Whether or not Zdeno Chara harbours any ill will toward his ex-teammates, Saturday evening had to be sweet.
The mammoth defenceman scored with 4:25 remaining in the third period to lift the Boston Bruins to a 2-1 home win over the Ottawa Senators in his first game against his former team since leaving in the off-season.
The Bruins' Zdeno Chara, right, tangles with former Senators teammate Brian McGrattan during the first period of Saturday's game in Boston.
(Winslow Townson/Associated Press)
With the Bruins on a power play, Chara's blast from the point found its way past Martin Gerber, unleashing a series of fist pumps from the six-foot-nine blue-liner.
"Yes, I was playing my former team but my main focus was on those two points," Chara said. "It did not matter who we played. We really needed this win and we got it and it's a nice feeling."
Chara played four seasons with Ottawa before the Bruins lured him away with a five-year, $37.5-million US contract in the summer.
P.J. Axelsson scored an unassisted goal in the second period for the Bruins, who got 35 saves from Tim Thomas in helping Chara defeat his old mates.
"I know he didn't want to make too big a deal out of it before the game, but I'm sure he's happy right now," Thomas said of Chara.
Dany Heatley notched a power-play goal for Ottawa, which out-shot Boston 36-32 but went 1-for-7 with the man advantage.
Chippy start
The highlight of a goal-less first period was a scuffle between Chara and tough guy Brian McGrattan. Following a whistle in front of the Bruins net, McGrattan and Chara got into a jawing match that ended with the two wrestling to the ice. Both players received roughing minors.
It was a chippy opening frame all around: The teams received five penalties apiece.
Thomas kept the game scoreless with a terrific save early in the second. After getting tied up behind his net, the Bruins goalie dove back through the crease to glove a Jason Spezza shot.
Ottawa opened the scoring late in the period. A too-many-men penalty gave the Senators a five-on-three power play and Heatley converted a pass through the crease from Spezza to extend his goal-scoring streak to five games.
Axelsson tied the game 7:05 into the third when he stole the puck from defenceman Tom Preissing in front of the Ottawa net and fire a quick shot past Gerber.
After scoring the go-ahead goal, Chara flashed his defensive chops, helping the Bruins hold off the Senators in the final minutes.
"That's what he was for us," said Ottawa coach Bryan Murray, who had Chara on his roster last season.
"He's a big man out there, played a lot of minutes, matched up against the better lines and shot the puck at times. Obviously, they've really focused on him being the point man on the power play and finally he got one through."
With files from Associated PressRelated
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