Lightning at Bruins
The Boston Bruins revived their season with points in seven of the last eight games (6-1-1) and look to continue to their mastery against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Bruins, who lead Florida by six points for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, attempt to extend their win streak to 10 against Tampa Bay in the first of three meetings in the span of a month. The Lightning won their last four contests, capped by Tuesday’s 1-0 overtime triumph at Montreal.
Tyler Johnson had the winning goal for Tampa Bay on Tuesday to extend his point streak to seven games and pull the Lightning within one point of the first-place Canadiens in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins are fourth in the Atlantic, but their offense has begun to pick up with 28 goals over the last eight contests. Boston topped Tampa Bay 4-3 on Jan. 13 while allowing the top-scoring team in the league only 19 shots on goal.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TVA, SNET360, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (42-20-6): Johnson may be without linemate Ondrej Palat, who suffered a lower-body injury against Montreal and is questionable for Thursday’s contest. Rookies Jonathan Drouin and Vladislav Namestnikov both filled in for Palat, who is fourth on the team with 52 points, on the line with Johnson and Nikita Kucherov in the third period Tuesday. Tampa Bay boasts three shutouts in the last six games and veteran defenseman Matt Carle (abdominal) is closing in on a return.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (34-22-10): Tuukka Rask has raised his game, going 4-1-1 over his last six outings, and is 8-2-0 in his career against the Lightning while several players are contributing on the offensive end. Brad Marchand leads the way with five goals in his last five games and Patrice Bergeron has collected nine points in nine games to lead the team with 47. Loui Eriksson is also producing with three goals in four games while defenseman Dougie Hamilton owns five assists in the past four contests.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay G Ben Bishop is 6-1-0 in his last seven games overall, but has yet to win in four career outings against the Bruins.
2. Boston C Ryan Spooner has three goals – two in the 3-1 win at Ottawa on Tuesday - and four assists during a six-game point streak.
3. The Lightning’s last win at Boston came in Game 1 of the 2011 Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.