WILMINGTON, Mass.The Bruins recognized the final day of Development Camp with a long, offense-filled scrimmage in front of a packed house Monday at Ristuccia Arena. Ryan Spooner supplied the only two goals for the Black Team in a fitting showing at the end of an impressive week of camp, but the White Team got offense from all corners in a 4-2 victory.
Spooner was head and shoulders above the rest of the forward group out on the ice with his dizzying array of offensive moves and skill with the puck. Dougie Hamilton was impressive again among the defensemen while warming up for the most important summer of his hockey career.
They were among the players that have caught Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli's eye during development camp: "We call them the Usual Suspects. I think Spooner and Jared Knight are going to challenge at B'straining camp. I think Dougie is going to challenge," said Chiarelli when asked which prospects could push veterans for roster spots in September. "I don't want want to leave anybody out, but that's who I like tocall the 'Usual Suspects.'"Free agent newcomers Colin Campbell and Wayne Simpson scored the first two goals before Spooner evened it up, and towering defenseman Tommy Cross provided the game-winner when he fired a bomb through heavy traffic in front of the net. Justin Florek gave the White Team the insurance marker, and the scrimmage was followed by a shootout drill that featured Hamilton whistling a filthy wrist shot past goaltender Adam Morrison.
Matt Benning sat out the scrimmage with a groin problem thats been bothering him through the entire week of development camp, and Alex Khokhlachev once again sat out the scrimmage after suffering a lacerated kidney at the end his junior hockey season.