Be sure to 'like' Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
A near-lifeless 5-2 drubbing at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night was not how the Boston Bruins wanted to start their crucial five-game road tour of western Canada, St. Louis, and Chicago. It was a loss that exposed more of the club’s bad habits and struggles -- from lackadaisical passes out of their own end to a massive struggle when it comes to handling aggressive forechecks -- but one that can be put in the rearview mirror with a strong showing against an upstart Calgary Flames squad.
And the Flames, a team that’s played the underdog card all year, know what to expect.
“This is a team with a lot of pride, and a lot of history, and they’re going to give us their best,… Calgary coach Bob Hartley said after his team’s morning skate. “We need to make sure we’re at our best.…
For a Boston club that’s lost four of five in February, it’s about execution and getting off to a better start.
The Bruins have allowed the first goal in all five games this month, and in eight of their last 10 contests, winning just two of those eight. Failing to fall behind early is of even greater importance against a Flames team that enters tonight’s game with wins in 18 of 25 games in which they’ve scored the first goal.
It also wouldn’t hurt for the Black and Gold to get their power play firing up once again, but that will no easy feat against the Flames, who have killed all of their opponents’ power plays in their last eight games played.
The Bruins are expected to give the start to ace netminder Tuukka Rask. The 27-year-old Rask was the noted victim of Boston’s loss in Vancouver, stopping 20-of-24 in defeat, and it’s been three straight losses for the reigning Vezina, with frustration undoubtedly seeping into his game (and postgame pressers). The good news for Rask? He takes to the ice tonight with three wins, a 0.33 goals against average,.986 save percentage (one goal allowed on 73 shots), and two shutouts in three career games against the Flames.
Calgary counters with Karri Ramo. Earning a Saturday night victory by way of an impressive 28-of-30 performance against the rival Canucks, Ramo will get the nod for Bob Hartley’s squad for the second straight game. Ramo has made just one career start against the Bruins, a 40-save victory all the way back on Feb. 22, 2009, which came during Ramo’s stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning. To put the distance into perspective with that game, Vinny Prospal scored the game-winner for the Bolts in that one.
- David Krejci has three goals and 10 points in six career games against the Flames.
- Boston center Patrice Bergeron has four goals in his last five games.
- B’s winger Loui Eriksson has just one goal in his last eight games (22 shots).
- Jiri Hudler has six goals and 21 points in 26 home games this season.
- The Flames are 9-0-0 this year when Lance Bouma scores a goal.
Other news and notes
It sounds like the lines that finished Friday’s loss will remain the same, with Reilly Smith on the top line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic, Loui Eriksson on the Patrice Bergeron line opposite Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak on the Carl Soderberg line with Chris Kelly. Expect forward Jordan Caron and defenseman Matt Bartkowski to serve as the B’s healthy scratches.
(Though Claude Julien did note that Bartkowski, a scratch in 17 straight, could be a game-time decision.)
The Bruins have also recalled goaltender Malcolm Subban from Providence.
This is the second NHL call up in the past month for Subban, though the former 2012 first-round pick (25th overall) is still waiting for his first taste of NHL action (he did nothing but open doors in his first stint with the big Bruins). Subban will not be with the team in Calgary tonight, however, according to the Bruins. He’ll join the club in Edmonton. Expect the Bruins to give him a game this time around just to see where he’s at in his development (the 21-year-old has a 10-10-3 record, 2.47 goals against average, and .920 save percentage in 24 games for Providence this season). Could actually be the Edmonton game, too.
The Bruins have told teams that they're not listening to offers on Subban just yet, and that it'd take a 'blockbuster' for the Bruins to part with the ultra-talented prospect just two years into his professional career, but a start in Edmonton would certainly get that rumor mill spinning, you'd think.
If there’s one team that completely sunk with the news that the Nashville Predators had acquired forward Mike Santorelli and defenseman Cody Franson from the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was the Black and Gold. The Bruins were heavily scouting the Leafs in recent weeks, and seemingly had their sights on those players. Losing out on not one, but both of them, takes two viable, affordable options off Boston’s board.
Ty Anderson has been covering the Boston Bruins for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010, is a member of the Pro Hockey Writers Association's Boston Chapter, and can be contacted on Twitter, or emailed at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com