Toivonen bounces back up

By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff  |  April 3, 2007

MONTREAL -- Chronicling the 2006-07 NHL achievements for Hannu Toivonen would be a short and sweet exercise.

But as disappointing as his season has been, the 22-year-old goalie remains a building block for the future, a point that general manager Peter Chiarelli emphasized with his promotion of the puck stopper yesterday.

According to coach Dave Lewis, Toivonen will start tonight against the Canadiens and Thursday against the Sabres. Toivonen will then return to Providence, clearing way for Tim Thomas to start the season finale at home against the Senators Saturday.

While it will be a chance for the Bruins to evaluate Toivonen, the callup is also a goodwill gesture to the goalie and agent Bill Zito, who also represents goaltending prospect Tuukka Rask, who has yet to sign with the Bruins.

"He's played solid," said Lewis. "Peter wants him to get into a game or two here. Just reward him and get him another opportunity."

On Sunday, Toivonen turned aside 24 shots to backstop Providence to a 2-1 win over the Lowell Devils. Toivonen has played in 23 AHL games, posting an 11-12 record with a 2.36 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. In 16 NHL games this season, he is 3-7-1 with a 4.42 GAA and .870 save percentage.

Toivonen will be a restricted free agent at the end of the year.

Sleep hasn't been easy for Jeff Hoggan. The winger has bruises on his face, which he sustained Saturday in separate incidents -- an errant puck off the stick of Mark Mowers during warmups and a fight with Atlanta forward Jim Slater.

At the end of the fight, Hoggan cracked the back of his head on the ice, opening a gash that required five stitches.

"Can't really put my head down on either side," said Hoggan.

Such is life for the fourth-line grinder, who'll be hunting for another contract at year's end. While Hoggan will return to Providence after Saturday's season-ender, he'll be an unrestricted free agent.

"Play it by ear," said Hoggan, who plans to spend several weeks with his family in British Columbia, then settle in his Omaha, Neb., offseason home. "I had a two-year contract with St. Louis, but other than that since college, it's been year to year."

Hoggan has played his part in Boston, bringing energy and rough stuff during his spare shifts. While Hoggan (0-2--2, 31 penalty minutes) hasn't scored a goal, he's recorded 47 shots in 43 games, a higher shot-per-game rate than regulars such as Mowers, Stanislav Chistov, Andrew Alberts, and Aaron Ward.

"It's been a little disappointing, for sure," said Hoggan, who's been assigned to Providence twice. "I had a great camp and earned a job. But when changes needed to be made, I got sent back. I tried to stay as confident as I can. It's part of the game. You just have to believe in yourself."

Peter Fish, Hoggan's agent, said he hasn't discussed another deal for the 29-year-old with the Bruins.

"He's a guy who plays 100 percent every shift, every game," said Fish. "There are guys you wouldn't see on the ice for two weeks. But Jeff will do whatever it takes to get back on the ice. For him to come back in the third period after cracking his head the other day, that's what the fans and the Bruins want, and that's what type of person he is."

Andrew Ference, who missed his first game of the season Sunday, didn't practice yesterday and will most likely not play tonight because of a bruised right hand. Ference injured his hand Saturday during a tangle with one of the Thrashers. While X-rays were negative, Ference is unable to squeeze his stick. "I'm pretty useless right now," he said . . . Fish, who represents Matt Hunwick, said there's been no movement in discussions with the Bruins about signing the University of Michigan senior. Hunwick, whose Michigan career came to a close with an 8-5 loss to North Dakota in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, was picked in the seventh round of the 2004 draft. "It's obvious to me that they think Matt is a terrific player and is definitely suited for the NHL," said Fish, who compared Hunwick's playing style to that of former Bruin Don Sweeney. "We had discussions last week and we'll see where they lead to this week." In 41 games this season, Hunwick put up a 6-21--27 line on a defense that featured Jack Johnson, who made his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings last week . . . The Bruins thought it was a day-late April Fool's joke when informed after practice of New Jersey's turfing of coach Claude Julien. Lewis said he spent 20 minutes with assistants Marc Habscheid and Doug Houda, theorizing why the playoff-bound Devils would fire their coach. "Great profession, isn't it?" said Lewis.