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WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Despite playing four games in the last six days (all losses), including back-to-back contests over the weekend, the Bruins hit the ice at Ristuccia Arena for practice Monday at their regularly scheduled time of 11 a.m.

Recovering injured forwards Marc Savard and Byron Bitz joined the club for practice. Savard, out with a knee injury, has been targeting a return this Friday. Bitz has been out since last week with an undisclosed injury.

Prior to practice, goaltending coach Bob Essensa observed while Savard, Bitz, Trent Whitfield and Adam McQuaid did shooting drills against goaltenders Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask.

The return of Bitz and Savard gave the Bruins two extra forwards for practice drills.

If the ninth-place Boston Bruins woke up Sunday morning thinking everything was fine and that they could just flip a switch and start playing the hockey they were expected to play this season, Sunday at Raleigh, N.C., the message was hammered home: Something is wrong.

After about five solid minutes of fruitless attack time at the outset of their game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Bruins allowed a goal, then played the rest of the contest as though it was September and the visit to Raleigh was part of the exhibition schedule.

The urgency and emotion that so many of the players talked about after Saturday's loss to Ottawa apparently is still being kept in reserve somewhere. Instead, the Bruins hit rock bottom with their fifth straight loss.

It's often clich

BOSTON -- There's no way to know how much air Mark Recchi's disallowed goal in the second period sucked out of the Bruins' sails.

All we know is that after the Bruins' 2-1 loss to Ottawa at TD Garden, the veteran winger still disagreed with the decision of the video review officials at the league office.

"Anyone with common sense knows when you throw it hard within 5 feet of me you don't have time to react and kick. I am not a soccer player. I'm trying to get in position in front of the net. It hits my foot and goes in the net. I mean, that's common sense. Sometimes there's not a lot of common sense in Toronto."

The game was tied at 1 when Daniel Paille threw the puck to the front and Recchi deflected it past Ottawa goaltender Brian Elliott at the 12:11 mark of the second period. The puck might have also tipped Recchi's stick off Elliott's pad on the way into the back of the net, but the video review overruled the call on the ice that counted the goal.

"I know he didn't intentionally do it," Paille said. "But those are the rules. My first reaction was that I did see his foot go forward, but it wasn't intentional and I actually thought he hit it with his stick as the puck was going into the net. I thought he tipped it too. But those are the calls and we got one break for us when they scored and had it disallowed."

Ottawa had taken the lead on Jason Spezza's goal before Mike Fisher's tip-in with 1:05 left in the middle period was ruled as not being a goal because the center touched the puck with his stick above the crossbar.

BOSTON -- The Bruins will take the ice Saturday at 1 p.m. against Ottawa with the same lineup from Thursday night. Tim Thomas will start in goal.

Injured forwards Marc Savard (knee) and Byron Bitz (undisclosed) both skated in the morning, but are not available to play. Steve Begin (undisclosed) and Marco Sturm (leg), who have also been out, did not skate. Head coach Claude Julien said that anyone who can't play Sunday night in Raleigh will not travel to face the Carolina Hurricanes, and that he doubts any of the Bruins' four injured forwards will be able to go.

After Sunday night's game, the Bruins don't play again until next Friday in Buffalo. Savard has targeted that game against the Sabres for his return.

* While the Bruins are still hurting up front, their Providence (AHL) farm club got a bit healthier Friday night with the return of winger Brad Marchand after a month-long absence with a foot injury. Marchand, who spent 12 games with Boston earlier in the season, could wind up providing a spark for Boston if the Bruins decide to promote him again.

* Before the game Saturday, the Bruins announced they recalled defenseman Adam McQuaid from Providence. McQuaid wasn't in town in time to face Ottawa but will make the trip to Raleigh.

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- The open net he shot wide of about a minute and a half into the third period Thursday night was only the most noticeable and memorable of Bruins center David Krejci's failures Thursday night in the 3-2 loss to Columbus.

While Krejci was only credited with two shots wide (and no shots on net), it sure seemed like his line with winger Blake Wheeler and Milan Lucic was buzzing in the Blue Jackets' end all night and might've been able to provide the Bruins an insurmountable lead with just a little more focus and determination.

After practice at Ristuccia Arena on Friday, Krejci was still stewing about the defeat.

"It was definitely one of my toughest nights, I think the toughest night, of this season. (I played it) all over in my head again, all the chances I had, so it wasn't easy," he said. "But I've got to somehow forget about it. I've got all afternoon and then have a good sleep and forget all about it and get ready for (Saturday)."

Some take the positives from getting so many scoring opportunities, and Krejci wasn't completely beating himself up over the squandered chances. But he won't be satisfied until he gets to talk about what went right instead of what went wrong.

"I think we got some chances, but I've got to get rewarded on the end of the night," he said. "At the end of the night, no one's going to ask me 'how many chances did you get?' They're going to ask 'did you score a goal or not?' And I did not. That's got to change. I have to go out there (Saturday) and compete hard, play the game we're supposed to play and if I get those chances again I have to make sure it's going to get in the net."

Although he missed one game of the Bruins' three-game road trip last week due to an undisclosed injury, Krejci recorded assists in the two games he did compete in. That ran his totals for a seven-game stretch to 1-6-7 -- right where they need to be. But then just like the rest of his teammates, he struggled in Monday's loss to the Senators. The Columbus game was more on par with how he wants to play, Krejci said, except for the result on the scoreboard and his column on the score sheet.

"I liked my game on the road," said Krejci, who has tallied just 26 points (eight goals) in 46 games after a 73-point 2008-09 season. "Then we came to Ottawa and it was just a very weird game. No excuses, but & I'm not saying that that's the way I want to play for the rest of the season, but I liked the way I played on the road. Obviously, I still want to put up a little more points and if that's going to happen, I'll be happy."

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- After skating on his own Thursday, Bruins center Marc Savard said he was targeting the Jan. 29 game in Buffalo for a return to the lineup. After practice Friday, however, he wouldn't rule out an earlier return.

"I don't know. We haven't talked about it," Savard said in the Ristuccia Arena dressing room when asked if he could make a comeback from his slight MCL tear as early as this weekend. "We'll see; we'll talk about it. Right now, it's still next Friday. But I don't know."

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BOSTON -- Now we know just how thrifty the Bruins players, and coach Claude Julien, can be.

You'd think it would be worth a couple of thousand dollars to rip into referee Dean Morton for his off-base high-sticking call against Milan Lucic that led to the winning goal in Columbus' 3-2 win at TD Garden Thursday.

But the Bruins to a man stayed diplomatic, even though replays clearly showed it was a blue stick, probably belonging to Columbus defenseman Anton Stralman, that clipped Blue Jackets forward Derick Brassard in the face after goaltender Steve Mason covered the puck and the whistle blew.

Several television replays showed Lucic falling with his stick nowhere near Brassard's face. An attempt to check the replay again on NHL.com failed because the league conveniently did not post the controversial penalty as part of its highlights package.

"I definitely didn't feel like my stick got up," Lucic said after the Bruins lost on a power-play goal by R.J. Umberger with 1:16 left in regulation. "I felt like it was below my waist the whole time. So it was unfortunate, but they had an opportunity there. They stuck around, stuck around and got an opportunity at the end and they won the game."

Lucic, who was back into top form with two penalties drawn earlier in the game and a spirited fight (his first since the second game of the season) with longtime rival Jared Boll, actually thought the call might have been going the Bruins' way.

"I thought maybe it was against [Columbus] because I felt like I kind of got hooked going to the net," said Lucic. "But when he pointed at me, I was a little bit surprised. It was just a bad time for a penalty to happen."

Julien toed the party line and focused more on the empty Columbus nets -- three by an unofficial count -- that the Bruins missed as the main culprits in the defeat.

"I'm not going to comment too much on that," Julien said of the call on Lucic. "That's called human error. And it's unfortunate. It's what it is, it's human error. We still feel that we had a chance to do something before that and it didn't happen. Somewhere along the way, those things come back to bite you."

While Lucic played his best game in the seventh installment of his comeback from a high ankle sprain -- he registered four hits and was very active at both ends -- it was his newly formed line with Blake Wheeler and David Krejci that missed the best chance to extend the Boston lead. Just 83 seconds into the third period with Boston up 2-1, Krejci fired one wide at the yawning net. Earlier in the game, Trent Whitfield (who recorded his first assist on a first-period goal) and Drew Larman also missed scoring opportunities with Mason out of position.

You can give the Bruins credit for focusing their frustration in the direction they think is right. They're internalizing the blame instead of looking for a scapegoat. Winger Mark Recchi talked about the league maybe taking a look at the play, but the only thing that could come from that is an apology. The two points in the standings that might be the difference between a playoff spot and an early tee time are not going to come Boston's way.

So it might have been worth what amounts to chump change for some of the Bruins' millionaires to verbally assault Morton. It wouldn't have been any more effective at earning the Bruins points, but it might have made them feel better and shame Morton for a while.

At least the Bruins, who are already dealing with a rash of injuries and an allergy to scoring goals, don't have to worry about a Stephane Auger-type controversy. They can get back to practice Friday and focus on burying pucks into empty nets so that the next time they get jobbed by the officials maybe the call will be academic.

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins center Marc Savard skated under the watchful eye of the training staff Thursday at TD Garden prior to the team's pregame skate.

After his workout, Savard shared his plans for returning from the knee injury that has kept him out for two weeks.

"I feel good. I'm right on schedule," said Savard, who was originally predicted to be out three to four weeks.

"Obviously, I'm shooting for that Buffalo game [next Friday] and I'm hoping that's when I'm back."

For more from Thursday's morning skate, click here.

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- After the Boston Bruins fell to the New York Rangers 3-1 on Jan. 9, defenseman Dennis Wideman called himself out for his lack of intensity and ability to play at the level that made him a 50-point man and plus-32 blueliner.

Four games later, Wideman's play hasn't improved. In a three-game stretch (he missed Saturday's contest because of illness), he is pointless and has posted a minus-3 rating. Further, he has just one point in his past eight games.

After the Bruins returned to practice Wednesday, it was coach Claude Julien's turn to brutally critique Wideman's play.

"First of all, he's got to bring his intensity up," Julien said of Wideman, who this season is a minus-8 with just 3-11--14 totals. "He's got to have a better compete level. And that's what makes him a great player. He should be easily a top-two, three at worst, defenseman for us, and he's not close to that right now. He knows it, we know it, and he's got to pick up his game."

Julien even broached the idea of cutting the playing time of his team's second-leading ice-time eater.

"At one point, it becomes one of those things where you've got to say, 'We're almost 50 games in now. And it's time to take control of the situation, bring your intensity up. Because if you want to play like a 5 [or] 6 [defenseman], then maybe that's what you're going to get ice time-wise,'" the coach said. "It's pretty simple. We've got to do the right thing for our hockey team, and he knows that he wants to. But he's got to understand his intensity and his compete level have got to be better.

"It's up to him to show us how much ice time he wants to get or how much he wants to help our hockey club."

The defending Jack Adams Trophy-winning coach also took his share of the blame for Wideman's troubles. Considering his poor play, Wideman's status on the club probably should have been threatened earlier. But Julien and his staff have tried the patient approach for four months.

"It has to start in practice. If you let things go by in practice, then why do you think it'll be corrected in the game? That's part of the management. We've got to take some of that responsibility as coaches to get those guys to perform at that level," Julien said. "I'm not excluding myself from that, either. It's up to me to keep pushing him, and I've got to find a way to get this guy to perform. He's too good of a player to watch him perform this way."

McQuaid sent down

The Bruins announced Wednesday that defenseman Adam McQuaid was assigned to Providence and forward Drew Larman was recalled on an emergency basis.

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Winger Marco Sturm made an unplanned exit from Bruins practice Wednesday at Ristuccia Arena after about 45 minutes of the hour-long session.

Head coach Claude Julien said that Sturm, who has already missed two games with a leg injury, is questionable for Thursday night's game against Columbus.

Defenseman Matt Hunwick took a puck to his left eye during battle drills and was bleeding. He left the ice but returned to finish up the drill and should be fine for the Blue Jackets game.

While Sturm at least got on the ice, injured forwards Steve Begin and Byron Bitz didn't practice and remained day-to-day.

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- After taking Tuesday off, the Bruins returned to practice Wednesday morning at Ristuccia Arena looking a bit healthier.

Winger Marco Sturm, who missed the last two games with a leg injury, returned to practice and skated on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Mark Recchi.

However, forwards Steve Begin and Byron Bitz did not practice. Both are out with undisclosed injuries.

Also, defenseman Adam McQuaid was recalled from Providence (AHL) to give Boston seven active defensemen. He had been sent down Monday to clear cap space so the injury-riddled Bruins could have enough forwards.

ESPN's Barry Melrose says the Bruins need to play better soon if they are to weather their rash of injuries:

BOSTON -- Among the 18 Boston Bruins skaters who took the ice to face the Ottawa Senators on Monday afternoon, only Patrice Bergeron could be forgiven for not playing up to his potential.

Bergeron played his first game after a six-game absence, but had to wear a splint under his glove to protect his broken right thumb. Having not practiced with the team since he left the lineup, Bergeron did not take any faceoffs and his timing understandably was off.

If the other 17 skaters were wearing splints and coming off two-week absences, it would be a lot easier to accept the Bruins' 5-1 loss at TD Garden. But after the embarrassing defeat, there was a lot of talk of not wanting to make excuses, then a lot of excuse making.

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BOSTON -- Patrice Bergeron is back in the lineup for the Bruins' Monday matinee with Ottawa. While Begeron's return is a boost for Boston, they be without forwards Marco Sturm, Steve Begin or Byron Bitz.

Sturm (leg) missed the Bruins' previous game Saturday and Begin (undisclosed) left that game after one shift of the third period. Bitz, who missed time a couple weeks ago with a back problem, is out with something different, Julien said.

Bergeron has missed two weeks with a broken thumb, which was originally expected to keep him out exactly that long. Bergeron, who was medically cleared to play, warmed up before the game before making a decision on his status.

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WILMINGTON, Mass. -- With the injury and illness bug devouring the Bruins, coach Claude Julien had most of his players use Sunday to ride the stationary bikes and get some medical treatments. After all, in addition to the team's various ailments, the club's charter from the West Coast arrived sometime after 1 a.m. and Boston had just played three games in four days.

Only Patrice Bergeron, Dennis Wideman and Tuukka Rask took to the ice. Wideman, who missed Saturday's game with illness, said he felt better Sunday. Bergeron is one day shy of the two-week timeframe originally set for his return from a broken right thumb. He is scheduled to be examined Monday to determine if he can return for the Bruins' game against Ottawa that afternoon at TD Garden.

"If he feels good and confident and the doctors see no issues, we'll see him in the lineup," Julien said.

Bergeron said he feels good.

But that just scratches the surface of the Bruins' ailments. Marco Sturm missed Saturday's game against the Kings with a leg injury. Center Steve Begin played just one shift after suffering an undisclosed injury in the second period. And Julien, without being more specific, said there were more bumps and bruises from the L.A. game. To take a couple of guesses, Daniel Paille probably wasn't feeling great after banging legs with the Kings' Sean O'Donnell, and Trent Whitfield might be feeling some ill effects after being hit from behind by Jarrett Stoll.

"I'm standing here right now with a bunch of question marks. And it's going to be hard for me to answer today who's in, who's out because I don't have the answers," said Julien.

Amidst the numerous players going down, defenseman Mark Stuart enjoyed a solid return on Saturday.

"It felt good; it felt really good," Stuart said Sunday. "The first couple of shifts, just trying to get my timing, but it was good."

The Bruins assigned defenseman Andy Wozniewski to Providence on Sunday afternoon. Wozniewski had joined the big club in San Jose on an emergency basis but did not play for Boston against the Sharks or Kings.