TAMPA - On Nov. 4, after David Krejci was shipped back to the AHL, the Bruins promoted Petteri Nokelainen from Providence.
Since then, Matt Hunwick, Tuukka Rask, and Vladimir Sobotka have followed Nokelainen north on Interstate 95, filling in when Andrew Ference (upper core injury, knee), Manny Fernandez (knee, back), and Milan Lucic (head) had to be sidelined.
The Bruins are 6-4-2 since Nokelainen's arrival. And a big reason for those 14 points - all without Patrice Bergeron - has been the play of the Providence call-ups.
"I thought our fourth line had a great game tonight," said coach Claude Julien of Sobotka and Nokelainen, who skated with Jeremy Reich in last night's 4-1 loss to the Lightning.
Sobotka is playing his first year of professional hockey, but the 20-year-old center from the Czech Republic, both skilled and gritty (7 goals, 7 assists in 15 games with Providence), was promoted when Lucic suffered a concussion Nov. 23. Since his promotion, Sobotka has played in four straight games, recording two shots and four hits. Nokelainen, acquired from the Islanders for center Ben Walter, has been consistent both at center and right wing during his 11-game stint in Boston.
And while Rask and Hunwick didn't play last night, the two rookies also have made significant contributions. Rask, who was expected to spend the entire 2007-08 season in Providence, has posted wins in both of his NHL starts. Hunwick is a seventh-round pick (No. 224 overall in 2004) who was one of the final cuts in training camp and has filled in as a sixth defenseman in Boston.
While the foursome's play indicates savvy in management's player evaluation, general manager Peter Chiarelli also gave a thumbs-up to the mentoring the players have received under Providence coach Scott Gordon and assistant Rob Murray. Gordon and Murray got an early look at Rask, Hunwick, and Sobotka in July when the Bruins held their inaugural development camp (Nokelainen was acquired Sept. 11).
When the Bruins needed help in Boston, the AHL performances of the four under Gordon and Murray made them natural fits.
"The coaching down there is really good," said Nokelainen. "They're so demanding every day. I think that's only a good thing. You push yourself every day. That helps you become a better player. Then you try not to change anything when you come here.
"It's unreal. Every guy down there is working his butt off. Every day in practice is so high-paced. It really works. If you're not performing, then you skate."
Rask has especially enjoyed working with Gordon, a former NHL goalie.
"He really knows what he's doing," Rask said. "He knows the organization and he knows each player. He knows when to relax and take it easy, but also when you have to work harder in practice. I think the pace in practice is even more speedy than here."
Gordon, along with Murray, is under contract for this year and next, and the club holds an option for 2009-10. But if Gordon gets a crack at an NHL job elsewhere, Chiarelli said he wouldn't stand in his way.
Ward injured
Aaron Ward suffered a leg injury during a second-period pileup in front of the Boston net and didn't return in the third period. Ward skated a total of 18 shifts for 14:21 of ice time.
Julien said he wasn't sure of the severity of the injury to Ward, who did not need crutches after the game. Julien didn't know how much time, if any, Ward would miss. The Bruins' next game is tomorrow against the Islanders.
Ward has sat out two games this season because of a concussion.
Disk problem
Chiarelli told the New England Hockey Journal radio show yesterday that Fernandez has been diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back. Fernandez has not played since Oct. 22 because of his back and knee ailments . . . With his assist on Glen Murray's second-period goal, Marc Savard extended his scoring streak to nine games, the longest active string in the NHL. Savard has two goals and 14 assists during the streak. Savard had a minus-2 rating last night . . . Lucic didn't play for the fourth straight game. Julien said Lucic is still working on his conditioning, but said he might be ready for next week's games . . . Lucic, Hunwick, and Rask were scheduled to skate this morning at St. Pete Times Forum before the team departed for Long Island.
Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com
