"Several of the Bruins' wins during the last month or so, while good for the desired two points, were far short of great 60-minute success stories. Yes, a win is a win, but for anyone who looked honestly at many of those games, they only added to the troubling feeling that has grown around this team since late December.

Yesterday was the opposite: a loss after which the Bruins could feel OK about themselves.

The 2-1 setback against the hardworking and talented Pittsburgh Penguins, dipping the B's to 4-5-1 in their last 10, was hardly the ideal outcome. But there were encouraging signs in this one."