Help does not appear to be on way

If they win their final nine games, the Bruins will finish the season with 91 points, and possibly chisel out the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. After losing six of their last eight, a 9-0 run looks impossible -- a task more daunting considering veterans Glen Murray (groin), P.J. Axelsson (wrist), and Shean Donovan (knee) don't appear to be coming back soon.

Donovan is the closest, said coach Dave Lewis after last night's 6-3 loss to Montreal, but Lewis added it's unlikely Donovan will play in the next two games --tomorrow vs. the Rangers or Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Asked if Murray could be considered lost for the remainder of the regular season, Lewis said he was not ready to declare the big winger finished.

"But he's still not skating," said Lewis. "He's trying to get strength."

Axelsson, with a cracked wrist and a hard cast up to his left elbow, looks like a September returnee.

The Bruins returned to work yesterday morning with goaltender-for-the-ages Bob Essensa putting on the pads for the day-of-game skate at TD Banknorth Garden.

"If it hit me in the 'B,' I stopped it," said the club's 42-year-old netminding coach. "All the rest . . . it was a crapshoot."

Essensa, who last played in the NHL with the 2001-02 Sabres, donned the pads because No. 1 backstop Tim Thomas took a well-deserved breather in the morning. Thomas was back in net last night against the Canadiens in the Bruins' 6-3 loss.

"I told the guys," mused Essensa, "I haven't lost to Montreal in, like, five years . . . they should think about putting me in tonight."

Backup netminder Joey MacDonald, shelled in a brief relief stint Saturday night in Manhattan (four goals in 14 minutes), handled the other net during the workout.

"He hasn't changed a bit," noted MacDonald. "I remember watching him when he was in the league, and he looks the same. I asked him when he last had the gear on, and he said it was about four years ago. I thought he looked pretty good."

Assistant coach Doug Houda handled the morning media session, filling in for his boss.

According to media relations operative Matt Chmura, Lewis opted out "because he's ailing a little bit."

How does a club remain positive at times like this? "Positive, because you're in the NHL, and it's the best league in the world," said Houda. "So if you can't get excited about playing, there's something wrong. It's not pretty, but we have to finish here on a positive note, and build a culture."

Asked if the Bruins might break from their conservative offensive attack (read: damn the torpedoes!), Houda said it was important for the club to "stay within our structure." However, he stressed the importance of sending players to the net -- something severely lacking in back-to-back losses to the Rangers and Canadiens.

The morning workout was optional, somewhat of a surprise given the dire straits the Bruins are in, as well as the fact the team did not play Wednesday . . . The non-injured players who didn't dress for the workout: Marco Sturm and Chuck Kobasew. Donovan worked out briefly in the morning but remained out of the lineup. Bobby Allen was scratched on the back line, opening a slot for Jason York . . . Ex-Bruin Sergei Samsonov did not suit up against the few former teammates who still wear the Black and Gold. Upon being scratched in St. Louis March 10, the Magical Muscovite said he regretted signing with the Habs (two years, $7 million) as a free agent last summer. He has not played since and the Canadiens were 4-1-0 without him prior to last night's game . . . Bruins goalie of the future Tuukka Rask saw his season in Finland wrap up this week, when Jokerit rubbed out Rask's Ilves Tampere club, 4-0, in the second round of the playoffs. According to Rask's agent, Bill Zito, the Finnish backstop will work out with the Finnish national squad, in hopes of playing in the upcoming world championships.

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at dupont@globe.com.