Former Bruins scrub night at the Garden goes swimmingly

Maybe it's because I was never more than an average athlete but I always find myself developing a special attachment to the pro athletes that aren't the superstars on the four Boston teams.

Obviously, if you're playing a sport for a living, you're doing something right but there's something interesting and refreshing about the people that appreciate it and don't take it for granted.

It wasn't officially recognized but last night might as well have been former Bruins scrub night as a pair of them made a big return in the St. Louis Blues' 2-1 shootout win over the Bs.

Vladimir Sobotka scored St. Louis' (8-1-2) lone goal in regulation and then Brad Boyes had the deciding tally in the third round of the shootout.

Boston (7-3-1) received a goal from Gregory Campbell (his first of his Bruins career) to tie it in the third period but they were befuddled by bad luck. Nathan Horton had two near goals waved off and then Patrice Bergeron and Michael Ryder hit the post in the shootout.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (34 saves) continues to look for his first win of the 2010-2011 season (0-3-0) and this was one he truly deserved better in.

On the other end of the ice, Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak (33 saves) played well in what was a very entertaining Saturday night game.

Sobotka scored his first of the season at 16:40 of the first period from Alexander Steen.

After a scoreless second period (highlighted by two fights - David Backes vs. Andrew Ference and Mark Stuart vs. B.J. Crombeen), Campbell tied it up with seven minutes left in regulation. Ryder and Brad Marchand assisted on the goal.

Boston will look to snap its two game losing streak on Wednesday as they go to Pittsburgh to face Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

It's Tuukka time Claude, just go with it

Tim Thomas is a good NHL goaltender. He had a career year last season and was rewarded with a new contract and the Vezina trophy. All of that is irrelevant in the here and now because he is struggling and backup goalie Tuukka Rask is really starting to come into his own at the NHL level.

Thomas (7-8-4, 2.48 GAA) lost his third straight start last night as the Flyers won a Winter Classic preview 3-1 at the TD Garden.

It seems like every game Thomas is good for at least one soft goal. Last night didn't have any complete stinkers but Kimmo Timonen's game-winner is probably one that Thomas would like back.

Boston (16-10-6) led 1-0 on Vladimir Sobotka's tip in on Shawn Thornton's shot in the second period. Steve Begin also assisted on what turned out to be the Bruins' only goal of the game.

The Flyers (15-15-1) have been playing terrible so they desperately needed this game to gain some momentum. Rookie James van Riemsdyk (a UNH product) tied it early in the third with a redirection. Arron Asham and Timonen assisted.

Timonen's goal which put Philadelphia up 2-1 was a long shot from the point that was deflected off Blake Wheeler's glove and past a screened Thomas (35 saves). Jon Kalinski and Matt Carle assisted.

The B's had a chance as they received a power-play with 1:03 left. They pulled Thomas to make it a 6-on-4 advantage but they couldn't put one past Flyers goalie Brian Boucher (26 saves).

Timonen clinched it with an empty-netter that went the length of the ice.

Boston has today off and then practices the next few days before going to Chicago to play the high-flying Blackhawks (maybe the best team in the Western Conference) Friday night.

Rask (9-2-2, 1.97 GAA) deserves the next start.

Al MacInnis and his 100-mph slapshot aren't skating through that door

The Bruins (24-5-4) made it a four-point weekend as they won 6-3, last night at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Blake Wheeler scored twice for Boston, David Krejci had three assists and Phil Kessel added two assists to increase his point steak to 18 straight games.

Wheeler scored his 10th of the season, 2:27 into the game from Krejci and Michael Ryder. He put in a shorthanded goal less than two and a half minutes later from Krejci and Zdeno Chara.

The Blues (13-17-3) tied it up in the first with a power play goal from Brad Winchester (Jeff Woywitka, Roman Polak) and a shorthanded goal by Jay McClemant (Mike Weaver).

At 17:44 in the first, Bruins defenseman Shane Hnidy scored his second of the season, on a power play with assists from Krejci and Kessel.

In the second period, Yan Stastny (Keith Tkachuk, Tyson Strachan) tied it at 3 before Boston responded with two goals. Ryder (12th of the season) scored another power play goal from P.J. Axelsson and Chara while Marc Savard (11th) scored from Kessel and Milan Lucic.

In the third, recent call-up Vladimir Sobotka scored his first of the season from another youngster (Martin St. Pierre).

Bruins goalie Manny Fernandez (playing in back-to-back games) made 29 saves to give him a 11-2-1 record.

Boston travels to New Jersey for a game tomorrow night with the Devils.