An even-keeled debut

Lehtonen's play is one positive

By Kevin Paul Dupont, Globe Staff  |  April 12, 2009

BUFFALO - Mikko Lehtonen got his first taste of The Show yesterday, and for first showings, the big Finnish winger did not look out of place.

"He looked OK," said Bruins coach Claude Julien following his club's 6-1 trouncing by the Sabres. "But it's hard to evaluate a guy when our team played as poorly as it did."

Lehtonen, the organization's leading goal scorer in Providence this season, was summoned to the varsity Friday when the Bruins announced that Patrice Bergeron (foot injury) would not be available for the games here and tomorrow on Long Island. Figuring he would not get called up, the 6-foot-5-inch Lehtonen had all of his focus on suiting up in the Calder Cup playoffs as the logical wrap-up to his first pro season in North America.

"It has been a good year for me and for the whole [Providence] team," said the gregarious winger, who was the 83d overall pick in the 2005 draft. "Hopefully we'll have a good playoff run."

Lehtonen finished even in the plus-minus ranking (admirable on such a bad afternoon). He landed one shot on net in 16:14 of ice time.

"We lost, so I am not happy about that," said Lehtonen. "But I felt good out there. I kept up with the speed. Obviously, everyone is smarter here, and there is more system play, but I think I'll get used to it."

Back home in Espoo, only a 10-minute drive from Helsinki, Lehtonen's family huddled around the computer (faceoff: 11 p.m. Finland time) to watch the game over the Internet.

"Yeah," he said, "it's a late night for them, but everyone is excited."

The Lehtonens around the laptop included Mom and Dad (Minna and Jorma) and sisters Annika, 26, and Lotta, 14.

As Lehtonen chatted with a small group of Boston reporters prior to faceoff, Finnish icon Teppo Numminen flitted in and out of the Sabres' dressing room, preparing a new stick for what was his 1,454th NHL game (82 playoff games included).

Asked if Numminen was one of his idols growing up, Lehtonen said, "Oh, for every Finnish player, Teppo is an idol. I mean, he's played here for 100 years."

Numminen, who will turn 41 in July, broke in with the 1988-89 Winnipeg Jets and is finishing up his fourth season with the Sabres.

Drew Stafford sent Dennis Wideman hobbling to the Boston bench late in the first period after the Sabres winger hammered a slapper off the defenseman's left ankle. Wideman struggled to make it back to the bench and then made his way to the dressing room, missing the final 6:23 of the period.

"Yeah, I was worried at first," said Wideman. "But I had X-rays and it checked out OK. No problem."

According to Wideman, the shot hit him directly on a nerve, causing his foot to go numb. Some 15 minutes later, it was back in working order. Following the loss, he made his way effortlessly around the dressing room with a bag of ice taped to the ankle.

"I knew [Stafford] was shooting, but I was trying to take another guy's stick," explained Wideman. "I lost sight of the shot, but then all of a sudden . . . I found it."

Senior statesman P.J. Axelsson and captain Zdeno Chara skated on their own early in the morning and, as expected, both were given the day off - something that could be repeated today when the Bruins wrap up the regular season against the Islanders in Uniondale, N.Y.

Not expected: Phil Kessel was also scratched. According to Julien, the speedy winger came down with a stomach bug Friday.

"A tough night for Kess," said Julien, "and no sense forcing the issue."

Kessel's absence led, in part, to Lehtonen and Vladimir Sobotka both getting a chance to play. Sobotka, who hadn't dressed in the Spoked-B since Feb. 21, played in his 24th game this season.

Julien confirmed that the playoff opener against the Canadiens will be at TD Banknorth Garden Thursday night. It was considered a fait accompli, but no one in the Boston organization had confirmed it. Still undecided: whether Game 2 at the Garden will be Saturday or Sunday . . . The Bruins will not practice tomorrow. "That's a given," said Julien, who also kidded that reporters would rejoice over having a day off . . . Manny Fernandez, scorched for four goals in the first period, saw his goals-against mark bump from 2.46 to 2.59 . . . Tim Thomas will get the start in net today. "Tank" would have to let in a baker's dozen to lose his grip on the league's best marks in goals-against average (2.10) and save percentage (.933) . . . HSBC Arena's huge message board over center ice routinely carries photographs and accompanying numbers of all players - other than goalies - throughout the game. With all players wearing helmets, it greatly increases the rank-and-file's facial recognition.