Despite outshooting the Canadiens, Boston hits plenty of posts and the crossbars and succumbs in overtime.

09:42 AM EST on Friday, February 27, 2004

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

AP photo HEAD OVER HEELS: Rob Zamuner of the Bruins, left, takes a tumble after colliding with the Canadiens' Mike Ribeiro during the first period of last night's game at the FleetCenter. Boston salvaged a point after losing in overtime.

BOSTON -- It's a tight playoff race, and the Boston Bruins have been earning points of late, but not as many as they should.

For the second time this week, the Bruins had to settle for one point as the Montreal Canadiens scored four minutes into overtime en route to a 3-2 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 17,565 at the FleetCenter last night.

In fact, Boston had earned points in three of its last four games without posting a victory. On Sunday, the Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes skated to a 3-3 tie, before a 2-0 loss to Florida on Monday. Tuesday in New York, Boston and the Islanders held each other scoreless, and yesterday the Bruins took one point in the overtime loss to Montreal.

However, that's not good enough.

"It's was an all right-played game," said goaltender Andrew Raycroft, who made 23 saves. "We keep giving these points away, and it's a little frustrating. We did get a point, and that's a positive. That's four in a row now that we've hung around and played good enough (to get a point). It's coming down to the end of the season and the playoffs are coming, and it's these games we need to win. It's a little frustrating, but we'll be all right."

The Canadiens' Craig Rivet scored the game-winner on the team's first shot, with one minute remaining in the extra period.

"I thought we played pretty well," said Boston coach Mike Sullivan. "I don't think we were quite as good in the first period; we were a little bit loose in our own end. But, behind that, we played well. Territorially, we carried the play. We had a lot of scoring chances, hitting three posts and a crossbar. If we play like that on most nights we'll get the result we're looking for."

Sometimes Doug Doull doesn't have to drop his gloves to be effective as the Bruins' pugilist, and this week has been a perfect example of that. Twice, he's drawn a penalty instead of fighting, and because of his patience last night, Boston capitalized on his diligence at a crucial time.

With the Canadiens holding a one-goal lead in the first period, Montreal's Darren Langdon challenged Doull, but the Bruins' tough guy wouldn't budge. Instead, Langdon was handed a two-minute roughing penalty, and Boston's Marty Lapointe scored while on the man-advantage to tie the game at 1-1.

"He's done a really good job," said Sullivan. "He's a warrior. He lays it on the line for his teammates. He plays hard and he's playing smart, and that is what makes him so effective."

Said Doull: "Now, I can have room to play it smart. If I can draw a penalty, it's one thing, but if we can score a goal, that's just as good as winning a fight. I'm just trying to show a little more patience, discipline, and I'm picking my spots."

When he was first recalled from Providence on Jan. 12, the 6-foot-2, 216-pound Doull was fighting in every game. In fact, he's had a least one fighting major in 13 of his 22 games for Boston. He's calmed things down a bit lately and is contributing more.

"Doug has a heart the size of a house," said Lapointe. "He's a tough kid and he wants to do everything right on the ice and he battles for his teammates. Guys respect that, and we've been telling him he doesn't have to fight every game; he can go out and play. Tonight he draws a penalty, and that was a big plus, and we were able to capitalize on it."

Boston didn't need Doull to gain momentum from the get-go, but Montreal took the early lead, at 10:26 of the first period. The Canadiens' Andrei Markov controlled the puck at the offensive blue line, broke in along the left boards and threw the puck out front, through a pile of bodies. The Habs' Yanic Perreault was alone in the slot and blasted a slap shot past Raycroft for a 1-0 advantage.

The Bruins, who have been struggling on the power play of late, capitalized on their first man-advantage of the night, thanks in part to Doull's patience.

Lapointe had hit a post and missed another opportunity earlier in the opening period, but he made the most of his third chance. Brian Rolston did the grunt work to get the puck to the net, and Lapointe put home the rebound to tie the game at 1-1 at 15:34. It was the first goal the Bruins had scored in 152:53.

With less than a minute to go in the first period, Montreal capitalized on its first power play of the night when Michael Ryder's one-timer from the slot beat Raycroft at 19:13 for a 2-1 lead. Travis Green, who had missed the last 18 games with a ribcage injury, tied the game at 2-2 with his sixth goal of the year, 38 seconds into the third session.

But the Bruins couldn't hold on despite an offensive barrage for the remainder of the game. Montreal goalie Jose Theodore finished with 37 saves, including three in overtime.

Montreal -- 2 0 0 1 -- 3

Boston -- 1 1 0 0 -- 2

First period: 1, Montreal, Perreault 10 (Markov, Koivu), 10:26. 2, Boston, Lapointe 11 (Rolston, Boynton), 15:34 (pp). 3, Montreal, Ryder 19 (Ribeiro, Zednik), 19:13 (pp). Penalties -- Langdon, Mon 13:56; McGillis, Bos 18:39.

Second period: 4, Boston, Green 6 (Boynton, Donato), :38. Penalty -- Zamuner, Bos 8:27.

Third period: None. Penalties -- Green, Bos 10:13; Dagenais, Mon 11:57.

Overtime: 5, Montreal, Rivet 4 (Koivu), 4:00. Penalties -- None.

Shots: Montreal 13-7-5-1 -- 26. Boston 15-11-10-3 -- 39. Power plays: Montreal 1 of 3; Boston 1 of 2. Goalies: Montreal, Theodore 25-23-5 (39 shots-37 saves). Boston, Raycroft 21-15-7 (26-23). A: 17,565 (17,565). T -- 2:22.