At last, there was rest for the weary.
When the Bruins take to the ice tonight in Buffalo, it will come at the conclusion of their first three-day break since Nov. 10. In a 32-day stretch that ended with last Saturday’s crushing overtime loss to the Flyers, the Bruins played a total of 17 games (9-5-3), having two consecutive days off between those games just twice.
Coach Claude Julien took pity on his players by adding Monday to his traditional practice-free Sunday routine. So it is with relatively fresh legs that the Bruins embark on a key two-day, two-game road trip, playing the Sabres tonight before a first-place showdown in Montreal with the Northeast-leading Canadiens Thursday. Entering play yesterday, Montreal led the Bruins by two points.
“We’re looking at this week as a big week,” Julien told the media after the team resumed practice yesterday. “Although you’re looking at catching Montreal, you have to go through Buffalo to have a chance to do it.”
The Bruins (36 points) have won four of six, but remain part of a six-team logjam between third and eighth place.
