Preview: Bruins look to even series against Hurricanes in Game 4

Just the facts

When: Today, 12:30 PM

Where: TD Garden - Boston, MA

How to follow: NESN, ESPN, SN360, TVAS, SN, 98.5 The Sports Hub, ESPN

Rival SBN site: Canes Country

Know your enemy

• Vincent Trocheck: 2G-2A-4PTS; Jaccob Slavin: 1G-3A-4PTS; Tony DeAngelo: 0G-4A-4PTS
• Antti Raanta: 1-0-0, 0.89 GAA, .976 save percentage; Pyotr Kochetkov: 1-1-0, 3.30 GAA, .900 save percentage

Game notes

• The Boston Bruins will look to even their series against the Carolina Hurricanes this afternoon and carry over the energy from Friday’s win! As the Bruins still trail the Hurricanes 2-1 in the series, it’s one game at a time at this point. But if the Bruins can manage another win, it becomes a whole new game.
• For the first time in the series, the Bruins found the lead and were able to sustain it in Game 3’s win. It was a big win not only to make the series competitive, but also to show encouragement in net, on special teams and that the Bruins can actually score on the Hurricanes.
• Special teams will likely make a difference today as well as Game 3 didn’t slow down on the physicality. While the Bruins have scored three power-play goals against the Hurricanes, that included last games’ big special teams’ night, the Bruins have found themselves shorthanded 17 times in these three games.
• The Bruins have been able to kill off 15 of those penalties, but staying out of the box will be crucial to even the series. A huge part of the penalty kill this series has been the work of Derek Forbort in front of the net and blocking shots. Last game, he made nine blocks and was undoubtedly the reason the PK was so successful in shutting the ‘Canes down.
• The B’s top line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand had a breakout Game 3 and since their reunion in Game 2, have accounted for 30 of 66 shots on goal in the past two games. In Game 2 - although mixed back together during the game and not from the beginning - they generated 47% of SOG and then 39% of SOG in Game 3. They’ve also accounted now for four of the B’s seven goals.
• Based on yesterday’s reported practice lines, there might be some slight shuffling among the forwards’ group. Craig Smith and Jake DeBrusk swapped lines, with Smith moving up to the second line’s right wing and DeBrusk rounding out the third line. Chris Wagner remained on the fourth line with Nick Foligno and Curtis Lazar.
• Injury update: Bruce Cassidy said Hampus Lindholm feels better, but he is still ruled out for Game 4.