-------------------------------
Ottawa 2 0 2 0--4
Boston 0 2 2 0--4
-------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Ottawa, Phillips 1 (power play) (Alfredsson,
Bonk), 3:55. 2, Ottawa, Bonk 1 (Zamuner, Havlat), 12:23. Penalties:
Hulbig, Bos (holding), 2:05; Alfredsson, Ott (interference), 6:41; Coffey,
Bos (slashing), 8:58; Bonk, Ott (tripping), 10:06; Alfredsson, Ott
(hooking), 14:22; Knuble, Bos (holding), 16:25.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Boston, Rolston 1 (power play) (Allison,
Kultanen), 12:02. 4, Boston, Kovalenko 1 (power play) (Rolston, Kultanen),
15:46. Penalties: Dackell, Ott (tripping), 0:39; Kravchuk, Ott (holding),
10:48; York, Ott (slashing), 11:47; Hnidy, Ott (interference), 14:33.
THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 5, Boston, Allison 1 (Rolston), 6:55. 6,
Ottawa, Hossa 1 (power play) (Mceachern, Yashin), 11:26. 7, Ottawa,
Arvedson 1 (Hossa, Bonk), 14:37. 8, Boston, Samsonov 1 (Thornton,
Kultanen), 16:40. Penalties: Thornton, Bos (roughing), 5:56; Kravchuk, Ott
(interference), 6:18; K Mclaren, Bos (interference), 9:56; Boston bench,
served by Kovalenko (too many men on the ice), 18:50.
OVERTIME -- Scoring: None. Penalties: York, Ott (holding), 1:05;
Kravchuk, Ott (holding), 4:39.
Shots on goal:
------------------------------------
Ottawa 8 16 9 0--33
Boston 15 13 6 4--38
------------------------------------
Power-play Conversions: Ott - 2 of 6, Bos - 2 of 10. Goalies: Ottawa,
Lalime (38 shots, 34 saves; record: 0-0-1). Boston, Dafoe (33, 29; record:
0-0-1). A:13,686. Referees: B Mccreary, Stewart. Linesmen: Gauthier,
Seitz.
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS
Ottawa Boston
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
Alfredsson 0 1 even 4 Allison 1 1 even 2
Arvedson 1 0 +1 2 Axelsson 0 0 +1 1
Bonk 1 2 +2 7 Bates 0 0 even 0
Dackell 0 0 -1 3 Coffey 0 0 even 3
Fisher 0 0 even 0 Eloranta 0 0 -1 5
Forbes 0 0 even 0 Gill 0 0 -2 2
Havlat 0 1 +1 0 Hulbig 0 0 even 0
Hnidy 0 0 +1 0 K Belanger 0 0 even 2
Hossa 1 1 +1 3 K Mclaren 0 0 even 0
Kravchuk 0 0 +1 1 Knuble 0 0 even 1
Mceachern 0 1 -2 4 Kovalenko 1 0 -2 6
Persson 0 0 +1 4 Kultanen 0 3 even 2
Phillips 1 0 -2 2 Pahlsson 0 0 -1 1
Rachunek 0 0 even 0 Popovic 0 0 +1 1
V Prospal 0 0 even 1 Rolston 1 2 even 6
Yashin 0 1 -2 1 Samsonov 1 0 +1 4
York 0 0 -1 0 Sweeney 0 0 +1 0
Zamuner 0 1 +1 1 Thornton 0 1 +1 2
Salo Healthy Mann Healthy
Oliver Healthy Van Impe Healthy
Roy Healthy
Game Story
BOSTON (Ticker) -- Sergei Samsonov's goal with 3:20 left in the
third period lifted the Boston Bruins into a 4-4 tie with the
Ottawa Senators in the season opener for both teams.
Magnus Arvedson gave the Senators a 4-3 lead with 5:23 remaining
as he outmuscled rookie defenseman Jarno Kultanen and jammed a
shot over goaltender Byron Dafoe's shoulder.
But just over two minutes later, the Bruins assured themselves
of at least one point in the standings. Joe Thornton had the
puck behind the net and passed to the slot, where Samsonov
fanned on his initial shot but was able to rifle a second chance
over goalie Patrick Lalime's glove.
Both teams learned quickly about the NHL's zero-tolerance stance
on penalties as they enjoyed power plays in overtime. Boston had
two chances with the man advantage but managed just one shot as
Thornton fired a slapper wide as time expired.
"They've told us how they are going to call it this year and
that is what you saw in the second period and in the overtime,"
Ottawa coach Jacques Martin said. "We came out strong in the
first period, but they used the power play to get back in it."
This was the Bruins' first season opener since 1979 without Ray
Bourque, who was traded to Colorado last March as Boston
struggled to its worst record in 33 years.
It also marked the return of Ottawa's Alexei Yashin, who sat out
all of last season during a bitter contract dispute. The
embattled center collected an assist and had a chance to win it
in the extra period but sailed a wrist shot over the net.
"I've been looking forward to this for quite some time," Yashin
said. "I felt comfortable, but I don't think it's right to
judge how well someone does by how many points they score in a
game. I'll have better games, but it was just nice to come out
and play again."
Kultanen, Boston's sixth-round pick in this year's draft, set a
team record with three assists in his NHL debut. The defenseman
received more playing time when Paul Coffey went down with an
injured left shoulder.
"When Paul went out, I started seeing more time on the power
play," Kultanen said. "That gave me more opportunities to
contribute. I saw the ice well during those times and we got a
couple of goals. Hopefully, as the season goes on, I will be
able to score in those situations."
Boston is 0-1-2 in season openers since a 6-5 victory over Los
Angeles here on October 2, 1997 in Pat Burns' first game as
Bruins' coach. Ottawa moved to 3-1-5 all-time in openers.
Senators defenseman Chris Phillips opened the scoring with a
power-play goal at 3:55 of the first period. Daniel
Alfredsson's shot from the slot was stopped by Dafoe, but the
rebound kicked out to the top of the left circle, where Phillips
fired it into the vacated net.
Radek Bonk increased the lead to 2-0 with a nifty move to the
net before wristing the puck over a sprawled Dafoe with 7:37 to
go in the opening period.
"I think last year you might have seen us down 2-0 and not fight
back the way we did tonight for the point," Boston defenseman
Don Sweeney said. "I think that is going to be a difference
this year in our club."
That is exactly what the Bruins did in the second period as
Brian Rolston and Andrei Kovalenko erased the two-goal deficit.
Jason Allison gave Boston its first lead at 6:55 of the third
period when he put a one-timer over Lalime's shoulder.
Both goaltenders kept their teams close as Dafoe stopped 29
shots and Lalime made 34 saves.