The Bruins have followed up two straight losses with two straight wins, dominating the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-1, at TD Banknorth Garden on Saturday. Michael Ryder scored twice as the Bruins improved to 3-2 on their season-long six-game homestand, which concludes on Tuesday night against Montreal. Some other notes… Byron Bitz played his first NHL game, becoming the third Bruin to play his first NHL game this season,
joining Blake Wheeler (Oct. 9 at Colorado) and Martins Karsums (Dec. 13 vs. Atlanta). Bitz recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Boston’s third goal tonight, becoming the second Bruin this season to record a point in his first NHL game (Wheeler, goal on Oct. 9 at Colorado). Martins Karsums recorded his first NHL point with an assist on Boston’s second goal today … It came in his second career NHL game. Zdeno Chara recorded an assist on Boston’s third goal … It is the 200th assist of his NHL career. Carolina’s Sergei Samsonov played his 700th NHL game today … It came against the team that drafted him (second pick, eighth overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft) with a pick that the Bruins received from Hartford in the Glen Wesley trade. Without further delay, here’s what they had to say.

Bruins coach Claude Julien said the Bruins made sure to match Carolina’s intensity.

Marc Savard said that was a quality 60-minute performance.

Zdeno Chara said that game was one of Boston’s better performances of the season.

Chara said the Bruins won the battle for loose pucks.

Tim Thomas said the Bruins were ready for the Hurricanes.