Bruins at Panthers
THE STORY: Consecutive losses in regulation do not come often for either the Boston Bruins or Florida Panthers. Both are in danger of going two straight games without a point when they clash at the BankAtlantic Center on Monday. Boston, which is 0-1-0 on its four-game road trip, has lost consecutive contests just once since the end of October, scoring one goal in back-to-back losses to Winnipeg and Florida. Meanwhile, the Panthers only went two straight without a point on one occasion as they were shut out by both Washington and Buffalo from Oct. 18-20. While each team posted a shutout in their first two meetings this season, both in Boston, the Bruins have won four straight visits to South Florida.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN (Florida)
ABOUT THE BRUINS (28-12-1): David Krejci enters with a career-high 11-game points streak. Krejci has registered five goals and 11 assists during the run. Brad Marchand will be serving the fourth game of his five-game suspension and is eligible to return Thursday at New Jersey. Marchand was banned for his low hit on Canucks defenseman Sami Salo in Boston's 4-3 loss in Vancouver on Jan. 7. Boston's goaltending has been stellar over its first 41 games this season. Tuukka Rask leads the league with a .945 save percentage and Tim Thomas is second with a .937 mark. Both netminders also are in the top five in goals-against average and shutouts.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (21-14-8): Jose Theodore is expected back in the lineup this week as he continues to recover from a knee injury. Theodore began skating last Tuesday but did not dress as Scott Clemmensen's backup for Friday's loss to Pittsburgh. Florida's defense corps has been dangerous offensively during the first half of the season. Jason Garrison leads all NHL blue-liners with 11 goals while Brian Campbell is second in both assists (30) and points (33).
OVERTIME:
1. The Bruins have a league-leading plus-69 goal differential. Detroit is a distant second at plus-38.
2. Florida has earned at least one point in 11 of its last 14 home games (9-3-2).