from George Richards of On Froze Pond,

New Panthers goalie Tim Thomas said he approached Thursday's game like any other. His shaking body in the moments after a hard-fought 3-2 loss to his former teammates belied Thomas' words.

This one stung.

"It hurts the way ended up,'' Thomas said minutes after Reilly Smith -- one of the few Bruins on the ice Thomas hadn't shared a locker room with -- trickled a backhanded shot through for the game winner.

"I really wanted the guys who played in front of me to be rewarded.''