Bruins at Blue Jackets
THE STORY: The Boston Bruins have started another streak, but this time it's not one that the club is willing to embrace nor eager to continue. Coming off back-to-back one-goal losses, the Bruins will attempt to get back in the win column when the visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. Boston was the talk of the hockey world after compiling a 15-game (14-0-1) point streak, which came to an end with a 2-1 loss in Winnipeg on Tuesday night. Boston followed that up with a 1-0 defeat to the Florida Panthers on Thursday – its first regulation home loss since Oct. 27. While not happy with the losses, Bruins coach Claude Julien said he could not fault his team for being complacent after firing 40 shots on net in each of the two games. “When you shoot 40 shots on net, there’s a certain effort that was there that you have to be at least semi-pleased with,” Julien said.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NESN, FSOH
ABOUT THE BRUINS (17-9-1): After outscoring opponents 66-27 during the 15-game point streak, Boston has one goal in its last two. G Tim Thomas saw his 10-game winning streak snapped Thursday after he was within 2:32 of recording his fourth shutout in 11 games. The Bruins continue to flounder with the man advantage, going 3-for-27 in the last seven games. LW Daniel Paille was sent to the hospital to be checked out after suffering a head injury in Thursday’s game.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (8-16-4): League-worst Columbus absorbed a crushing overtime defeat to Nashville on Thursday, blowing a two-goal lead in the final 1:36 of regulation. It marked the second time in three games that G Curtis Sanford allowed at least four goals. He supplanted Steve Mason as the starter in a game at Boston on Nov. 17. Jeff Carter snapped a six-game goalless streak with his fourth of the season and Derek Dorsett tallied his sixth goal – a career high.
OVERTIME:
1. One of the Bruins' closest calls during a 10-game November winning streak was a 2-1 shootout win over Columbus.
2. Boston signed D Dougie Hamilton, its top draft pick this year, to a three-year contract. Hamilton leads Ontario Hockey League defensemen in goals and assists.