Bruins in right spirit

For the team that played punchout against the Thrashers Thursday night at TD Garden, Christmas, peace on earth, and good tidings to all came at an inopportune time. After the 4-1 throwdown against Atlanta, the last thing the surly Bruins needed was a three-day break to halt their momentum.

“We were struggling there for a couple games, but you have that during a season,’’ said Michael Ryder, who netted the game-winning power-play goal, after the victory. “I think it’s good we responded the way we did tonight. But still, when we come back from the break, we have to go on this road trip and we have to play the same way. We can’t let it go away. We have to remember what we did tonight.’’

For far too long, the Bruins played a version of no-contact, zero-anger hockey that ultimately resulted in a 3-0 embarrassment against Anaheim Monday night. To address his soft and slow team, coach Claude Julien opted for two grinding days of practice. First, to jack up the emotion. Second, to generate some speed and establish the forecheck. Third, to give his new lines some time to get familiar with each other.


Starting with the new first line of Milan Lucic, Marc Savard, and Nathan Horton, the Bruins got multiple scoring chances on Ondrej Pavelec from every trio. They put 36 shots on goal, using multiple looks — heavy cycle off the forecheck, quick-strike opportunities from rapid puck movement, bombs from the point — to create their offense.

While the first line didn’t see any of its work turn into goals, it produced enough scoring chances that Julien surely will give the trio more looks in the near future. And even though Brad Marchand (undisclosed injury), who’s missed the last two games, could return sometime during the upcoming five-game road trip, Daniel Paille has done everything to earn more ice time.


“I thought that Dan played a real good game,’’ Julien said. “Especially on Thorny’s second goal, he makes a good block in our own end, he goes down the ice and makes a big play, and gives Thorny an opportunity to get a second