Julien also not on top of game
MONTREAL - Of the many reasons the Bruins registered an 18-point improvement this season, Claude Julien could be at the top of the list.
The first-year Boston bench boss, implementing structure and discipline in the void left by the 2006-07 Bruins, made himself a candidate for the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year.
In Game 1 of the playoffs, however, nearly all of Julien's moves blew up in his face.
Andrew Ference, out since March 22 with a sprained knee, was thrown into the lineup on the second pairing and No. 2 power-play unit. Ference, on the ice for the opening shift, tangled with P.J. Axelsson, committed a defensive-zone turnover, and was caught out of position, leaving the front of the net open for forward Sergei Kostitsyn to score the first goal.
"Basically, I ran into Axy and the guy that was covering him," Ference said. "We both ran into a roadblock. Then there was a scramble. I think I took a whack at it. Couple mistakes but a bit unfortunate as well."
Andrew Alberts, who played three strong games to close out the regular season, was informed at approximately 5 p.m. Thursday that he'd be scratched.
"I was rusty," said Alberts, who acknowledged he was surprised by the decision. "I need to get my work in, keep watching video, and keep ready in practice."
Ference skated with Aaron Ward, Zdeno Chara's most recent partner, because Julien reunited Dennis Wideman with the Boston captain. But Wideman was jumpy from the start, sending a reverse too hard around the boards, leading to Montreal's second goal.
Up front, with Marc Savard given the green light, Julien scratched Vladimir Sobotka, a force in the playoff-clinching 2-1 win over Ottawa in Game No. 81 (two assists, two hits, 64 percent faceoff efficiency, on the ice for the game's final draw).
At the other end, Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau devised a game plan the Bruins wanted to execute: get an early lead, finish checks with authority, create traffic in front of the net. The plan, combined with Montreal's speed and skill, was enough to give the Canadiens their ninth straight win over the Bruins this season.
"They do have a lot of speed, but they're really good at seeing plays," said Axelsson. "They're really skilled passers. But you also have to be in the right positions to make those passes."
Decision: Hamrlik
Chara and Montreal defenseman Roman Hamrlik, close friends off the ice, play similar styles as rugged, in-your-face defensemen.In Game 1, Hamrlik outclassed his friend, establishing his presence as a hard-to-play-against slugger who wasn't about to let Boston attackers threaten goalie Carey Price.
Hamrlik played the most of any Canadien, skating 27 shifts for 23:51 of ice time. Hamrlik blocked five shots and recorded six hits. In the first period, Hamrlik jostled with Jeremy Reich in front of the Montreal net to bust up a potential scoring chance. In the second period, Hamrlik blasted Milan Lucic into the boards.
At the other end, Chara was a target all night. In the first period, fourth-liners Steve Begin and Tom Kostopoulos sandwiched Chara. In the second period, forward Sergei Kostitsyn pasted Chara into the glass, a hit that left the captain slow to get to his skates. Chara logged 24:48 of ice time over 29 shifts, throwing three hits and recording one shot.
"He knows he can probably play better," Julien said. "I don't think he played bad. He's a target. We all know that. But I don't think that had anything to do with throwing off his game. He's well aware of what's going on. They can do whatever they want. They're not going to throw him off."
Wideman held out
Wideman was the only Bruin not to practice yesterday. During the season, Julien has given Wideman occasional practices and morning skates off as maintenance days. "We're anticipating him to be in [tonight]," said Julien. "Just one of those days where he needed to take the day off in order to be ready to play." . . . No update on Patrice Bergeron. "Nothing's changed from yesterday or the day before," said Julien. "That's the situation we're in. I think he's tired of answering those questions. So are we." . . . Ex-Bruin Bryan Smolinski scored his first playoff goal in a Montreal jersey in Game 1. It was the sixth team for which Smolinski has scored a playoff goal, tying an NHL record (Boston, Montreal, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Ottawa, Vancouver). Doug Gilmour and Mike Sillinger also have done it.