The return of Marc Savard will help boost these numbers as the B’s have struggled in the goal department. Tonight Savard is expected to center Byron Bitz and Marco Sturm.

One thing through the Bruins remain consistent on this season is goal-tending. Tim Thomas started out a little shaky, well to Thomas standards but quickly got his game back. With Thomas nursing a minor undisclosed injury, nothing has changed between the pipes. The addition of  Tuukka Rask who got the promotion from Providence this season has stepped into the line up and has won his last 2 games and has a 5-2-1 record with a 2.31 GAA and a .917 sv%.

The Bruins have a tough stretch this week as they will play 4 games in the next 6 days,  facing the Wild, Devils and Senators after St.Louis tonight. The Boston Globe reported last week that Peter Chiarelli will wait until injured first-line forwards Milan Lucic and Marc Savard return to the lineup before he makes any big trades. With all the key players back, this will be the time to evaluate what this 2009-10 Bruins team is made of.

Although the Bruins suffered another loss, as they dodged another goose egg when Patrice Bergeron punched in a rebound from Zdeno Chara. Bergeron had a goal called back in the second period after replay clearly showed the net lifted as the puck went under it. The Bruins did manage to get a well deserved point out of the game forcing it to a shootout.

Tim Thomas once again was superb in net surrendering just one goal late in the first period to former Bruin, Glen Metropolit who also had one called back early in the game when his teammate was laying on top Thomas in a scrum out front.Thomas’ counterpart, Carey Price was equally impressive stopping 42 of the 43 shots the Bruins threw at him. Price who was under the gun in Montreal as he was win-less in he last 7 starts rose to the occasion against the hungry Bruins team.

The B’s schedule doesn’t get much better as the host Buffalo Sabres tomorrow at the Garden. Ryan Miller has been on of the NHL’s hottest goaltenders sporting a  9-1-1 record with a .941 sv% and 1.69GAA

One other note, The B’s solidified their goalkeeping by signing Tuukka Rask to a two year extension keeping him a Bruin through the 2011-12 season. Rask was acquired in 2006 for Andrew Raycroft. Hey is it possible not to make the playoffs and receive the Jennings Award? Just wondering.

What upsets me about Bruins fans it that they are all crying about the trade of Phil Kessel. I feel that the trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs was a must for the Bruins. Phil didn’t want to play here, he’s a health risk in a contract year demanding huge money. Let it go people. I am more upset about the loss of P.J Axelsson, he was one of the top penalty killers in the league and  the Bruins had and they failed to replace him in the off season. That theory proved right last night as the Bruins gave up 2 short handed goals, one of which was a too many men call.

The B’s lacked more than scoring last night. When did the NHL become a church league, we have size with Chara, Lucic and Bitz but yet they let Ovenchkin have his way with them. The only signs of  life the Bruins had was in the third period when Patrice Bergeron finally broke Jose Theodore’s shut out. Less than 2 minutes later Bruin’s  Shawn Thorton dropped the gloves with Washington’s John Erskin.  There is a very solid pattern with the Bruins…..when they play physical, they win and that 5 minute stretch of the third period, they looked like winners.

Tim Thomas looked solid , and a good thing as this one could of been a lot worse. Don’t expect the Bruins to repeat this performance Saturday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, coach Claude Julien will have them more prepared. Fans, it was game one of a long, hard season, so what…they lost.