Elimination is official in loss to Penguins

For the second year in a row, Tim Thomas won NESN's Seventh Player Award, given to the Bruin who's performed beyond expectations.

"It tells me that people don't expect a whole lot out of me," Thomas said with a laugh last night.

Unfortunately, the netminder didn't have an award-winning performance as the Bruins dropped a 4-2 decision to the Penguins before 17,095 at TD Banknorth Garden, cementing Boston's exclusion from the postseason.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the first period, forward Colby Armstrong backhanded a shot over Thomas's glove at 9:18 that gave the Penguins a 2-1 advantage.

Phil Kessel tied the score at 10:56 with a holy-cow goal -- the rookie first flipped the puck in the air, then batted a backhander past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for his 11th strike -- but 31 seconds later, forward Erik Christensen beat Thomas for the winning goal.

Christensen, skating down the left wing, sent a long-distance slapper between Thomas's pads that, on another night, might have prompted coach Dave Lewis to call for reinforcements.

"I didn't want to look at the bench because I didn't want to find out," said Thomas, who had 22 saves. "In this case, I'm glad he gave me the chance to stay in and battle through it. I haven't had the best games of the year lately. I've done real well until the last few games, when I've played underneath my standards."

This season, Thomas had been one of few Bruins -- Marc Savard would be the strongest other candidate -- to play beyond expectations. So last night's performance was just the latest in a season filled with too many head-hangers for a club and its fan base to bear.

Recently, Brandon Bochenski has grasped one of the countless reasons an NHL paycheck is more desirable than an AHL salary.

Bochenski has been preparing for his wedding, which will take place this offseason.

"Lots of checks," Bochenski said with a smile.

On Aug. 3 before an expected gathering of 300 friends and family in St. Paul, Bochenski will marry fiancee Jennifer Pelt, whom he met when they were at the University of North Dakota.

Off the ice, Bochenski is settling down at a time when his NHL career is gaining similar traction. Bochenski is going into the summer knowing that next season he'll be expected to play a significant role with the Bruins, his third NHL club.

"You like to think you can get some production when you're given a shot," said Bochenski, who scored the opening goal in the first period, giving him 22 points in 26 games with the Bruins.

"I earned my way through the AHL. I think I deserved a shot in Chicago, but I didn't get that opportunity, Boston stepped in, and it's worked."

Bochenski, who will turn 25 Wednesday, will be a restricted free agent this offseason. He has already set career highs in goals ( 13) and assists ( 11) this season.

With the future of Glen Murray cloudy (the 34-year-old, who's been slowed by a groin injury, will be entering the final year of his contract in 2007-08), Bochenski could be a candidate to become the goal-scoring right wing the Bruins are seeking. Lewis juggled his lines Tuesday, putting Bochenski with Petr Tenkrat and Kessel.

But in the games prior to the 3-2 win over Ottawa, Bochenski had been on the No. 2 line with Marco Sturm and Patrice Bergeron, and skating on the second power-play unit.

This season, Bochenski scored 33 goals in 35 AHL games. The previous year, before he was traded from Ottawa to the Blackhawks, Bochenski netted 22 goals in 33 games for Binghamton, the Senators' AHL affiliate.

Bochenski is one of the younger Boston forwards (count Kessel, Chuck Kobasew, and Stanislav Chistov in this category) expected to trend upward in the development curve next season.

"I think next year and a couple years down the line, all these young guys are going to start playing with more confidence," said Bochenski. "Hopefully, that solid corps of young guys can stick around for a number of years. That's where you build teams. If you look at all the teams having success now, it's the young guys they brought up. They kept playing them and now they're go-to guys."

Murray (groin) and P.J. Axelsson (wrist) went through off-ice workouts during yesterday's morning skate. Axelsson said he'll remain with the team for the rest of the season, but it doesn't look as if he'll play again in 2006-07 . . . Kobasew (concussion) didn't play last night. Lewis said Kobasew's symptoms haven't improved. The winger will continue to be evaluated daily, although Lewis said it was premature to put Kobasew on the shelf for the rest of the season . . . Sidney Crosby had three assists last night, giving the NHL scoring leader 116 points . . . Lewis didn't know whether any of the Bruins will be selected to play in the world championships, which kick off next month in Moscow. The United States will be coached by former Bruins bench boss Mike Sullivan . . . Bochenski, the lone ex-North Dakota player, is outnumbered by the Boston College contingent (Kobasew, Bobby Allen, and Andrew Alberts) in the Boston dressing room. But that's not making him worry about Thursday's Frozen Four semifinal that pits his Fighting Sioux against the Eagles in St. Louis. Bochenski is wagering $300 against the $100 offered by each of the BC boys on the outcome of the game.

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at FShinzawa@globe.com.