Boston Bruins 2, Ottawa Senators 3, Final
Boston goalie Tim Thomas looks to split and stop the Sens. (NHL)

Recap

As seen on NESN -- The Ottawa Senators outlasted the Boston Bruins, 3-2, Saturday night at Scotiabank Place. Chuck Kobasew scored two goals for the Black & Gold and Tim Thomas made 42 saves in a heroic effort.

"There is a reason why they are (11) and 1," said Thomas to NESN after the game. "They are a tough team to play against...but having said that we were still in the game all the way and hopefully we can come up with a better game (Sunday)."

The B's came into Saturday night having won two of their last three games with a 3-1 win over Chicago on Oct. 25, a 2-1 loss to Philly on Oct. 27 and a 4-3 overtime victory over Buffalo on Nov. 1.

Boston Bruins Chuck Kobasew, left, celebrates his second period goal against the Ottawa Senators with teammate Phil Kessel in NHL hockey action at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Saturday Nov 3, 2007. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)

With Manny Fernandez nursing an injury and home in Boston, Thomas again started in goal for Boston and was tested early and had to make several tough saves in just the first three minutes of the contest.

B's beat cop, Shawn Thornton, took on Chris McGratton in a one-rounder at center ice. Despite the Senator's height, reach and weight advantage, Boston's Thornton held his own and landed a decent number of punches on his opponent.

Ottawa retained the momentum however, and Mike Fisher beat Thomas to make the score, 1-0, at 4:16. But Thomas continued to be strong, and through 20-minutes was the reason the B's were still in the game.

The second period started very well for Boston College, er, the Bruins.

An outstanding play by Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who retrieved a puck behind the Ottawa net and passed in front of the cage, found Kobasew waiting. Kobasew then punched the puck by the Sens Martin Gerber to tie the score, 1-1, at 1:04.

Later, Following an amazing defensive play where he sprinted the length of the rink to break up a Ottawa scoring play by Antoine Vermette, Kobasew, the former BC Eagle scored another (bunting a puck out of the air) from almost the same spot to make the score, 2-1, at 4:50.

"It's been a while since I've been getting pucks to the net," said Kobasew. "I am going to try and continue to do that."

Ottawa Senators' Dany Heatley, right, celebrates his second period goal past Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, top, with teammate Daniel Alfredsson, of Sweden, during NHL hockey action at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa on Saturday Nov 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Sean Kilpatrick, The Canadian Press)

Left wide open at the faceoff dot to the left of the Boston goal, Ottawa sniper Dany Heatley tied the score at 10:14 with a bomb that exploded by helpless Thomas.

Thomas (25 saves through two periods) turned the tables with less than a minute left in the frame when he stopped Heatley, who was stationed this time at the right dot, by sliding across the goal line to make a Black & Gold wall.

With that, the teams went to the room, tied at two.

Thomas was tested early and often in the third, as well, and was nearly flawless -- but Fisher scored again at 13:49 to put Ottawa in the lead late in the game.

Boston was unable to return serve, and fell, 3-2.

"This is a pretty good team that we played here tonight," said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. "For some reason we didn't generate as much offense as we should have."

Plenty of bad blood was generated, however.

After the final whistle, fisticuffs nearly erupted between the teams as they headed for their benches. That will surely be remembered tomorrow evening when the clubs meet again at the TD Banknorth Garden.
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