Blues at Bruins
The Boston Bruins play their third game in four nights on Thursday when they host the bruising St. Louis Blues. In addition to a season-high 43-save performance from Tuukka Rask, Boston received unexpected scoring contributions from fourth-liners Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille en route to a 2-1 triumph over the New York Rangers on Tuesday. "That line actually played a pretty good game and they came up big for us at the right time," Bruins coach Claude Julien said.
While the Bruins have won six of their last seven, the Blues improved to 6-1-1 in their past eight with a 4-1 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday. Veteran Brenden Morrow scored twice to double his goal total for the season - while also alleviating some of his own fears. "You go through slumps and you're scared to death that you may never score another goal," the 34-year-old said. "But it's something I don't feel like I can't do anymore."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, FSMW (St. Louis), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE BLUES (14-3-3): Vladimir Sobotka has fond memories of his time with the Bruins - even though he admittedly struggled before the team traded him to St. Louis in June 2010. "It was frustrating," Sobotka said. "I tried my best and it didn't work out for me and then I got traded. It's worked out really well for me. That trade really helped me." Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has collected one goal and five assists during his five-game point streak.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (14-6-1): Boston's back line has taken a considerable hit as Adam McQuaid (leg) and Dennis Seidenberg (lower body) have been sidelined by injuries. The latter's injury against New York left the Bruins with five defensemen, forcing captain Zdeno Chara to log nearly 31 1/2 minutes of ice time. Boston recalled defenseman Kevan Miller from Providence of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Wednesday in case McQuaid misses his sixth consecutive game.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis has won five in a row in Boston and is 7-1-2 in its last 10 visits.
2. The Bruins permitted a power-play goal on Tuesday, snapping a string of 33 consecutive penalty kills. The Blues have scored with the man advantage in four straight games.
3. Blues C Patrik Berglund will miss his third straight contest with an upper-body injury, but could return for Saturday's date with Dallas.