Bruins Beat Senators 1-0 To Complete Perfect Trip
OTTAWA (AP) - The last time the Boston Bruins had a perfect six-game road trip, Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito were leading the team to their second Stanley Cup title in three years.
Tuukka Rask made 33 saves for his second shutout, Nathan Horton scored early in the third, and Boston won its season-high sixth straight, all on the road, with a 1-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.
Boston's 6-0 trip matched the team's longest perfect trip since 1971-72, when the eventual Cup champions won six straight from Feb. 17-26.
"I don't think we have any of those kinds of names or players," Bruins captain Zdeno Chara. "Those are such legends that it's hard to really be compared to those guys. We're really trying to focus on playing well and playing our game and playing for each other, and win as many games as possible and have good feelings after the games, no regrets."
Rask, who won at Scotiabank Place for the second time on the trip, stopped 10 shots in the first period, 14 in the second and nine in the third. It was his eighth career shutout, his first since a 41-save effort in a 4-0 win over Florida on Nov. 18.
"He was unbelievable for us. We weren't too good in front of him but he was there for us and we pulled it out," said Horton, who scored his 18th goal 1:43 into the third when he put a loose puck into a gaping net off a goalmouth scramble.
The winning streak is the Bruins' longest in nearly two years. Boston, which leads the Northeast Division with 81 points, had a six-game streak from March 22-April 4, 2009.
Rask went 4-0 on the trip, including a win at Edmonton on Sunday to cap a three-game swing through western Canada.
"Getting those two starts to start off the road trip was really a big thing for me and helped me gain confidence," Rask said.
All-Star Tim Thomas won in Calgary and Vancouver between Rask's four road starts.
"It's always nice when you have two great goalies back there," Horton said. "It doesn't matter who's in net, you know they're going to be there for us."
Craig Anderson made 20 saves in his fifth straight start for Ottawa. Anderson is 3-2 with the Senators since he was acquired from Colorado on Feb. 18 in a trade that sent goalie Brian Elliott to the Avalanche.
"He played outstanding," Senators left wing Nick Foligno said. "He was very good for us and we're really happy he's behind us. He's bailed us out a few times and we've just got play a little bit better and try to bury our chances when we get them."
Ottawa had won two in a row at home following a 10-game losing streak at Scotiabank Place. The Senators, who fell to 11-17-5 at home, are last in the Eastern Conference with 51 points.
"They're a great team and they proved that tonight," Foligno said. "They were able to hold off our attack. We've got to be proud of the way we played, though. We did some really good things out there and played with one of the best teams in the East. It's a positive sign going forward."
Ottawa right wing Bobby Butler hit the top corner of the right post with less than 1 minute remaining in the second. There was a lengthy video review moments later after Anderson made a pad save on Chara's shot from the right side. The replay confirmed that the puck had not crossed the goal line.
NOTES: The Bruins had a 10-game winning streak earlier in the 2008-09 season, from Dec. 12-Jan. 1. ... Thomas is second in the NHL with seven shutouts, one behind the New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist. ... Senators D Filip Kuba played his 700th regular season game. ... Ottawa G Curtis McElhinney, who was picked up from Tampa Bay on waivers Monday, dressed as Anderson's backup.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
