Bruins at Blackhawks
After scoring four unanswered goals in the third period to win the opener, the Boston Bruins look to sweep the home-and-home series when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins, who are beginning a four-game road trip, scored three times in a span of 2:55 during the first half of the final session on Saturday en route to a 7-4 victory that extended their winning streak to six contests.
Brad Marchand recorded two assists in the win to give him 11 of his team-leading 69 points in the last five games and is expected to avoid league discipline after striking Chicago's Anthony Duclair in the head during a collision. The Bruins scored four times on the power play in the victory and will look for similar production in the rematch with the Blackhawks, who have dropped five of their last seven games and coughed up leads in the past two. Chicago, which is almost certain to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2007-08, has surrendered 27 goals over its last six contests. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews scored his 19th goal Saturday, giving him three tallies to go along with three assists in his last five games.
TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, TVA
ABOUT THE BRUINS (43-15-8): David Pastrnak also stayed hot Saturday with a goal and has registered eight of his 64 points over the last five contests. Veteran forward Brian Gionta continues to be a revelation since being signed as a free agent after serving as captain of the United States team in the Winter Olympics, scoring one goal and setting up another against Chicago to give him six points in five games. David Krejci has recorded two multi-goal performances in five matches this month while defenseman Torey Krug has collected 10 points in his last six contests.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (29-32-8): Coach Joel Quenneville told reporters after Saturday’s game that Duclair, who has notched two goals and six assists in 23 games since being acquired from Arizona, would miss up to two weeks with a right leg injury he sustained after coming down awkwardly following the hit by Marchand. John Hayden was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Saturday as Vinnie Hinostroza tended to a personal matter and scored in his first NHL game since Jan. 5. Patrick Kane, who recorded his 40th assist of the season on Saturday, leads the team in both goals (24) and points (64).
OVERTIME
1. Chicago C Artem Anisimov needs one goal to reach 20 for the third consecutive season.
2. Boston LW Rick Nash scored his third goal Saturday in his seventh game since being acquired from the New York Rangers.
3. Blackhawks C Matthew Highmore registered his first goal in his sixth NHL contest on Saturday.