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Preview: Bruins host Coyotes in matinee match-up

The Boston Bruins look to extend their winning streak to six games as the Arizona Coyotes vie for points in the Wild Card race

By Angelina.Berube
NHL: Boston Bruins at Arizona Coyotes Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Just the facts

When: Today, 3:00 PM

Where: TD Garden, Boston, Mass.

How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: Five For Howling

Know your enemy

  • 27-22-7, 61 points, 4th in Pacific Division
  • Goals: Conor Garland, 19
  • Assists: Nick Schmaltz, 31
  • Points: Schmaltz, 39
  • Goalies: Antti Raanta, 10-12-3, 2.86 GAA, .915 save percentage

Game notes

  • In the teams’ last meeting, (the Bruins’ second game of the season on October 5) the B’s came away with a 1-0 win over the Coyotes. Brad Marchand scored the lone goal on Darcy Kuemper. Jaroslav Halak stopped 35 shots.
  • The Bruins have won the last fifteen games against the Coyotes. The Coyotes are vying for a Wild Card spot, currently holding the first of those two seats in the Western Conference, with three points separating them and the four teams below. Although they have lost nine of their last 11 games, expect them to try to get whatever points they can out of the match-up, as every point will matter for them down this home stretch.
  • Charlie McAvoy and Sean Kuraly are both on a 2-game point streak. McAvoy has 1 goal and 2 assists in his last two games, and Kuraly has 1 goal and 1 assist. The monkey finally jumped off McAvoy’s back (and probably crushed by Jake DeBrusk) with his OT goal against the Blackhawks. We’ll see if both players can go three-for-three in producing more offense this afternoon.
  • The Bruins are on a five-game winning streak entering today. It’s their third longest-winning streak this season, behind an eight-game streak from Nov. 19 to Dec. 3 and a six-game streak from Oct. 22 to Nov 4.
  • DeBrusk is having a moment as of late. In five of the last six games, he has registered at least one point. Since Jan. 19, he has three goals and three assists. He’s creating opportunities with unselfish plays and that feed to McAvoy last game - what a beauty.
  • Per the team, Brandon Carlo will not suit up for the game, as he is home for personal reasons. John Moore will be back in. Moore has been a healthy scratch the past 5 games and hasn’t played since that 3-goal lead blown by the Bs in Pittsburgh on Jan. 19. This season, he’s appeared in 19 games and has racked up a mere 3 points on 2 goals and 1 assist.
  • A pregame ceremony will honor Zdeno Chara for playing 1,500 career games and 1,000 with the Bruins. Let’s see how Tuukka Rask’s Metallica drum set will be topped! Any thoughts on what the captain could be presented with?