Will old habits be tough to break?

March 27, 2004|Michael Holley, Globe Columnist

The hockey in-laws from Montreal are in town tonight. They're nothing special, but they do possess that infuriating in-law gift: They show up and somehow you feel as if you're the one with something to prove.

I'm sure the Bruins, young and old, can relate to this. There are far too many examples of the Canadiens either stashing the Stanley Cup for themselves or doing something to keep it away from the Bruins.

The last time it happened was the spring of 2002. Without getting into an elaborate rehash, it was the story of a smug No. 8 seed knocking off a No. 1 in six games -- and refusing to call it an upset.

We're approaching the front door of the playoffs again, and some understandable questions linger. What are the biggest differences between these Bruins and the team from '02? And will those differences be significant enough to win some playoff rounds, even if the opponent happens to be a group from Quebec?

Everyone can see the peripheral changes with the team. You can start with previously withdrawn owner Jeremy Jacobs. The guy used to be the NHL's J.D. Salinger; now he's as visible as Jay-Z. Jacobs has been seen, he has been heard, and his money has been felt. It's been impressive.

The atmosphere surrounding the team has changed as well. In the unofficial standings of pro sports teams in Boston, the Bruins have taken a strong hold on third place. They may trail the Red Sox and Patriots, but they are galaxies in front of the Celtics. The Bruins matter again. There are fewer available parking spaces outside the FleetCenter, and fewer unoccupied yellow seats inside the building.

All of that is good, but smart hockey people swear that the substantive stuff can be found behind the goalie's mask. If they're right, local fans will still be saying kind things about Andrew Raycroft on his 24th birthday (May 4).

Through Bruin eyes, the biggest difference between two years ago and today is Raycroft in goal instead of Byron Dafoe.

I'm going to trust the professionals and experts on this one, because the raw numbers don't give many clues. Raycroft's goals-against average this season is 2.01, with three shutouts. Two years ago, Dafoe went into the playoffs with a 2.21 GAA and four shutouts. Lord Byron's bosses never considered him an elite goalie. They also didn't think he'd give up so many bad goals in the Montreal series, a series in which the Bruins consistently outshot the Canadiens.

Raycroft is better than Dafoe, who didn't deliver enough postseason wins to satisfy his employers. What no one knows is how Raycroft will perform during the playoffs, when every twitch and pattern is dissected and explained in an advanced scouting report.