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Tim Thomas is perfectly happy with the way he’s playing, so is Claude Julien 06.05.11 at 6:13 pm ET
By Mike Petraglia

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Tim Thomas made one thing pretty clear Sunday.

He’s not about to change his aggressive approach in goal now.

The 2009 Vezina Trophy winner was outstanding in Game 1 and for most of Game 2 before allowing the game-tying goal with over 10 minutes left in regulation and a bizarre goal 11 seconds into overtime when he fell down chasing Alex Burrows.

Upon his arrival back in Boston Sunday afternoon at the Garden, Thomas was asked about whether he regrets his aggressive approach or plans on adjusting his tact in goal.

“I have a pretty good idea how to play goalie,” Thomas said at the beginning of the press conference. “I’m not going to take advice or suggestions at this time. I’m just going to keep playing the way I have.”

Following a five-hour flight back from Vancouver, Thomas and the rest of the Bruins came to the Garden briefly to check into their dressing room and fulfill a media obligation on the offday between Games 2 and 3 of the Stanley Cup finals.

“I think we’ve played in front of Timmy Thomas,” coach Claude Julien said. “To me, he’s a Vezina Trophy winner. We are here right now because his contribution has been really good. For us to be sitting here having to answer those questions is ridiculous to me. He’s won a Vezina Trophy already, he’s probably going to win one this year, in my mind anyway, for what he’s done.

“So, to question his way of playing is really looking for something to talk about. Yesterday, he made some unbelievable saves to keep us in the game. So, if you want to focus on that last goal — which I think there’s a lot of other players could have done a better job — is focusing on the wrong thing.”

Julien didn’t say the name Andrew Ference or mention his turnover that led to Burrows’ rush to open overtime despite Boston winning the opening faceoff of sudden death. Nor did Julien mention the name Zdeno Chara, who tried in vain to catch up with Burrows around the net before the decisive wraparound.

He didn’t need to.

Speaking of the captain, he isn’t expecting anything to change in Game 3, except the final result.

“We play the same way in front of Timmy, at least personally, for as long as I’ve been here. And he’s got his own style, and I don’t think anything is wrong with it,” Chara said. “It’s been really successful for him. He’s really, as we all know, he’s probably one of the best, if not the best goaltender in the league. So I don’t see why we should change the way we play or the way should he change the way he plays.”

Read More: 2011 Stanley Cup, 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Alex Burrows, Andrew Ference Print  |  Email   | Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Evergreen Monster

    I’m not questioning his ability to tend goal, I’m questioning his decision to abandon the net with Chara hot on Burrows heels. It was a huge a mistake and a fatal one as far as Game 2 is concerned.
    I pray we can all laugh this one off if the Bruins hoist the Cup after all is said and done.

  • Bill

    Agreed evergreen …. Thomas is playing great, but dammit be a man and admit that on that play you made a bad decision. Chara had Burrows angled to the side, Thomas just needed to protect the post, then slide and protect the other post on the wrap try … it’s goalie 101. Be a man and admint your mistake instead of throwing teammates under the bus. Own it… be a leader, not a little boy refusing to accept responsibility.

  • DJKuulA

    That wasn’t just “aggressive play;” it was the dumbest move in Boston sports since Grady’s Boner in 2003. Mind-blowingly stupid.

    That said, when he plays like he did for the previous 120 minutes, you have to let that one mistake slide (no matter how bad it was).

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