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Bruins hammer Hurricanes behind non-All-Stars

Jan 10, 2009 - 10:50 PM By Tony Lee PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BOSTON (Ticker) -- A trio of Boston Bruins were just named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Lately, however, it has been non-All-Stars Michael Ryder and David Krejci who have been standing out for the top team in the East.

Ryder scored twice and Krejci added a goal and two assists Saturday as the Bruins posted a 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Defenseman Mark Stuart netted a goal and set up another, Stephane Yelle also tallied and Tim Thomas - one of Boston's three All-Stars - made 29 saves.

Rookie Blake Wheeler chipped in two assists for the Bruins, who have scored 11 goals in two games after netting a total of just six in their first three outings of 2009.

Much of the credit can be given to the line of Ryder, Krejci and Wheeler, who have been dominating opponents of late.

"We read off each other going into the offensive zone, we know where each other is going in certain areas and we know sometimes if you just throw puck in an area, that's where the other guy is," Ryder said.

Bruins left wing Shawn Thornton yelled out from Boston's locker room after the game that Krejci "was robbed" of an All-Star spot.

Bruins coach Claude Julien said it does not matter either way but hinted that stardom is imminent for the 22-year-old center, who entered Saturday's contest as the Bruins' second-leading scorer with 46 points.

"Obviously, this is a guy who is in his second year and he's starting to show all those attributes of a great player," said Julien, who earlier in the day was named to coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars. "And he's still in the young stages of his career."

Wheeler assisted on Krejci's power-play tally - his 16th goal of the season - less than eight minutes into the game to open the scoring, but that was just the start for the trio.

And there was no shortage of razzle-dazzle.

After Yelle and Stuart scored to make it 3-0 and chase goaltender Cam Ward just 3:27 into the second, Ryder took a feed from Krejci, deked a defender to the ice and lifted a backhander past netminder Michael Leighton at 7:20.

The threesome then provided a highlight-reel goal later in the period, with Ryder scoring his 17th of the season to give Boston a commanding 5-0 advantage.

Krejci, who has recorded 13 goals and 24 assists in his last 24 games, picked up Wheeler's pass and shoved a no-look backhand pass to a wide-open Ryder, who easily deposited the puck inside the right goalpost with 3:55 remaining.

"It just happened. I knew he was there," Krejci said of the pass, which brought roars from the TD Banknorth Garden crowd each time it was shown on the big screen. "Those plays just happen."

"I was just going to the net and Krejci just made an unbelievable pass," Ryder added. "He knew I was there."

Ryder has scored 14 goals in his last 20 games and Wheeler has notched at least one point in 13 of his last 19.

Thomas lost his shutout bid 6:07 into the third, when a redirection by Justin Williams trickled through traffic and past the netminder to make it 5-1. It was Williams' third goal of the season but was not enough for Carolina to ignite any form of a comeback.

"All in all, it was not a great day for us as a hockey team," Williams said.

The Hurricanes have lost two in a row following a four-game winning streak. They were outshot, 15-6, in the decisive second period.

"We won't be bragging about that game," Carolina coach Paul Maurice said.

Ward stopped just nine of 12 shots before Maurice pulled him in favor of Leighton, who made 18 saves.

The Bruins played their second straight game without injured left wing Milan Lucic (undisclosed) and defenseman Shane Hnidy (eye).

Rookies Byron Bitz and Martins Karsums, recalled from Providence of the American Hockey League earlier in the day, each recorded their first career point with an assist.