By BRUCE BERLET, Courant Staff Writer
PROVIDENCE -- Resiliency has been the Wolf Pack's MO this season, perhaps never more so than Thursday night.
After matching the second-worst loss in team playoff history, the Pack upgraded in all areas, starting with winning more one-on-one battles and stout goaltending by Al Montoya. His 26 saves led to a 1-0 victory over the Bruins and a 3-2 lead in their Atlantic Division semifinal series.
"We really responded to the other night," Montoya said, referring to a 5-1 loss Tuesday. "That's what you have at this point of the year.
"Every game is so important, so when one is done, you have to focus on the next one. You do your little recap and realize you could have done better. But you come out with the same mentality and have to put the past behind you.
"But now this one is over, so we have to look forward and start winning games in a row. The next game is the biggest of the year."
The Pack, who won a league-high 28th one-goal game, will go for the clincher in the series Saturday at 7 p.m. in Hartford.
Montoya was especially sharp in the first period, stopping a wide-open Sean Bentivoglio in front at 4:45 and making two stellar saves off T.J. Trevelyan, the second while sliding across the crease at 11:45.
After the Bruins' Jeff Hoggan hit the post 4:35 into the second, the Pack got the only goal off three terrific individual plays, capped by Nigel Dawes' backhander at 8:01.
Defenseman Corey Potter made an alert play at the right point to keep the puck in the zone.
"I knew I had coverage behind me, so I took a chance to try to stop it at the blueline," Potter said. "Luckily it didn't get off the ice, and I spotted Jarrko [Immonen] across the way."
Immonen heard Dawes call for the puck in the high slot.
"We try that play sometimes, and I heard [Dawes] yell," Immonen said. "Fortunately I got the pass through."
Dawes took Immonen's pass on his backhand, shifted the puck to his forehand and then slid a backhander between Hannu Toivonen's pads. It was the Pack's second goal on 24 power plays and second the Bruins allowed in 41 short-handed situations.
"Jarkko didn't have that good of a lane to get it to me, but he made a great play just to get it in front," Dawes said. "[Toivonen] is great at covering the bottom half of the net, so you want to try to get it up. I didn't get it up, but I had a little time, made a little move and found a spot between his legs."
Toivonen, signed to a one-year contract extension by the NHL Bruins earlier in the day, kept the P-Bruins close in the third, including Greg Moore's short-handed breakaway at 3:18.
With 2:15 left, Montoya turned aside a stuff bid by Hoggan, who then high-sticked and bloodied Dave Liffiton's face without a penalty call with 53.9 seconds left.
Liffiton needed several stitches to close a cut but is likely to play Saturday.
Montoya then preserved the win with saves on screened shots by Trevelyan and Pascal Pelletier.
"Everyone reacted well to our last game's performance," Pack assistant coach J.J. Daigneault said. "The guys realized they didn't bring their best hockey, and in the playoffs, it's important not to fall too low when you lose, but to always be ready to bounce back every game."
