The Bruins offered little information about the 26-year-old Alberts, other than to say he would be evaluated today in Boston. Alberts, whose head banged hard against the top of the dasher, may have suffered at least a slight concussion - but not the severe kind Bergeron sustained when he was knocked headfirst into the Garden boards Oct. 27.
Making his way quickly down a Wachovia Center hallway, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli refused to comment to two Boston reporters. A piece of pizza in his right hand, the hustling GM offered only an emphatic, "No."
Coach Claude Julien also deflected a number of questions about the hit on Alberts, who is one of the club's top four backliners.
"He's OK, and that's about all I can tell you," said Julien, shaking his head. "The doctors will check him out."
Hartnell was tossed out of the game, tagged with a five-minute boarding major and a game misconduct. Asked if Chiarelli would take up the hit with league headquarters, Julien said it is his belief that the league will review it without the Bruins having to file a formal complaint.
The Bruins remain disturbed that Jones, whose hit may have ended Berge ron's season, received only a two-game suspension.
"I don't have any comment," said veteran Boston defenseman Aaron Ward. "The end result is that we won the game. Obviously, it will be handled above us."
Earlier in the evening, Ward made a statement of his own when he went after 6-foot-3-inch Ben Eager when the rugged Philly winger slammed hard into Chara. The towering Chara fell to the ice from the hit, which Chara called "right at the edge of being a hit from behind."
Furious, Ward chased Eager toward the Boston bench, wrapped him in a headlock and dropped him to the ice. It looked as if Ward repeatedly dealt Eager shots while the two of them were down on the ice, Ward with the obvious advantage.
