Let's do some accounting here. When the Celtics emerged with a 94-82 victory over the New Orleans Hornets Friday night at the Garden, it extended their winning streak to 14 games. That's tied for fourth-longest in club history, the record being 18 in a row by Kevin, Robert, Larry and the rest of the boys back in 1982.

So we're all keeping an eye on .

As soon as the Celtics were finished with the Hornets Friday night, out came the Bull Gang to lift the parquet and ready the ice for the Bruins' game against the Thrashers last night.

And if you were at the Garden and perhaps lallygagged in Legends for that extra beer, or wanted to hear how somebody's funny story about the office Christmas party turned out, you might have missed Kessel extending HIS streak to 15 consecutive games.

None of that thanks-for-chipping-in assist business on this one. Kessel netted his 19th goal, putting a shot past Thrashers keeper Johan Hedberg on a power play. He wound up adding an assist in the Bruins' 4-2 victory.

FIFTEEN CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A POINT It's the longest active consecutive-games point streak in the National Hockey League, during which Kessel has 13 goals and 10 assists. And it's the longest streak by a Bruin since 1997, when Adam Oates had a point in 20 straight.

Notice how nobody's asking when Kessel's going to live up to his enormous potential anymore? The Thrashers apparently aren't asking, which is why, in the second period, Boris Valabik took a run at Kessel behind the Atlanta net and started getting all chippy.

Here's where Bruins captain Zdeno Chara showed that he's been following Kessel's streak and would very much like it to continue. Seemingly falling from the sky, Chara got all medieval on Boris the bad man, throwing all kinds of haymakers on the guy and then lifting his arms into the air to fire up the crowd.

``He's a big guy,'' Kessel said of Boris the bad man. ``I thank Z for coming to my defense like that. Real team guy on that one.''

Chara shrugged it off, saying, ``(Valabik) was doing his job. And I was doing my job. It's just part of the game. You stick up for each other and support each other when something happens.''

It cost Chara two minutes for instigating, five minutes for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct. But what it earned him was more precious: A rousing ovation from 17,565 fans who don't want to see Kessel get mugged.

``It shows the closeness of this team and the chemistry that we have,'' said Michael Ryder, who scored a pair to up his season total to 10. ``We support each other on the ice. It's good when Z steps in and picks up for Kessel. He's one of our good players and we want him on the ice.''

For your planning purposes, the Celtics' next game is tomorrow night at the Garden against the Utah Jazz. The Bruins' next game is Thursday night, also at the Garden, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Celtics are going for 15 and Kessel is going for 16.

So, Phil, your thoughts on which streak will last the longest?

``I don't know,'' he said, ``but I was just reading about the Celtics the other day. What are they, 22-2? That's pretty good.''

That's exactly what the Celtics are - 22-2. So now that we know Kessel's behind the Celtics, we need the Celtics to get behind Kessel.

If these two keep feeding off each other, who knows when these streaks will end?

- sbuckley@bostonherald.com