01:00 AM EST on Friday, February 10, 2006

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- The Olympic break has been circled on the Bruins' calendar since the end of December, and not for the obvious reasons of rest and relaxation.

Instead, the club figured in order to save the sinking ship and sneak back into playoff contention, Sunday would be the day the Bruins would need to be back in the thick of things.

Despite a 3-2 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils last night at the TD Banknorth Garden, Boston has earned 12 points in the last 14 games, and with one game remaining before the break, the Bruins find themselves alive and well.

"We've been playing with some urgency," Bruins veteran Tom Fitzgerald said. "We've been getting point, but I think everyone thought a while back, if we can climb close going into the Olympic break then we've have a shot when we get back. The playoffs are a sprint and we have definitely set ourselves up for that."

Fitzgerald admitted no one in the locker room is satisfied with just one point, and the players are expecting to earn two points now.

The Devils' Brian Gionta had other thoughts, however, as he provided the game-winning goal in the extra frame. Teammate Sergei Brylin controlled the puck in the offensive zone, and Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas (31 saves) took his eyes off him for a spilt second to find where Gionta was camped out. Before Thomas knew it, the puck was between his legs.

"I did see the pass," Thomas said. "But I didn't see where he shot it from. I was trying to close the gap on him and he just put it where I wasn't."

The Bruins outshot the Devils 39-34 and had control early.

Boston took a 1-0 lead at 11:01 of the opening period as Glen Murray notched his 16th of the season. The Bruins sustained a relentless forecheck all game, and it paid off early as Brad Boyes and Patrice Bergeron set up Murray's goal. He beat Martin Brodeur from his usually home in the slot to give Boston the lead.

Despite the Bruins' momentum, the Devils capitalized on a turnover and knotted the game at 1-1 at 5:52 of the second period. Boston forward Eric Nickulas turned the puck over in the offensive zone when the Devils' Scott Gomez gained control and went the length of the ice. He left a drop pass for Patrik Elias, who beat Thomas with a one-timer from the high slot.

The Devils scored the go-ahead tally -- a shorthanded goal -- at 7:56 of the third period for a 2-1 lead during Boston's second power play of the game. During that man-advantage, P.J. Axelsson had a golden opportunity but couldn't convert the backdoor open-net chance. Instead, New Jersey gained control and went the length of the ice before Brian Gionta's centering pass was redirected in by Bruins defenseman Brad Stuart's stick.

Fortunately for the Bruins, they answered.

During another unyielding attack, Boston drew a penalty and was in the middle of controlling the play during the delayed call. Bergeron did a tremendous job keeping the play alive before Brian Leetch threaded a pass from behind the net to Primeau, who notched his 11th goal of the season, for a 2-2 game at 12:13.

In the overtime, Gionta provided the game-winning tally to give the Devils the two points that the Bruins desperately needed.

With one game remaining before the break, the Bruins host the Tampa Bay Lightning tomorrow in a must-win situation if Boston wants to carry its recent momentum in the brief hiatus.

"We felt we had to put ourselves into a position by this time," Bruins coach Mike Sullivan said. "This stretch of games leading up to the break was a critical part of our schedule. To our players' credit, they have battled hard and we've been able to get points in a fair amount of games. We have put ourselves in a position to play for something."