing a lot of good chemistry coming back that you
saw last year," said Bruins coach Claude Julien. "They're finding
each other, they seem to be more in synch, not getting caught in
some deep areas, three guys. They're reading off each other well."
Center Carl Soderberg, also hot during the streak, scored a
power-play goal and has five points in the five games. The other
goal of the night was a highlight-reel goal by rookie right wing
Seth Griffith.
 Griffith blocked a shot inside the defensive zone, and skated
through defensemen Marek Zidlicky and Bryce Salvador. As he was
being held by Zidlicky (there would have been a penalty), Griffith
turned his body and slid a back-hander through his own legs and then
goaltender Cory Schneider. That snapped a 2-2 tie and Smith scored
1:20 later, after the Devils had tied the game and were putting the
pressure on.
"I think you realize your strength in plays like that, situations
like that," the 5-9, 192-pound Griffith said. "After that I felt
more confident down low in the third period so it helped that way as
well."
Schneider, who hails from nearby Marblehead, Mass., played at Boston
College and had some 50 family and friends at the game, had a rough
night as the Devils (6-7-2) lost their fourth straight game.
Center Travis Zajac had a goal and an assist, ageless right winger
Jaromir Jagr a goal and Mike Cammalleri, the left winger on the
line, had two assists in his first game back after missing six
straight with a head injury.
Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask was beaten by Zajac just 1:26 into the
game but went on to stop 26 shots, 14 in the third period, and raise
his record to 8-4-0.
Schneider, who has started every game playing behind a shaky
defensive system for the Devils this season, gave up four goals on
20 shots in the first two periods (the Bruins had only three shots
in the third).
New Jersey has been giving the puck away all season and defenseman
Eric Gelinas gave it to Bergeron for his goal and defenseman Bryce
Salvador couldn't control the puck in his end on the Smith goal.
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Asked if Schneider is fatigued under the workload, coach Pete DeBoer
said, "I don't know. I'll have to talk to him and see what he says.
You guys keep asking me about fatigue, we've only played 14 games
and there's been plenty of days between games. I can't imagine it's
fatigue."
Jagr, who passed Wayne Gretzky and moved into 17th place on the
NHL's all-time games list with 1,488, moved past Mike Gartner with
his 708th goal. It came after Zajac circled the net with the puck,
curled and left it off the boards for Jagr, who has scored so many
goals coming off the right boards. Rask was screened and the shot
hit his pad and still went in, Jagr's third goal of the season.
"Yeah, he's the energizer bunny, isn't he?" said Julien. "He just
changes his batteries every year and he's good for another year.
Same old, same old. Still as strong and protects that puck so well
and you look at him and he still has the ability to make those nice
plays."
NOTES: Devils LW Mike Cammalleri returned after missing six games
with a head injury and assisted on both goals. ... With D David
Warsofsky the latest member of the Boston defensive corps knocked
out (2-4 weeks with a groin injury), D Torey Krug returned after
missing four games with a broken finger. ... Both teams were missing
key centers because of injury. New Jersey's Adam Henrique and
Boston's David Krejci continued to be out. ... In honor of Veterans
Day, the Bruins held Military Appreciation night, with six players
combining to donate $2,500 worth of tickets to military personnel
and their families, complete with a postgame meet and greet with the
players. The Bruins wore military camouflage jerseys in warmups that
were to be auctioned off. ... The Devils host the Minnesota Wild on
Tuesday night and the Bruins visit Toronto and Montreal on Wednesday
and Thursday nights.
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