If shoe doesn't fit, Axelsson may sit

There were two significant missing bodies during the Bruins' 45-minute workout on Causeway Street yesterday: P.J. Axelsson and Marc Savard. Filling in for the first-liners: defensemen-turned-forwards Zdeno Chara and Brad Stuart.

Axelsson blocked a shot with his left foot during the third period of Monday night's 3-2 loss to the Panthers. He was seen limping through the dressing room, carrying a removable cast, after the workout.

Coach Dave Lewis said the veteran winger, who made yesterday's trip to Pittsburgh, "will play if he can" tonight against the Penguins. But the coach's tone was not promising, and he said the club already was considering calling a forward up from Providence.

According to Axelsson's agent, Neil Abbott, the versatile winger began to experience problems right after the game, when he removed his skate.

"It ballooned up right away," noted Abbott, who highly doubted that Axelsson could suit up tonight. "He tried to get the skate on and couldn't. He couldn't get the cast on, either. So, unless there is a drastic change in something, I don't think you'll see him in there."

Savard was a victim of the cough-and-cold season. Lewis sounded much more optimistic about the first-line pivot being able to suit up vs. the Penguins.

Lewis didn't hop backward when illustrating his point, but he did jump to his right, an acknowledgement that Monday night's loss to the Panthers could be placed under the columns "L" (for loss) and "U" (for unsatisfactory).

"We had a chance to get over here," said Lewis, lightfooting it around the Causeway Street dressing room. "So, we're back to here again."

"Here," for the 8-8-2 Bruins is not good enough, because .500 in today's NHL is only good for a back-row seat at Playoff Theater. Prior to their charter flight, the Bruins were ranked No. 14 in the 15-team Eastern Conference. That said, they also were only 4 points behind tonight's opponent, the Penguins -- with a game in hand -- for eighth place, the conference's last playoff slot.

"That's the disappointment of it," said Lewis, noting that the Panthers had struggled of late, and the Bruins, riding a streak of four wins, could have taken advantage. "So, it's not a slap in the face, but it's a little nudge backwards -- from what we think we are, and what we think we can do."

Mark Stuart, who has been running in and out of Providence more frequently than the Friars' cross-country team, will suit up for the first time this season tonight in Pittsburgh.

"He's back," said Lewis, who insisted, with some humor, that Stuart was not on the dodge as a member of the witness protection program. "And he's going to get in the lineup."

Stuart was called up Monday morning, too, as a precautionary measure -- in case Brad Stuart (sore foot) had been unable to play.

Tim Thomas will get the start again in the Boston net. Thomas, known as "Wild Thing" prior to his days as a University of Vermont standout, has played all but two periods of the last seven games.

Lewis, by the sound of things, plans to keep going with "Wild Thing" in net, although he has not completely ruled out the idea of giving backup Brian Finley a start.

"There are other goalies who play a lot . . . [Miikka] Kiprusoff, [Martin] Brodeur," mused Lewis. "We'll see."

Thomas said he was feeling no ill effects from the beating he took when veteran forward Joe Nieuwendyk crashed into him Monday.

"Hey," said Thomas, "there is nothing going on in my head anyway."

Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby suffered a groin pull Monday night, cutting short his night's action in the second period. The Penguins likely will wait until the pregame warmup to decide whether to suit him up vs. the Bruins . . . Rookie center Phil Kessel has seen his ice time fall off for a few games. "Yeah, I noticed it," said Kessel. "I guess it comes with being young and stuff, so it's all right." Lewis, upon converting Kessel to his natural center position a few weeks ago, told him to think defense first. "All my other coaches have said the same stuff to me," said Kessel. "So that's not a change." . . . The Bruins will decide tonight whether they will have a quick team skate on Thanksgiving Day. Either way, they'll be back on Causeway frozen firma for a noon visit Friday by Peter Laviolette's Cup-winning Hurricanes.