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PREVIEW: Bruins look to keep special teams rolling against the Penguins tonight

The B’s will close out their first homestand against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

By Angelina.Berube
Pittsburgh Penguins v Boston Bruins Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images

Just the facts

When: Tonight, 7 PM

Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA

How to follow: NESN, ESPN+, SNO, SNP, SNE, 98.5 The Sports Hub

Rival SBN site: PensBurgh

Know your enemy

  • 4-2-1 for nine points, one of three teams tied for second in East
  • Sidney Crosby: 7GP, 3G, 4A, 7PTS; Bryan Rust: 7GP, 2G, 3A, 5PTS; Jake Guentzel: 7GP, 2G, 3A, 5PTS; Jared McCann: 7GP, 2G, 3A, 5PTS
  • Tristan Jarry: 2-2-1, 3.91 GAA, .868 save percentage

Game Notes

  • In the teams’ last meeting on Tuesday, the Boston Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in overtime.
  • Special teams shined for the Bruins again in that game. Brad Marchand put the Bruins up early with a shorthanded goal and Nick Ritchie notched his third power-play goal of the season. Craig Smith scored on a 2-on-0 opportunity with 10.9 seconds left in overtime. Charlie McAvoy assisted on all three goals. Jason Zucker and Kasperi Kapanen scored for Pittsburgh.
  • The Bruins’ special teams are continuing to give the team an advantage. Last game was no exception, as the penalty kill shut down all six Pens’ chances and the power play went 1/3. The penalty kill sits at the top of the league at 92.3%, while the power play is 5th with 35%.
  • Out of 18 goals scored so far this season, 39% have been on the man advantage and with two shorthanded goals, 44% scored on special teams.
  • In the Penguins’ last five games, they have been unable to take a lead heading into the third period. But they have been able to fight back and at least come away with a point in two of the games they trailed.
  • The Penguins have been plagued with injury on their blue line, with three players already out with various injuries. Now they could be without defenseman Brian Dumoulin, who left Tuesday’s game in the second period with a lower-body injury.
  • On the Bruins’ blue line, it’s reported that Matt Grzelcyk is headed in the right direction to possibly return to the lineup tonight, Bruce Cassidy said. The defenseman was paired alongside Brandon Carlo in practice. He’s missed the last two games, but did skate in warm-ups on Tuesday.
  • Ritchie, Smith, David Krejci, and Marchand are all on three-game point streaks.
  • With Jake DeBrusk out, Cassidy rolled out new line combinations Wednesday to adjust. Smith was bumped up with Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. Par Lindholm was centering Jack Studnicka and Trent Frederic. Charlie Coyle also moved up with Ritchie and Krejci. It remains to be seen how Cassidy approaches this shuffling tonight.
  • Jaroslav Halak will start in net.

See you tonight!