After a long Western Canada road trip the Boston Bruins will enjoy a two-game homestead as they face the Calgary Flames tonight at TD Garden. This will be the second and final meeting between the two teams in five days. With the Bruins winning a wild 4-3 game over the Flames last Friday, Boston is hoping to get back in swing of things after a very tough loss to Vancouver.
SOME NEW FACES
The big news coming out is the new acquisitions of Ondřej Kaše and Nick Ritchie (who will make his debut tonight). Kaše will not be playing tonight as he still has flu-like symptoms. Ritchie will be slotting alongside Charlie Coyle and Anders Bjork. The 6’2, 226-lbs forward expressed excitement about joining the team:
“First-place team…really exciting to get things going…it’s the first time I was traded, so definitely a little bit different. I don’t know what to expect, but lucky I knew a few guys and the other guys are super nice and welcoming.”
On the opposing side, Calgary added Derek Forbort from the LA Kings and Erik Gustafsson from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Flames are coming off a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Captain Mark Giordano will be a game-time decision, and they are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games. The Bruins have won 11 games out of their last 14 games (11-3-0). Expect Tuukka Rask in net. With a win tonight, Rask may have a chance to break Bruins’ goaltender Tiny Thompson’s record for most home-game point streak (20-0 in 1929). Expect David Rittich in net for the Flames
Calgary is 32-25-6 while the Bruins are 39-12-12. Jaroslav Halak will be honored tonight during pre-game ceremonies for his 500th NHL career game.
PROJECTED LINEUPS-BOSTON
Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak
DeBrusk – Krejci – Kuhlman
Ritchie – Coyle – Bjork
Kuraly – Lindholm – Wagner
Chara – McAvoy
Krug – Carlo
Grzelcyk – Lauzon
Tuukka Rask
PROJECTED LINEUPS-CALGARY
Gaudreau – Monahan – Lindholm
Tkachuk – Backlund – Mangiapane
Lucic – Ryan – Dube
Bennett – Jankowski – Rieder
Giordano – Brodie
Hanifin – Andersson
Forbort – Gustafsson
David Rittich
WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop at 7:00 PM, at TD Garden , NESN
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Featured image courtesy of Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
