Just the Facts
When: Today, 1:00 PM
Where: TD Garden – Boston, MA
How to follow: NESN+, NHLN, SN360, 98.5 The Sports Hub
Rival SBN site: PensBurgh
Know Your Enemy
- 24-11-2 for 50 points, tied for 2nd in East
- Sidney Crosby: 36GP, 14G, 26A, 40PTS; Jake Guentzel: 37GP, 15G, 20A, 35PTS; Bryan Rust: 37GP, 14G, 14A, 28PTS; Kris Letang: 36GP, 6G, 22A, 28PTS
- Casey DeSmith: 9-3-0, 1.84 GAA, .933 save percentage
Game Notes
- The Boston Bruins host the Pittsburgh Penguins today in the two’s sixth meeting this season. On Thursday, the Bruins’ lackluster effort dealt them a 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh. The Bruins are now 3-2 against them this season. The game was scoreless after the first, with the Bs only getting two shots on net. Zach Aston-Reese and Mike Matheson added tallies for the Penguins to put them up 2-0 after the second period. Brad Marchand made it a 2-1 game in the third period, but a turnover by David Pastrnak led to a Penguins goal from Jason Zucker. Jake Guentzel put in the empty-netter for the final score, 4-1.
- For the Penguins, Crosby now has three goals and eight assists in seven games, while Guentzel has netted four goals and five assists in eight games. Letang has one goal and five assists in his last five games.
- Bruce Cassidy began mixing lines during Thursday’s game with right wingers moved around. There will likely be different line combinations to try to crack scoring issues to at least start today’s game. If they stick will be another question. Yesterday’s practice lines had Craig Smith sliding up on wing with Patrice Bergeron and Marchand, Charlie Coyle to right wing the third line and Pastrnak sliding down with David Krejci.
- Scrambled lines come as production for the Bruins top line has been off. Pastrnak has only an assist in five games. Bergeron is scoreless in the last nine games. Marchand has scored in his last two games, but prior to that, hadn’t registered a goal in eight games.
- Sean Kuraly looks like he will be back in the lineup today after missing the last six games being on the COVID protocols list. Much like the rest of the forwards, Kuraly has had a rough stretch. He has one point (an assist) in his last 14 games. He’s only had four games in which he’s registered a point. That’s 84% being pointless. But hey! Both of his season goals were game-winning goals. (TRYING to say something positive)
- Injury updates: Brandon Carlo is day-to-day after leaving last game with an upper-body injury. Cassidy said he won’t play today. Kevan Miller got regular reps during practice yesterday, but won’t be ready to go this afternoon. Tuukka Rask still isn’t back on the ice.
See ya this afternoon!