With nearly a foot of snow expected to pound the Boston area late tonight, it may just be fitting that the Florida Pathers are in town for a showdown with the Bruins. For Boston, handling the Panthers has been quick work for a team they've beat in all three meetings this season, including a 4-0 victory over the 'Cats in their last trip to the Garden.

However, after a tame showing in Monday night's 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the Bruins look to get their offense back on track back on home-ice--where they've won their last three of five.

Averaging five goals per game at the Garden in 2011, the sans-Savard Bruins could finish their pre-All Star break season with a four-point lead in the Northeast Division after Montreal's 5-2 loss to the Flyers last night.

THE STATS DON'T LIE

- Brad Marchand has nine points in 10 games since being put on the Bergeron line.

- Bruins winger Michael Ryder has three goals in his last four home games.

- Nathan Horton has just four goals in his last 33 games.

- 26-year-old David Booth has five goals in 13 games this month.

- Cory Stillman has two goals and seven assists in his last nine games.

- Stephen Weiss is a minus-5 in three games against Boston this year.

WHO'S GOT THE EDGE?

Goals For per Game: Bruins (3.00) over Panthers (2.63)
Goals Against per Game: Bruins (2.13) over Panthers (2.59)
Power-Play Percentage: Bruins (17.7%) over Panthers (11.4%)
Penalty-Kill Percentage: Bruins (84.9%) over Panthers (84.0%)
Save Percentage: Bruins (.936) over Panthers (.918)
Season Series: Bruins lead Panthers 3-0 (a 3-2 Boston win in their last meeting on Dec. 27)
Last 10 Games: Bruins (6-3-1) over Panthers (4-3-3)

GOALTENDING BREAKDOWN

Boston: Even after a loss in his 32-save performance in Hollywood, the Bruins will turn back to Tim Thomas in the final game before the All-Star Break. The 36-year-old Thomas is 2-0-0 on the year against Florida, stopping 63-of-66 shots faced, and comes into play riding a four-game home winning-streak. Tuukka Rask is the back-up, as always, but may be riding the pine due to a minor knee injury suffered in practice.

Florida: It'll be interesting to see who the Panthers go with tonight in Boston. In the second leg of a back-to-back where the Panthers got 32-saves from Tomas Vokoun in a win over the Rangers, the Panthers' workhorse could get another shot at the Bruins. With an 0-2-0 record against the Bruins on the year, the Scott Clemmensen experiment could/should take control tonight considering the 33-year-old's rather strong numbers against the B's in his career. Holding a 5-3-1 record over Boston with two shutouts and a 1.97 goals-against-average, Clemmensen was in net for Florida's shootout loss to the Bruins back on Dec. 27 when he stopped 40 of 42 shots faced.

GAME-BREAKERS

Boston: In lieu of Marc Savard, and with Patrice Bergeron's line remaining the 'shut-down' line for Boston, the Bruins' ripple-effect may end with the strength of the team coming down to how David Krejci performs in tonight's game. Goal-less in 15 straight games, and with just four assists in his last five games, the crafty Czech-born center will be centering Boston's top-line that features Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic. A stat to note? The Bruins are 10-0-0 when Krejci has a multi-point effort.

Florida: With captain Bryan McCabe on the shelf with a broken jaw, it appears that former-Bruin Dennis Wideman becomes Florida's most offensively-capable blue-liner. Despite Florida's league-worst power-play unit, the oft-booed defensemen looks to quarterback the Panthers power-play against a team that's allowed two power-play goals on their last eight penalty-kills.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

- Concussed center Marc Savard has gone back home to Ontario to 'rest' following his second significant concussion in 10 months.

- If Mark Stuart doesn't play tonight, that'll be three straight games where #45's been a healthy scratch. Nobody saw that one coming entering this season.

- This is the last home game for the Bruins until Saturday Feb. 5 against the San Jose Sharks.

- Byron Bitz still has yet to suit up for a game this season for the Panthers, continuing to make the Bruins' trade with the Panthers last year for Dennis Seidenberg appear to be a total fleecing.

- The Bruins have sent out an email alerting fans to be aware of wintry weather conditions and leave earlier to get to the game on time if they must. The game will go on as scheduled with a 7PM puck-drop.

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