Bruins at Coyotes
The Boston Bruins attempt to salvage the finale of their four-game road trip when they visit the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday. Boston began the trek by dropping a 3-2 decision at Anaheim on Monday and was blanked 2-0 at Los Angeles the following night before being outgunned 7-4 in San Jose on Thursday. Reilly Smith registered his first two-goal performance of the season as the Bruins squandered 2-0 and 4-3 leads before allowing three unanswered tallies in the third period.
Arizona's slide at Gila River Arena continued Thursday as it fell 4-0 to the Kings in the opener of its five-game homestand. It marked the fifth time this season - and second in four games - the Coyotes were shut out, with three of the blankings taking place at home. Arizona has gone 0-4-2 in its own building since edging Toronto 3-2 on Nov. 4.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN Arizona
ABOUT THE BRUINS (14-12-1): Looking on the bright side of Thursday's defeat, it marked the first time in 11 games Boston scored more than three goals. The club has little else for which to be thrilled, however, as it has lost five of its last six contests - both on the road and overall. Smith's fourth career two-goal effort halted a 10-game stretch during which he failed to record a point.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (10-14-3): With his team having gone 2-5-2 over its last nine games, general manager Don Maloney shook up the roster Friday in an attempt to turn things around. The club traded forward Rob Klinkhammer and a 2016 conditional fifth-round draft pick to Pittsburgh for defenseman Philip Samuelsson, who was assigned to the minors, and recalled forward Jordan Martinook and blue-liner Andrew Campbell from Portland while assigning defenseman David Schlemko to the American Hockey League affiliate and placing forward Kyle Chipchura on waivers. "We're taking a hard look at this entire roster and where we're at and how do we get better," Maloney said. "We're going to do what we can do within the means that we have."
OVERTIME
1. The Bruins are riding a four-game winning streak against the Coyotes.
2. Two of Arizona's top six scorers are defensemen, with Keith Yandle leading the team with 18 points.
3. Boston C Patrice Bergeron is second in the league with 360 faceoff wins.