GAME THREAD: NHL: BOSTON (14-13) at TORONTO (12-17)

By Jeff Lieberman
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


TORONTO (Ticker) -- Even with all the success the Toronto MapleLeafs have had lately, they still have not figured out a way tobeat the Boston Bruins.


A well-rested Alex Auld made 25 saves to register the win in hisfirst start for his new club as the Bruins ended the MapleLeafs' four-game winning streak with a 2-1 triumph Saturdaynight.


Chuck Kobasew and defenseman Dennis Wideman provided the offensefor Boston, which has now defeated its Northeast Division rivalin all three meetings this season.


"Every time we can beat a division team, it's key for us, a bigfour-point game," Bruins right wing Glen Metropolit said.

It was the first action Auld has seen since November 15. The26-year-old goaltender was acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes onDecember 6, the day after Tim Thomas went down with a groininjury.


"Let's just say last Sunday night I didn't even dress in an AHLgame, so it's crazy the way things can go," Auld said. "It'sgreat to be back in the league. I believe I belong here."

Manny Fernandez already had been sidelined with knee and backailments.


Auld turned aside six shots in the first period, nine in thenext and 10 in the third to make a good impression with his newteam. He now has won his debut for all four teams with which hehas played in the NHL.


"At the start of the second, I started to find a groove," Auldsaid. "I was seeing the puck well, seeing it through traffic,and it carried on right through the end of the game."

Auld's effort was crucial on the penalty kill as he did notrelinquish a goal on any of Toronto's six man advantages. Herobbed Nik Antropov with his right pad as a power play came to aclose, denying the one-timer with just under four minutes leftin the third.


"To lose, it's always a bad feeling," Maple Leafs left wingAlexei Ponikarovsky said. "It seems the puck didn't go to thenet. We didn't put a lot of shots on net."


Kobasew knotted the game at 1-1 with 7:35 left in the firstperiod with his 12th tally of the season. He also had two goals- including the game-winner - and an assist in the last meetingbetween the teams.


"It's always fun to play in Canada," Kobasew said. "It's anelectric building. It's fun to play in front of a sold-outbuilding."


Kobasew took a pass from rookie defenseman Matt Hunwick in theneutral zone, skated into the slot and fired a wrist shotbetween the pads of netminder Vesa Toskala.


The assist was Hunwick's first point in eight career games.

"Early on, our team needed to bounce back from the first goalthat was scored against us, and that was a good play on thepower play," Hunwick said. "Chuck had a lot of speed and wasable to make a good shot there. You can see how tough goalswere to come by tonight."


The Bruins grabbed a 2-1 advantage when Wideman's slap shot fromthe left point found its way past Toskala. After taking atouch pass from Brandon Bochenski, Wideman launched a shot thatbeat the goalie to the stick side at 9:25 of the second period.

"Bochenski came in and did a real good job shielding the guywith the puck and then chipped it back to me," Wideman said. "Ijust got it off as quick as possible, and it went low blocker."

Toskala stopped 18 shots in suffering his first loss in fivestarts.


Toronto captain Mats Sundin had his franchise-best home pointsstreak to start a season snapped at 16 games. He amassed 25points during that stretch.


Jason Blake started the scoring on a nice cross-ice feed fromPavel Kubina. The defenseman started the play at his own blueline and hit Blake full speed into the offensive zone.

Blake unleashed a slap shot that beat Auld under his blockerwith 9:32 remaining in the opening session.


"I thought (Auld) played great," Blake said. "It's obviouslyfrustrating (because) we had some chances."

 

NHL: BOSTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
BOSTON 2
TORONTO 1</div>