Dafoe Doesn’t Shut Out Advice

Talking and working with Coach Pat Burns paid off for Boston Bruin goalie Byron Dafoe.

Dafoe, the NHL shutout leader last season with 10, stopped 32 shots for his first this season as the Bruins beat the Phoenix Coyotes, 2-0, Monday night at Boston to stop a six-game winless streak.

During practice Sunday, Burns and Dafoe had some time to discuss things before the pair worked together.

“He came out with me and actually did goalie drills, which was kind of interesting,” Dafoe said. “Things he had seen with Patrick Roy in the past.”

Dafoe, who missed nearly a month at the start of this season during a contract holdout, was hardly tested. He did, however, benefit when Juha Ylonen’s shot hit the left post and rolled along the goal line.

Dafoe had given up 12 goals in the last three games.

Burns, who coached Roy and the Montreal Canadiens from 1988-92, felt Dafoe just had to work on the mental part of his game.

“We spent a lot of time talking about the things, more verbal than physical for him,” Burns said. “It’s normal for the amount of time he missed.”

Ottawa 3, Toronto 1--Radek Bonk, Shawn McEachern and Marian Hossa scored at Toronto to lead the Senators, who were missing four defensemen.

Ottawa, which won for only the third time in 12 games, moved within five points of the Northeast Division-leading Maple Leafs. Toronto, which outshot the Senators, 28-18, lost at home for only the fourth time in 20 games.

The Senators were without defensemen Sami Salo (broken wrist), Jason York (groin strain), Chris Phillips (ankle) and Igor Kravchuk (sprained knee). Forward Kevin Dineen also missed the game because of an injured groin.

Montreal 1, Washington 0--Jose Theodore made 19 saves and Martin Rucinsky’s second-period goal held up at Washington.

Theodore was barely tested in earning his first shutout this season. Washington has been shut out in two consecutive games.