Ducks at Bruins
The Anaheim Ducks hardly resemble the lowest-scoring team in the NHL these days as they visit the Boston Bruins on Tuesday in each club's final game before the All-Star break. Anaheim has exploded for 17 goals in its last five contests to climb above two per game (2.02) for the first time this season, with Saturday's 4-3 victory in Detroit giving it four wins during that span.
"All the lines are going, and that’s a good thing,'' Ducks left wing Jakob Silfverberg told reporters Monday following practice at Boston University's Agganis Arena. "That's how we have to play if we want to be a successful team. All the lines have to contribute in any kind of way." Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau separated longtime linemates Corey Perry and captain Ryan Getzlaf, and it seems Perry already is comfortable with his new set-up man as Rickard Rakell assisted on both his goals against Detroit. Boston moved into third place in the Atlantic Division with a 3-2 victory in Philadelphia on Monday and has won five of its last six games. Brad Marchand (team-high 20 goals) and Patrice Bergeron (19 goals, team-best 44 points) have combined for nine of the Bruins' 15 tallies in the last five contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET; Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet West, TVA, FSN West (Anaheim), NESN (Boston)
ABOUT THE DUCKS (21-18-7): Rakell, a 22-year-old center, has recorded two goals and two assists during a three-game point streak, while his 10 tallies are tied for second on the team with Ryan Kesler behind Perry (19) and 23 points third to Perry (31) and Getzlaf (29). Defenseman Simon Despres rejoined the club after returning from a long-term injury conditioning loan consisting of four games with San Diego of the American Hockey League. Despres hasn't played with Anaheim since suffering a concussion Oct. 16 from a hit to the head that earned Colorado's Tyson Barrie a three-game suspension.
ABOUT THE BRUINS (26-17-5): Tuukka Rask was a late scratch Saturday against Columbus with an undisclosed injury and was a game-time decision Monday before making 34 saves. Marchand has recorded five goals in five games since returning from a three-game suspension for clipping Ottawa's Mark Borowiecki. David Krejci on Monday recorded an assist for the second straight contest while appearing in his third game since missing 10 because of an upper-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. The Ducks, who are four points behind Arizona for third place in the Pacific Division with two games in hand, play eight of their first 10 contests following the All-Star break on the road.
2. The contest pits the NHL's top penalty-killing team in Anaheim versus the league's No. 2 power-play unit.
3. Anaheim has won three straight meetings and six of the last eight encounters, including three of the last four in Boston.