Mark the date, set your DVR's, call your uncles and invite 'em over -- It's Turco Time!
OK, so maybe Bruins fans shouldn't be out-of-their-chair excited for the 36-year-old
Marty Turco's first start as a Bruin -- especially when he was in net for 40 minutes of Sunday's losing effort against Pittsburgh -- but hey, there's really not much else to get excited about when it comes to watching this lethargic and walking wounded cast donning the Black-and-Gold.
While the Bruins' loss in Pittsburgh came with the loss of three Bruins to various injuries (
Patrice Bergeron - knee,
Adam McQuaid - arm, and
Max Sauve - mystery), the bright spot of the afternoon came with a 20-save effort from Turco. Surrendering just two goals on 22 shots faced, two goals that were by all means unstoppable for most goaltenders, let alone one that hasn't played in the National Hockey League since March last year.
But that can't mask the fact that Turco's not being given tonight's start for the hell of it. The Bruins, a team that just last week won two in a row for the first time since early January only to lose their next two, are a team in need of something, anything to stop the bleeding. Could Turco be that guy? Well, that seems unlikely, but at the end of the day, the 37-year-old Thomas just hasn't looked himself in March thanks to a putrid .860 save-percentage, and undoubtedly needs a rest.
In search of ending a two-game skid that's seen them go 0-for-4 on the power-play, the Bruins will be opposed tonight by the veteran of just 167 minutes at the NHL level,
Dustin Tokarski. Making his third straight start, the 22-year-old Tokarski comes into play without a win to his name this year with a regulation loss and overtime loss to his credit, and has an .895 save-percentage behind the Tampa Bay defense.
With
Mathieu Garon hurt, doesn't that just speak to how utterly terrible the 42-year-old
Dwayne Roloson has been this year? No? Well, chew on this: In his last 115 minutes of hockey (and maybe his career), Roloson has given up 13 goals on 64 shots. Otherwise known as a .797 save-percentage, or in layman's terms, straight up salty garbage.
Game-Changers
While March has brought little success to the Bruins as a whole, it's been a month that's seen the 25-year-old
David Krejci turn a corner to an absurd degree. Tallying five goals and nine points in seven games this month, Krejci will be centering Boston's first line once again tonight, a line featuring
Milan Lucic and
Tyler Seguin that's combined for 27 points in seven games together. And in his corner, the Czech-born center has four goals and 12 points in just 18 career games against Tampa. Killer.
For Tampa, look out for the always lethal
Steven Stamkos. Already guaranteed to finish the season with an over point-per-game pace thanks to his 82 points this year, the 22-year-old center enters play with 15 goals and 13 assists in 19 games since the start of February. Certainly clicking with
Teddy Purcell as of late, Stamkos has lit Boston up to the tune of six goals and five assists in 14 career games against 'em. In other words, B's captain
Zdeno Chara is going to have his hands full tonight.
Stats of Note
- Veteran winger
Brian Rolston has just one point and a minus-2 rating in eight games back with Boston.
- The Bruins are 9-0-0 this year when
Brad Marchand finishes the night with at least two points.
-
Jordan Caron has tallied four goals and added three assists in the last five games.
- Nine of
Marty St. Louis' 30 career points against Boston have come on the power-play.
- Defensemen
Victor Hedman does not have a point in seven games since his three-point effort against the San Jose Sharks back on Feb. 16.
- 25 percent of
Brett Connolly's points this year have come in the last five games. The bad news? He only has 12 points this season.
News and Notes
While Bergeron seems likely to play tonight, the same cannot be said for
Benoit Pouliot, who was the lone forward missing from the Bruins' morning skate. But Benoit's skip doesn't exactly crush the Bruins, as
Danny Paille (arm) will return to the lineup.
In addition to Paille, recent Providence call-up and veteran
Trent Whitfield seems certain to log bottom-six minutes for the B's. Whitfield has not appeared in an NHL game since Boston's Game 7 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers, and has an assist in 16 games for the Bruins at the NHL level. Overall, the 34-year-old has played in 193 NHL games.
McQuaid will be a game-time decision, but if he can't go, expect
Mike Mottau or
Greg Zanon to skate in his place on Boston's third pairing.
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