Senators at Bruins
The Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators are among the more disappointing clubs, but both teams believe a turnaround is on the horizon. Reigning Presidents' Trophy winner Boston won only five times in 14 games (5-6-3) and is on the outside of the postseason picture. "You know, no one feels sorry for us ... so it's up to us to bear down and start putting a winning streak together," Milan Lucic said. "Like I said, 2014's done. Turn that page and start fresh in 2015."
The Senators halted a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 thumping of visiting Buffalo on Monday. It was a rare blowout victory for Ottawa, which was involved in 11 one-goal decisions during a four-week span and came out on the short end of seven of them. "We have seven OT and shootout losses, those seven points put us right in the thick of things," Senators forward Bobby Ryan said. “Again, it comes back to those tight games, where we’re giving up one late or having to get one late. We’ve got to learn to play with a lead."
TV: 1 p.m. ET, RDS, TSN5 (Ottawa), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (15-14-7): Defenseman Marc Methot, who has appeared in only two games this season due to a back/hip injury, could be nearing a return after Ottawa sent him to the minors for a conditioning assignment. "He's an NHL defenseman who's played over 400 games so I think everybody can use those," interim coach Dave Cameron said. "Your concern is that he's been off so long, how far behind is he in the fitness part of it." There's no timeline for the return of blue-liner Mark Borowiecki, who needed 48 stitches to close a gash on his leg sustained in a locker-room accident.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (19-15-4): Boston, which has a chance to go on a run with four of its next five opponents buried among the stragglers in the Eastern Conference, could also be getting a key defenseman back soon. Adam McQuaid, sidelined since Nov. 18 with a broken thumb, returned to practice Friday and could rejoin the lineup this weekend. "It’s definitely close," McQuaid said. "Every day there’s been pretty significant improvement. At least with a bone there’s a set timeline for how long it takes to heal, and once you reach that set time you’re good to go."
OVERTIME
1. The teams have split a pair of meetings this season, with Ottawa prevailing in a 3-2 shootout at Boston on Dec. 13.
2. Bruins G Tuukka Rask is 6-2-1 against the Senators while Ottawa G Craig Anderson takes a 5-9-0 record versus Boston into Saturday matchup.
3. The Senators are 0-for-13 on the power play in their past six games.