Just the Facts:
The Time: 1pm EST
The Place: TD Garden - Boston, Mass.
The Place to Watch: NESN, MSG+
The Place to Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub
The Stakes: The Bruins have scored 19 goals in their last five games, but it’s not time to take the foot off the gas just yet - Toronto and Ottawa sit just three points back with five games in hand. The Bruins have not yet had their league-mandated bye week; they need to amass as many points as possible, because the teams in the rear-view mirror are much closer than they appear.
Game Notes:
- This is the second of three contests between Boston and the Islanders this year; the first, only a few weeks ago on December 20th, ended in the Islanders’ favor, 4-2.
- Both Millers, Kevan and Colin, are out. Kevan Miller suffered a concussion during Saturday’s Flyers game.
- The leading scorers for the Islanders so far this season are John Tavares, with 32 points, and Josh Bailey with 28. By comparison, Brad Marchand has 43 points.
- This is the third game of a 3-game road trip for the Islanders; they are 1-2-2 in their last five, including one win and a loss on this road trip.
- With Jaroslav Halak in Bridgeport, and Thomas Greiss having allowed seven goals on 43 shots in his sixth start in a row against Carolina on Saturday, it’s very likely the Bruins will see J-F Berube, who hasn’t started a game since December 18.
- Something something Dennis Seidenberg.
Lineups!
Boston Bruins:
Forwards:
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Frank Vatrano - David Krejci - David Backes
Tim Schaller - Ryan Spooner - Riley Nash
Anton Blidh - Dominic Moore - Austin Czarnik
Defense Pairings:
Zdeno Chara - Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug - Adam McQuaid
Joe Morrow - John-Michael Liles
Goaltenders:
Tuukka Rask
Zane McIntyre
NY Islanders:
Forwards:
Anders Lee - John Tavares - Josh Bailey
Andrew Ladd - Brock Nelson - Ryan Strome
Alan Quine - Anthony Beauvillier - Jason Chimera
Nikolay Kulemin - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Defense Pairings:
Calvin de Haan - Dennis Seidenberg
Nick Leddy - Adam Pelech
Thomas Hickey - Scott Mayfield
Goaltenders:
Thomas Griess
Jean-Francois Berube