Bruins at Blues
After seeing their winless streak reach five games (0-3-2) by falling to the Western Conference's worst team, the Boston Bruins encounter the unenviable task of facing one of its best when they visit the St. Louis Blues on Friday. Clinging to a one-point lead over Florida for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, Boston secured a lone point against both Alberta representatives to drop to 0-1-2 on its season-high five-game road trip. "In that dressing room, coaches and ourselves, we have higher expectations than what we've shown right now," coach Claude Julien said after dropping a 4-3 shootout decision to Edmonton on Wednesday. "So we're not going to hide behind disappointment and stand here and think that we're doing OK."
Boston will face Central Division powers St. Louis and Chicago before returning to TD Garden, while the Blues have a slate of tough customers as well, as dates with Pittsburgh (Saturday) and Montreal (Tuesday) will close out their four-game homestand. St. Louis fell for just the fourth time in 19 games (15-3-1) on Tuesday, as Brian Elliott yielded three goals in just over 8 1/2 minutes before being sent to the showers in a 4-1 setback to Dallas. "I think this was a team that wasn't ready to compete. Weren't ready from the start," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Troubling. It's concerning."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
ABOUT THE BRUINS (28-20-9): Tuukka Rask has struggled mightily of late with five straight setbacks but turned aside all 33 shots he faced in a 2-0 victory over St. Louis on Nov. 18. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner has been a workhorse in Boston, recording 24 appearances in the last 25 games while recent recall Malcolm Subban waits in the wings to make his first NHL start. Patrice Bergeron, who has recorded five goals and an assist in his last nine contests, scored in the last meeting with the Blues.
ABOUT THE BLUES (37-16-4): Vladimir Tarasenko was held off the scoresheet against the Stars after collecting five goals and two assists in his previous eight games. Patrik Berglund netted his team's lone tally versus Dallas and has two points in his last three contests but just one assist in seven career meetings with Boston. Elliott has had his troubles with the Bruins, making just 15 saves in the last meeting to fall to 3-6-3 with a 2.90 goals-against average.
OVERTIME
1. St. Louis' 17 wins against Eastern Conference representatives are the most by any club from the West.
2. Bruins D Torey Krug, who notched an assist against the Oilers, also tallied in the first meeting with the Blues.
3. St. Louis is 3-for-27 on the power play over its last 11 games.