Bruins Enjoy Net Gains With Thomas, Fernandez

The Boston Bruins rank near the top of the NHL in several offensive categories, such as goals per game (second) and power-play percentage (third). But the reason the Bruins own the league's best record -- and are considered a serious contender for the Stanley Cup -- is because they also boast the league's best goaltending tandem.

Tim Thomas led all goalies in save percentage (.937) and ranked second in goals against average (2.00) in 26 appearances through Thursday's games. Manny Fernandez, meantime, was third in goals against (2.07) and fourth in save percentage (.928) in 19 appearances for the Bruins, who have won four in a row and 14 of their last 16 games.

There have been long stretches this season when Coach Claude Julien has rotated his goalies. There also have been times when he has ridden the hot one, though neither has started more than five games in a row. Both are No. 1 goaltenders to the veteran coach, who said the careful management of their playing time is a good problem to have.

"I know there have been situations where it has been" a problem with other teams, said Julien, whose Bruins face Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals tonight at Verizon Center in a showdown between the Eastern Conference's top two teams. "But not in our situation. Both goaltenders have reacted very well and have been very supportive of each other. It's been our position of strength."

An example of that strength came Thursday against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum, where Boston, missing four top-six caliber forwards because of injury, struggled against the league's worst team. Thomas, though, was the best player on the ice and made a season-high 40 stops to help the Bruins eke out a 2-1 win and retake the top spot in the league standings from the San Jose Sharks.

"Our goaltending has done that for us all year," Julien said. "Whenever we're a little flat and not at our best, our goaltenders have come up big and kind of bailed us out."

Thomas, who will make his second straight all-star game appearance this month, has started the past three games because Fernandez has been suffering from back spasms, and he is the likely candidate to get the nod against the Capitals, given his career record against them. He has an 8-1-1 record and 2.41 goals-against average, with his one regulation loss coming last March when he was pulled twice during a 10-2 loss in Washington.

Thomas and Fernandez -- both 34 years old -- will be unrestricted free agents at season's end, and already the hand-wringing in Boston has begun. Considering all of the Bruins' injuries up front and lack of depth on the blueline, should General Manager Peter Chiarelli trade one of the goalies at the deadline? Or should he keep both, even if it means losing one for no return in the offseason? It figures to be a crucial choice for an organization that desperately needs a long postseason run to return to relevancy in Boston's crowded sports landscape with the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics.

While there's no clear answer to Chiarelli's dilemma right now, this much is for sure: Boston has a good thing going with Thomas and Fernandez.

"To have a great team, you have to have great goaltending," said center Marc Savard, the Bruins' leading scorer with 15 goals and 38 assists. "It all stems from there on out. They have a good friendly competition going and it's great for us."

Thomas said that he feels "fresher" at this point of the season because of the lighter workload. Fernandez, on the other hand, said the goalies push each other to be their best and they can "empty their tanks every night, because you might get a break the next night."

"It's a balance," Thomas said. "Sometimes when you play a few games in a row it's easier to get on a roll than being split up all the time. Then, on the other hand, you're physically and mentally a little bit fresher."

Fernandez, who started the teams' only previous meeting this season, a 3-1 Capitals win on Dec. 10, added: "It's early on in the season and a lot can happen. Down the stretch it might change. For now, we're making it work. There's some good sides and some bad sides, but we're professionals. We understand that team comes first."

Capitals Note: Defensemen Shaone Morrisonn (lower-body injury) and Tom Poti (groin muscle pull) and forward Boyd Gordon (back spasms) are not expected to play tonight. The Bruins aren't expected to have forwards Marco Sturm (knee surgery), Patrice Bergeron (concussion), Milan Lucic (upper torso) and Phil Kessel (mononucleosis) and defensemen Aaron Ward (charley horse) and Andrew Ference (broken leg).