Jets at Bruins
The Boston Bruins look to salvage the finale of their three-game homestand when the Winnipeg Jets pay a visit to TD Garden on Friday. After posting three straight victories, the injury-riddled Bruins dropped a 2-0 decision to Original Six-rival Montreal on Saturday before skating to a 3-2 overtime loss against Pittsburgh two nights later. Boston will attempt to return to its winning ways when it faces Winnipeg, which has dropped 12 straight visits to Beantown dating to when the franchise was known as the Atlanta Thrashers.
Fast forwarding to this season, the Jets have made themselves comfortable on the road (8-4-2) and will vie to complete a perfect three-game road trip after skating to a 2-1 triumph over Buffalo on Wednesday. "It wasn't the prettiest game by any standards, but we had a couple of huge penalty kills (and) the power play came though again," said Bryan Little, who scored with the man advantage to extend his goal streak to three games. Winnipeg has converted on the power play in back-to-back contests after entering the trek having failed on its previous 23 opportunities.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHLN, TSN3 (Winnipeg), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE JETS (12-9-3): Backup goaltender Michael Hutchinson earned his first NHL win versus Boston last season and could be in line to again face the team that drafted him. Hutchinson, who turned aside 32 shots in the Jets' 2-1 triumph over the Bruins on April 10, is 4-1-1 with one shutout and a 1.50 goals-against average in seven appearances this season. "When I first came to Boston's training camps, I thought I was working hard in practice, until I saw Tuukka (Rask)," Hutchinson said. "Then I realized you could work that much harder. That definitely helped me out a lot, seeing him. He's an amazing goalie. One of the best."
ABOUT THE BRUINS (13-9-1): Boston may see the return of one of its walking wounded as Chris Kelly practiced on Wednesday and Thursday after missing two games due to an upper-body injury. Coach Claude Julien admitted there is "a good chance" Kelly returns on Friday should the trainers give their approval. Captain Zdeno Chara (knee) and fellow defenseman David Warsofsky (groin) skated with strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides before practice each of the last two days, with general manager Peter Chiarelli noting that the latter player is getting closer to a return.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg LW Adam Lowry was suspended one game by the NHL on Thursday following his boarding penalty on Patrick Kaleta of the Sabres.
2. Boston is 0-for-8 on the power play over its last five games.
3. The teams split last season's two-game series, with each winning on its home ice.