The Bruins will be looking for their fourth straight win when they take the ice at Phillips Arena tonight to take on the Atlanta Thrashers. The Bruins and Thrashers have met twice this season with both contests resulting in 4-1 result. Atlanta downed the B's 4-1 back on November 28th and the Bruins cruised to a 4-1 win over the Thrashers in a hard-fought contest last Thursday night.
Emotions could still be running high on both sides after last week's game that featured a line brawl late in the third period after a borderline high hit by Thrasher's defenseman Freddy Meyer on Milan Lucic erupted a 5-on-5 donnybrook. Lucic was given a match penalty for punching Meyer as the linesmen were trying to break up the scrum, but escaped without a suspension.
The Thrashers enter tonight's game on a 4-game skid (0-3-1) after dropping a 6-3 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Consol Energy Center on Tuesday night.
The Thrashers could be without emerging star Evander Kane (arm) and lanky centerman Nik Antropov (hip). Both players are considered questionable.
Notes:
- Milan Lucic will want to keep his head on a swivel tonight. It appears that noted head hunter Patrice Cormier has been called up from the Chicago Wolves. In case you missed it, this is what Cormier is best known for:
- Good news! If you got crap you didn't want this Christmas, you can trade it in for 2 tickets to an Atlanta Thrashers game! While you are watching hockey for free, you can enjoy $1 hot dogs, sodas, and pretzels. The Thrashers are becoming the NHL's pathetic neighbor kid who nobody wants to hang out, but happens to have a pool, a go-cart, and a hot mom.
- This makes me feel old: The Thrashers have 4 players on their active NHL roster who were born in the 90's.
- Tim Thomas took time out on Wednesday to speak on the phone with U.S. Navy sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). The aircraft carrier is currently out at sea in Southwest Asia. Lincoln sailors have spoken with several sports figures with Boston ties recently including Ray Allen, Bill Belichick, Wes Welker, and Terry Francona.
- The Bruins currently own first place in the Northeast Division, while the Thrashers are 5 points behind the Washington Capitals and 3 points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning in the closely-contested Southeast Division.
- Claude Julien is hoping that the benching of Nathan Horton and Marc Savard late in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning will help motivate them.
- Tim Thomas talked about feeling fatigued during Tuesday's game. Will we see Tuukka Rask get a start tonight?
- Hidden Key to the Game: Let the Thrashers score first. Atlanta has the league's worst win percentage when scoring the game's first goal (.478).
- After two 7:30 start times, we are back to a 7:00 puck drop. The Public Skate open thread gets going at 6:30 PM ET.
- Tonight's game will air on NESN and The Sports Hub.