Lucic goes to work for real

DALLAS - The "C" that was once pegged for Milan Lucic's uniform has been strapped onto the chest of forward Spencer Machacek.

And that's just fine with Lucic, whose captaincy in Vancouver is in limbo pending the duration of his NHL stay.

"I think it's the right choice," said Lucic, who spoke with Don Hay, his junior coach in Vancouver, yesterday morning.

Machacek, Lucic's roommate and one of his closest friends on the WHL team, might be serving as the Giants' captain for some time. Lucic, who made his NHL debut last night in the Bruins' 4-1 loss, has done everything asked of him so far - skating well, playing two-way hockey, finishing his checks, dropping the gloves.

But that was all in the preseason.

Last night, playing on the fourth line, Lucic skated 11 shifts for 6:53 of ice time. He recorded one shot, threw one hit, and tangled with forward Brad Winchester in a second-period fight.

"We went down, 2-0, and I wanted to get some momentum back for the team," said Lucic. "I felt it was the right time to do it."

If Lucic plays in more than nine games with the Bruins this season, his service time will count toward his three-year entry-level contract, which is worth an annual $850,000.

With some ice time, Lucic, who's projected as a grinder with some offensive touch, could provide depth at left wing, perhaps allowing the club to make a veteran available for a trade to beef up the back end.

But for now, Lucic's just a wide-eyed 19-year-old ready to play with the big boys. For real.

"He did well," said coach Claude Julien. "We're taking a lot of time teaching him the little things. What's impressive is he does respond well. The next shift he's out there, he's doing the things we asked him to do."

Chara stands tall

Zdeno Chara, available for only one preseason game because of shoulder woes, was in the lineup, paired with Aaron Ward. Management, coach, and player have pledged the captain will return to his old game this season, with the Stars being the first to see his surly style.

"He covers a lot of ice," said Dallas coach Dave Tippett. "He's a big guy. A big player who plays hard. He uses his size and his reach very well. And he does play with some bite."

As usual, Chara led the Bruins with 26:55 of ice time. Chara threw four hits, including a shot that jolted forward Antti Miettinen, blocked two shots, and landed two shots.

Unfriendly skies

Because of a mechanical failure on their charter, the Bruins didn't arrive at their Dallas hotel until approximately 3 a.m. The club was originally scheduled to leave Hanscom Field at 2:45 p.m. Thursday and enjoy a team dinner at a Dallas steakhouse upon their arrival.

But because of the delay, Julien scrubbed yesterday's morning skate. Goalie Tim Thomas and healthy scratches Brandon Bochenski, Jeremy Reich, and Dennis Wideman were the only players on the ice, although a good number of other players came to the arena to work out and get treatment.

Coaching advice

Hay's message to Lucic: "There are a lot of players who'd love to be in your position. You've earned it. Go out there, work hard, and have fun." . . . Patrice Bergeron missed two second-period shifts because of a skate problem. Bergeron and linemates Marco Sturm and Chuck Kobasew played against Dallas's top line most of the night . . . Marc Savard lost 10 of 13 draws . . . The Bruins face off against Phoenix tonight, then travel to Los Angeles, where they'll bunker down for six nights in between games against the Ducks and the Kings before wrapping up against San Jose. "To me, this is a crucial road trip," said Julien. "We have to make sure we're prepared mentally for these challenges."

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