Raycroft remains at home

WILMINGTON -- Andrew Raycroft was healthy enough to start two games last week and dress as Tim Thomas's backup in the Bruins' last two games.

But the Bruins, citing slow progress on the injured area below Raycroft's right knee, held Raycroft out of practice yesterday, calling up Jordan Sigalet from Providence and prompting speculation on whether the 2003-04 Calder Trophy winner might be on the trading block. Sigalet was to travel with the team yesterday for tonight's game in Philadelphia, where he will back up Thomas.

''Razor's having a hard time practicing every day and trying to get back to 100 percent from his injury," coach Mike Sullivan said. ''We thought it was best that he stay off the ice and see if a couple days off will help him get over the hump."

Raycroft suffered the injury in the third period of Boston's 6-3 win over Tampa Bay Jan. 7. Sullivan took Raycroft out with 42.5 seconds remaining in the game. Since then, Raycroft has played in two games, giving up five goals against San Jose Jan. 10 and allowing six strikes to Los Angeles Jan. 12. Raycroft (7-16-2, 3.68 goals-against average, .882 save percentage) was pulled in both games and did not specifically cite his injury as limiting his performance in either.

''I think it's one of those aggravating things that he's having a hard time with," Sullivan said. ''We thought the best course of action would be to keep him off for a day or two and see how it responds."

While Raycroft has been on the bench for the last two games, Thomas has performed solidly and helped his team gain 3 points. Thomas made 37 saves in Boston's 2-1 shootout loss to Dallas Saturday and stopped 25 of 28 shots in the Bruins' 4-3 overtime win over Anaheim Monday.

''Timmy's been really good," Sullivan said. ''I thought he was outstanding against Dallas. He made some real timely saves for us. I thought he was pretty solid against Anaheim as well. When the goaltender is making timely saves for you, that helps you maintain momentum. Or if he makes a big stop on the penalty kill, I think that breathes fire into your team. The players feed off that and he's certainly done that for us the last couple games."

Thomas spent part of Tuesday evening watching the Flyers' 4-3 shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He noted the Flyers' size but also their speed, praising them for driving the puck deep in the offensive zone and slipping past the Carolina defensemen.

''[Simon] Gagne got behind the D. [Michal] Handzus got behind the D. It's scary," Thomas said.

Hannu Toivonen, who had emerged as the team's No. 1 netminder before spraining his right ankle Jan. 5, is still not ready to return. However, if Toivonen can return to health soon and Thomas (1-0-1, 1.90 GAA, .932 save percentage) can build on his two-game run, the slumping Raycroft could be hard-pressed for ice time as the Bruins, desperate for points, make a push for the playoffs.

In the offseason, the Bruins re-signed Travis Green, recognizing that the veteran could be a valuable fourth-line energy player. But they also knew that Green, flexible enough to play center or wing, could see more ice time and skate on a scoring line, which he has been doing of late.

''He's just a real versatile player," Sullivan said of Green, one of six Bruins with a positive plus-minus rating (plus-2). ''We can play him in a lot of different scenarios. We can play him at center. We can play him on the wing. He can kill penalties for us. He can play on the top two lines. He can play an energy role on the back two lines. His versatility is one of his bigger strengths. That's why you've seen him used in a lot of different positions."

During practice yesterday, Green and Sergei Samsonov were wingmen for rookie center Ben Walter, the No. 2 line behind Marco Sturm, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Boyes. During the homestand, Green (5-9--14) saw more even-strength time than he had earlier in the season, skating 29 shifts against Anaheim, one fewer than leaders Bergeron and defenseman Brad Stuart.

''I've been playing more physical when I'm on the wings rather than center," said Green, who also won nine of 15 faceoffs Monday. ''That's part of my game. When I play center, it's tough to be as physical as when I play wing, which is when I feel I can generate more contact."

Sullivan said Glen Murray, out because of a bruised right foot, tried to skate Monday but felt discomfort. Sullivan said he thought Murray, who didn't practice yesterday, wouldn't be sidelined much longer . . . While Sullivan acknowledged that Boyes, scoreless in his last past four games, has been snake-bitten offensively, he praised fellow rookies Andrew Alberts and Milan Jurcina for rounding into steady NHL defensemen. Jurcina has five goals in the last five games and has been seeing power-play action.