Horton knows he needs to be better

By Joe Haggerty
CSNNE.com

RALEIGHIt was an optional skate for the Bruins at the RBC Center, and the Bruins head into Wednesday nights game happy to be out on the road ready to take a few days away from the Cup frenzy still taking place in Boston.

Expect Tim Thomas to start between the pipes with both goaltenders out on the ice facing shots during the morning skate. Tyler Seguin will get the first crack at replacing David Krejci (core injury) temporarily as the No. 1 center between Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton.

Horton has only a single shot and no registered hits in three games thus far this season, and doesnt think its quite fair to label him off to a bad start this season. The winger has always been streaky and knows he needs to be better. To that end, both Horton and Milan Lucic were among the first players to get to work in Carolinas barn on Wednesday morning, and the top line right winger was working diligently on his sticks prior to the skate.

I feel like Im getting in good spots, but Im not shooting enough or quick enough to shoot. I need to be aware of shooting the puck and getting it toward the net, said a smiling Horton. I havent had any setbacks. I feel good. I definitely know I have to be better and I will be better . . . so thats it.

Its only been three games, so I think it would need to be a few more games before Id call it a slow start. Im looking to end all that sooner rather than later.

Itll be interesting to watch what kind of an effect No. 19 will have with the two big bookend wingers given that Seguin has looked like hes playing at a different speed through the early portion of the season.