Bruins at Coyotes
The Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins look to extend their winning streak to 12 games when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday. Boston's 11-game run is its longest since the club reeled off 13 consecutive victories from Feb. 23-March 20, 1971. Chad Johnson posted a 31-save shutout while Patrice Bergeron and Carl Soderberg scored as the Bruins became the first team to clinch a playoff spot with a 2-0 triumph at Colorado on Friday.
Boston is tied with St. Louis in the race for the Presidents' Trophy while Phoenix owns a four-point lead over Dallas for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Coyotes posted their third straight win Thursday as Radim Vrbata and Antoine Vermette tallied in a 2-1 triumph over Florida. The Bruins won their first meeting with Phoenix this season as captain Zdeno Chara and Jarome Iginla scored in a 2-1 victory at Boston.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN Plus Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE BRUINS (48-17-5): While outscoring its opponents 42-15, Boston has played excellent defense during its winning streak. The club has allowed two goals or fewer in each of its last seven contests and nine times overall during the run. Iginla failed to score on Friday, ending both his four-game goal-scoring streak and six-game point stretch.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (34-25-11): Vermette's goal on Friday was his team-leading 23rd of the season. The 31-year-old had gone seven games without a tally and has scored just twice over his last 14 contests. Vrbata's goal on Friday was his 20th, marking the fourth time in his career he has reached the plateau and making him the second member of the Coyotes to hit the mark this season.
OVERTIME
1. The Bruins are three victories away from matching the longest winning streak in team history set during the 1929-30 season.
2. Phoenix has won four consecutive home games, outscoring its opponents 11-5 during the run.
3. Boston is riding a 13-game road point streak (10-0-3).