Thomas does his level best

OTTAWA -- When Tim Thomas was playing in Finland last season, he felt as far away from the National Hockey League in mind as he was in body. He felt as if the four games he had played in the 2002-03 season were going to be the only ones he ever would play at that level.

So much has changed since Thomas was signed by the Bruins last fall. He went from being their top AHL netminder to being their top goalie, period.

Last night, Thomas made 44 saves and earned his first NHL shutout in a 5-0 win over the Ottawa Senators.

''That was hockey the way a goalie dreams about it being," said the 31-year-old Thomas. ''Every rebound I had no choice but to kick out went right to our team's sticks, just about. The few that didn't, I happened to be ready for.

''The communication between me and my D was there all night. Everybody just worked their tails off. The shutout is just icing on the cake."

Thomas, who started his ninth straight game, said he's getting his feet under him to the point where it's not such an emotional roller coaster.

''Now that I've had a few more games, I'm actually settling into it, and every win isn't like you just won the Stanley Cup," he said. ''You've just got to keep it flat.

''It's starting to feel like it did in the AHL where you're just playing hockey instead of some special event every time. That's where you need to be as a player. If you're in awe of the game, it's hard to play."

Although he enjoyed Finland and felt it was the best option for him at the time, he said he's enjoying every second of his second chance here.

''I made peace with the fact that I wasn't going to play in the NHL," he said. ''I was happy to end out my career in Finland. Signing this year, getting sent down [to Providence] wasn't in my plans, but getting called back up, it was like awakening an old dream that you'd forgotten about.

''It's actually even better that way. I know how much luck it actually takes to get here. I needed two goalies to get hurt but also how much hard work you put in over the years, so you appreciate it more."

Flick of the wrist

The Bruins dodged a bullet late in the game when defenseman Nick Boynton was hit in the right wrist with a shot. X-rays were negative, though, and he was fine. ''It just got me on the wrist," said Boynton. ''It hurt for the last few minutes of the game but now I'm fine." . . . Rookie Andrew Alberts, one of seven defensemen in the lineup for Boston, was moved up to forward for a time by coach Mike Sullivan, particularly in the second half of the game. ''We used Andrew up front a little bit, we use him on the penalty kill obviously, we can use him on defense," said the coach, who utilized veteran Ian Moran in a similar role before Moran was lost to injury. ''[Assistant coach Norm Maciver] and I talk a lot about what is up next or if he needs a defenseman, or if somebody goes down for a period of time, he lets me know so we can use [Alberts]. His versatility is beneficial from our standpoint. I was impressed with his speed and his ability to close on people, just like he does defensively. He's a guy we can use in both situations."

Breaking the ice

Bruins right wing Ben Guite played in his first NHL game last night, but he is not considered a rookie because he turned 26 before Sept. 15, 2005. Guite became the ninth Boston player to make his NHL debut this season . . . This looms as an important week for the Bruins because of the number of division games (one with Ottawa, two with Montreal). ''There is a chance to move up in the standings and get into the playoff picture," left wing Sergei Samsonov said. ''It's in everybody's minds, everybody knows it. Everybody realizes the importance of these games. It's the end of January and we're still in a good position to make the playoffs with everything that's been going around."