Lightning at Bruins
The Boston Bruins look to continue their home dominance of the Tampa Bay Lightning and avoid starting 0-3-0 when the Atlantic Division rivals meet Monday afternoon. The Bruins have won 10 straight regular-season contests and boast a 29-4-10 all-time record at home versus Tampa Bay but have struggled in losses to Winnipeg and Montreal at TD Garden to begin their campaign.
Former Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara (upper body) and fellow veteran defenseman Dennis Seidenberg (back) missed the first two games for Boston while forward Brad Marchand left Saturday’s game with a concussion. The Bruins could get Chara back for the contest against the offensively gifted Lightning, who posted seven goals in winning their first two contests after losing in the Stanley Cup Final last season. The newly constructed line of captain Steven Stamkos (one goal), the 20-year-old Jonathan Drouin (two assists) and Ryan Callahan (three points) is off to a solid start for Tampa Bay. Ben Bishop has stopped 47-of-50 shots in the first two contests but is 2-3-2 with an .898 save percentage in seven career games versus Boston.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, TVA, RSN 360, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (2-0-0): Jason Garrison has burst out of the gate with two goals and an assist in the first two games to lead a defense corps that has collected seven points overall. Erik Condra, the only offseason addition to the Lightning, scored his first goal in the 4-1 victory at Buffalo on Saturday as he is playing on a line with Valtteri Filppula and Alex Killorn in the early going. Cedric Paquette (foot) was scratched in the first two games but could see his first action either Monday or Tuesday at Detroit.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (0-2-0): Chara has begun skating and is considered day-to-day while defenseman Colin Miller, who was acquired from Los Angeles in the deal involving Milan Lucic in the offseason, made his NHL debut Saturday in the 4-2 loss to Montreal. Marchand took an elbow in the third period of that contest and is out indefinitely while newcomers Brett Connolly - a former Lightning forward - and Jimmy Hayes are a combined minus-8 after the first two games. Tuukka Rask, who is 9-3-1 lifetime against Tampa Bay, has allowed eight goals on 68 shots this season.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay D Victor Hedman leads the team in ice time over the first two contests, averaging 22:01 per game.
2. Boston LW David Pastrnak, who recorded three goals in four games against Tampa Bay last season, has notched three points in the first two contests of 2015-16.
3. The Lightning’s last victory at Boston came on May 14, 2011 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final.