Canes And Bruins Tie 0-0

January 31, 1999 / 7:38 PM EST / AP

The Boston Bruins may have found the way out of their slump: Focus on defense, even if the offense suffers.

That's what happened Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes, but for the first time in five games the Bruins didn't lose. The game ended in a 0-0 tie, the first time Boston has played two scoreless games in the same season since 1955-56.

"We have to go back to defense like the beginning of the season," Bruins scoring leader Dmitri Khristich said. "Our first couple of wins were shutouts. It means we have to be really good defensively to win."

Boston's recent slide has left it with 48 points, tied with Florida for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Carolina, 3-0-1 in its last four games, is in sixth place with 54 points.

"All Eastern Conference games seem to be 1-0, 2-1 and as a team you have to be ready to battle through it," Carolina's Keith Primeau said.

Bruins coach Pat Burns was pleased with his team's play in a 2-0 loss to New Jersey on Thursday night in which the Bruins took 40 shots and in Sunday's tie in which they outshot the Hurricanes 36-24.

"We didn't score, but we had some great chances," he said. "If you do that and keep on doing that, sooner or later it's going to go in."

Not against Trevor Kidd. Carolina's backup goalie, playing for the first time in 24 days as Arturs Irbe rested after playing eight straight games, got his second shutout of the season despite being tested in the last 10 minutes of the third period and late in overtime.

"The game had playoff-type intensity," Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice said. "Even with all the chances the Bruins had, especially late in the game, you get the feeling that your guy can't be beat."

In other NHL games, Phoenix beat Nashville 5-1, and Pittsburgh defeated Montreal 5-3.

Kidd had a much tougher time than Boston goalie Byron Dafoe, who had few difficult shots among the 24 he faced. And he came into the game refreshed after he sat out Saturday's 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh after playing four straight games.

"If you play three games in four days, usually the third game you get fatigued mentally and physically," he said. "From the drop of the puck (Sunday). I felt very energetic and right into it."

His defensemen did an excellent job clearing rebounds and crowding Carolina forwards.

"They have two strong lines headed by Primeau and (Ron) Francis," Boston defenseman Dave Ellett said. "We held both lines scoreless, but Kidd made some big saves on our best opportunities."

Ellett had perhaps the best.

Boston took four shots on Kidd but couldn't score during a power play midway through the third period. One of them came from Ellett, who took a pass just in front of Kidd but had trouble controlling the puck. His weak shot eventually trickled off the left post with 7:25 left in the period.

"Ellett's shot was close, but we got a break because he didn't get anything on it," Kidd said.

The Bruins had another chance when Tim Taylor tried to jam the puck by Kidd but was turned aside with 32 seconds left in overtime. He swung at the rebound but couldn't lift it over Kidd, who had the lower part of the net covered.

Despite Kidd's strong performance, he's not about to replace Irbe as the starter.

"It is frustrating not being in net," he said. "As long as I work hard and stay ready, those opportunities will come more often."

And as long as the Bruins keep playing excellent defense, they should start winning rather than settling for a tie and one point in the standings.

"We got a point," Dafoe said. "Hopefully, we're starting to turn the corner."

One of the highlights of the game came during a timeout 3:24 into the first period when referee Paul Stewart received a standing ovation in his first game in Boston since undergoing cancer treatment. Stewart, a Boston-area native, blew a kiss to the crowd.