Tim Thomas started the game for the Bruins. But by the end of it, he was on the bench once again as the defending Vezina winner was lit up for the second time in three games.
Hurricanes 5, Bruins 1
RBC Center, Raleigh, N.C.
Jan. 24, 2010
Headliner: Five different Hurricanes beat Tim Thomas on Sunday, but Jussi Jokinen had the most productive day. Jokinen scored a goal and added two assists for three points. The Hurricanes forward finished the day with a plus-3 rating in over 15 minutes of ice time.
Grinder: Cam Ward didn't come away with the shutout that looked inevitable against the struggling Bruins, but the Hurricanes goalie still turned away 27 of the 28 shots he faced. Ward has now won his last two starts after losing three in a row.
Weak Link: Tim Thomas faced 15 shots from the Hurricanes, and four of them went in. Thomas now hasn't won in his last four games — his last win came on Jan. 14 against the Sharks. Sunday marked the second time in three games that the defending Vezina winner was pulled and the third time this month.
But Thomas wasn't alone in his less-than-stellar play. Dennis Wideman, who has recently taken some serious heat from coach Claude Julien, posted a minus-4 rating in the loss and Matt Hunwick chipped in with a minus-3 rating of his own. The Bruins' corps of defensemen combined for a minus-9 rating in the game.
Key Moment: With a 2-0 lead in the second period, the Hurricanes didn't let their foot off the gas pedal and were able to extend their lead to put the game out of reach. After Eric Staal made it 2-0 at 4:26 of the second, Jokinen scored just two minutes later to make it a three-goal lead — an insurmountable deficit for the inconsistent offense of the Bruins. Once the Bruins trailed by three, the game was — for all intents and purposes — over.
What's Next: The Bruins have a few days to get things right, as the Black and Gold don't play again until Friday. With four days off before their tilt on Friday in Buffalo and a home game against the Kings on Saturday, the B's will need to use the week to get back on track before they put themselves in a larger hole.
