Bruins pick a good time to start a losing streak

The regular season is quickly winding down and with only 15 games left, the Boston Bruins desperately need points to stay near the top of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Last night, they lost 4-3 to the Buffalo Sabres in overtime at the TD Garden. Former Bruins forward Brad Boyes was able to tap-in a great pass from Nathan Gerbe (former BC star) at 3:44 in the extra session.

Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas (41 saves) did not have his best night of the season, flopping around in his crease which is always a bad sign when he reverts to his old helter skelter ways. It was an innocent shot by Gerbe that started the sequence but Thomas couldn't squeeze it. Gerbe tracked down the rebound and with Thomas coming way out and whiffing, Boyes parked himself at the side of the net.

Buffalo (33-26-8) rallied from a 2-0 deficit and was able to hand Boston (38-20-9) its third straight loss, even though it did get the bogus point.

It's hard to pinpoint what exactly is tripping up the Bruins at the moment, it seems to be something different in each game (goal-scoring, everything, defense, goaltending).

Nathan Horton's 19th of the season gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 8:54 of the first period. Some wonderful passing from linemates Milan Lucic and David Krejci (they've all been outstanding lately) ended in Horton's quick release.

Mark Recchi (12th of the season) made it 2-0 at 11:26 of the second period with a classic Recchi goal. Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller (27 saves) made a save but Recchi went to the dirty net-front area and flipped the rebound in. Michael Ryder and Zdeno Chara assisted on that one.

Buffalo responded right away as Tyler Ennis cut it to 2-1 at 11:53 and Thomas Vanek tied it at 2 at 18:52. Ennis' goal took some skill as he waited out Thomas and seemingly the whole Bruins team to put it over them and into the net. Vanek's goal was much more unforgivable since his weak flip on net tied up Thomas.

Gregory Campbell (10th of the season) got his first point in eight games with another mucking and grinding goal at 2:18 in the third period. Miller's rebound went right to Soupy who poked it in. Chara and Shawn Thornton assisted.

More bad luck ensued for Thomas as Buffalo tied it up after a shot went off Chara's skate and into the net. Tim Connolly was credited for the goal at 5:05.

Rich Peverley had a great chance to end it in overtime but his shot went off the post and shortly after that, Boyes ended it.

The Bruins are right back at it tonight as they take on the Islanders in Long Island. They are playing out the string as always but the Islanders have been playing pretty decently lately and they have a dearth of talented forwards.

Former Bruins scrub night at the Garden goes swimmingly

Maybe it's because I was never more than an average athlete but I always find myself developing a special attachment to the pro athletes that aren't the superstars on the four Boston teams.

Obviously, if you're playing a sport for a living, you're doing something right but there's something interesting and refreshing about the people that appreciate it and don't take it for granted.

It wasn't officially recognized but last night might as well have been former Bruins scrub night as a pair of them made a big return in the St. Louis Blues' 2-1 shootout win over the Bs.

Vladimir Sobotka scored St. Louis' (8-1-2) lone goal in regulation and then Brad Boyes had the deciding tally in the third round of the shootout.

Boston (7-3-1) received a goal from Gregory Campbell (his first of his Bruins career) to tie it in the third period but they were befuddled by bad luck. Nathan Horton had two near goals waved off and then Patrice Bergeron and Michael Ryder hit the post in the shootout.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (34 saves) continues to look for his first win of the 2010-2011 season (0-3-0) and this was one he truly deserved better in.

On the other end of the ice, Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak (33 saves) played well in what was a very entertaining Saturday night game.

Sobotka scored his first of the season at 16:40 of the first period from Alexander Steen.

After a scoreless second period (highlighted by two fights - David Backes vs. Andrew Ference and Mark Stuart vs. B.J. Crombeen), Campbell tied it up with seven minutes left in regulation. Ryder and Brad Marchand assisted on the goal.

Boston will look to snap its two game losing streak on Wednesday as they go to Pittsburgh to face Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.