Bruins' Leetch cautiously eyes return
Brian Leetch was able to skate nearly at full speed yesterday but his status is undetermined for the Bruins' visit to Pittsburgh tomorrow.
Leetch, who has a groin strain, skated on his own at the TD Banknorth Garden -- the team had the day off -- and was optimistic afterward.
''I will try to skate with the team [today]," Leetch said. ''This was the first time I have skated since the re-injury. I tried to go at the morning skate three games ago but it was too sore."
Leetch has missed 20 games because of groin and knee injuries this season, having aggravated the groin problem in Ottawa Jan. 30. But should he recover, he could be available for the Bruins' final three games before the Olympic break -- at Pittsburgh tomorrow and at home against New Jersey Thursday and Tampa Bay Saturday.
In part because of the injuries, Leetch, a three-time Olympian, was not named to the US Olympic team taxi squad for Turin, which was announced yesterday. Bruins coach Mike Sullivan will be an assistant coach for the team.
''Of course, I hope it will get better and I can go the rest of the year and not think about it," Leetch said of the injury. ''We have three games before the break and we have a few injuries and we will need that time to heal."
The Bruins' leading goal scorer, Marco Sturm (20-20--40), sustained an upper-body injury in a 4-3 shootout loss to Carolina Sunday. Goalie Hannu Toivonen (ankle sprain) and winger Eric Nickulas (hip pointer) are listed as day to day, and Brad Isbister (ankle sprain), Ian Moran (knee surgery), who joined Leetch briefly in yesterday's workout, and Alex Zhamnov (broken ankle) are out indefinitely.
Thomas has started 12 straight games and has a 7-2-3 record, including his first NHL shutout in a 5-0 victory at Ottawa Jan. 30.
''Timmy is putting a lot of time in, and Razor [Andrew Raycroft] is healing up," said Leetch, who has 4-17--21 totals in 35 games. ''If Timmy keeps playing like he is, we should just keep him in there until he falls down from exhaustion. But, with 16 games in March, we are going to need Razor healthy and Timmy rested."
Since a 2-1 loss to Dallas Jan. 14, the Bruins are 7-2-2 with a 33-23 goal differential.
