Golden Knights at Bruins
The Boston Bruins want to take some positive momentum into the All-Star break while also erasing the memory of a crushing defeat that brought an end to a streak lasting nearly nine years. The Bruins have dropped three of their last four -- with each loss on the road -- entering Tuesday night's home game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Boston appeared on its way to beating Pittsburgh decisively for the second time in six days but could not protect a 3-0 lead in an eventual 4-3 defeat -- the team's first regulation loss when leading by three goals since April 2011. “We just need to bear down ... we need to take it upon ourselves," center Patrice Bergeron said after his team suffered its fifth loss this season when holding a multi-goal lead. "We all need to take responsibility and be accountable for how we’re able to play in this locker room." The Golden Knights have lost five of six (1-4-1) but were able to earn a point after erasing a three-goal deficit in a 5-4 shootout loss at Montreal on Saturday. “I thought we showed a lot of character,” coach Peter DeBoer said in his second game behind the bench since replacing the fired Gerard Gallant. "We didn’t quit and scratched out a point, an important point.”
TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: TVAS, Sportsnet, AT&T Sportsnet-Rocky Mountain, NESN
ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (25-19-7): Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is facing a one-game suspension for bypassing the All-Star Game and DeBoer told reporters Monday that the team has not decided whether to make him serve it Tuesday or on Jan. 31 versus Carolina. Reilly Smith continued his post-Christmas goal-scoring binge by scoring once and setting up another Saturday, giving him six tallies over the last nine games and 20 for the fourth time in his career. Defenseman Shea Theodore has collected five assists in three games.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (28-10-12): Brad Marchand collected an assist in Sunday's loss to bump his point total to 65 -- second on the team -- despite netting only three goals over his last 25 games, although he scored twice and had three points in a 4-3 win at Vegas on Oct. 8. David Pastrnak, who scored his 37th goal Sunday to move within one of his career high from last season, also had a three-point game in the early-season matchup. Second-line center David Krejci has missed the last two games and practiced Monday in a non-contact jersey.
OVERTIME
1. Bruins G Jaroslav Halak allowed three goals in beating Vegas twice last season.
2. Golden Knights F Max Pacioretty has five goals in his last eight games overall and notched two versus Boston on Oct. 8.
3. Boston is 0-for-10 on the power play in the last three games after converting in 14 straight contests.