Canucks at Bruins
Defensive stalwart Patrice Bergeron is on track for the best offensive season of his career after notching three goals in the last two games for the Boston Bruins. The 30-year-old center, who won the Selke Trophy three times as the league’s best defensive forward, leads the Bruins in scoring as they go for their fourth straight win Thursday against the visiting Vancouver Canucks.
Bergeron (18 goals, 41 points) tallied twice in the win over Toronto on Saturday and added one in the 4-1 triumph at Montreal on Tuesday. Boston goes for the season sweep of the Canucks after recording a 4-0 victory at Vancouver on Dec. 5 as Tuukka Rask stopped all 17 shots he faced. Vancouver has battled through injuries throughout January despite posting a 5-2-2 record – 2-1-1 on its current six-game road trip. The Canucks will be missing second-leading scorer Henrik Sedin (chest) for an indefinite period, but have been getting more production from young center Bo Horvat (10 points, eight games).
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet 360 (Vancouver), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (19-17-11): Horvat, the ninth overall pick in the 2013 draft, had 10 points in the first 39 games this season and has ignited the team’s offense with six goals and four assists in January. Daniel Sedin leads the team with 19 goals and 41 points, but has managed one assist in the past four games, while Jannik Hansen is scoreless in his last six contests. Ryan Miller has had plenty of work in net since returning from injured reserve, going 1-1-1 with a .949 save percentage (129-of-136).
ABOUT THE BRUINS (24-16-5): Center David Krejci (upper body) has begun skating and could return soon while bottom-six forward Landon Ferraro (lower body) is considered day-to-day. Loui Eriksson is second behind Bergeron with 38 points – four in the past four games – and Brad Marchand has 17 goals after scoring in each of his last two outings. Rask (16-13-4, .918 save percentage) has stopped 65-of-68 shots to win the last two contests and his next appearance will be the 300th of his career.
OVERTIME
1. The Canucks are 7-11 in games going past regulation this season, including the 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
2. The Bruins are just 1-for-10 with the man advantage over the past six games, but killed all 21 power-play attempts in the last seven.
3. Vancouver RW Alex Burrows snapped a 24-game goal drought Tuesday with his first since Nov. 21.