Home Sweet Home: Bruins Welcome the Predators to the Garden Tonight
Well, Bruins fans, they're finally home. After a four-game swing out West that kept a lot of us up way past bedtime, the Bruins are back on Causeway Street tonight to host the Nashville Predators. Puck drop is 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden, and the game is on NESN. Even better, it's a normal East Coast start, so nobody needs a second pot of coffee for this one.
Boston comes in at 7-2-1 with 15 points, first in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. Nashville is 3-2-3 and sits sixth in the Central. This is the first of two meetings between these teams this season. The second one isn't until March 20 in Nashville.
Back from a big trip
That road trip was a success any way you slice it. The B's beat San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles, then took Dallas to overtime on Tuesday before falling 3-2. That's seven of a possible eight points in four buildings, and it took a hat trick from Mikko Rantanen and an overtime power play to finally end a five-game winning streak.
The last time the Bruins played at home was Oct. 10, a 5-1 win over the Flyers. They're 3-1-0 at the Garden so far, and after nearly two weeks away, the building should be loud tonight.
Pasta is cooking
Captain David Pastrnak leads the team with 12 points, four goals and eight assists, and three of those goals have come on the power play. He's got six points over his last five games, so he's heating up at the right time. Morgan Geekie has quietly piled up eight points, seven of them assists, and Fraser Minten has eight as well, with three goals in his last five games.
The kids deserve their own paragraph, too. James Hagens has seven points in 10 games as a rookie, and Matthew Poitras has four goals in just seven games, including one in Dallas. Elias Lindholm has seven points, and Mason Lohrei has chipped in five from the blue line.
Keep an eye on Marat Khusnutdinov, too. With his new three-year extension done, number 92 gets his first home game since putting pen to paper. He's been a reliable middle-six forward who plays the right way at both ends, and it would be a fun night for him to hear the Garden crowd.
Who's in net?
Jeremy Swayman has been the story of the season so far. Sway is 6-1-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average, a .928 save percentage and a shutout. Michael DiPietro is 1-1-0 with a .912 save percentage in his two starts. We'll find out at morning skate who gets the call, but either way, Boston's goaltending has been among the best in the league. The Bruins allow just 2.2 goals per game, fourth-best in the NHL.
Scouting the Predators
Nashville's record looks ordinary, but don't sleep on this team. Three of their losses came after regulation, including two shootouts, so they've been in almost every game. They also had a few days off since beating St. Louis 5-2 on Saturday, so they'll show up rested.
Steven Stamkos leads them with 10 points, four goals and six assists. Roman Josi has nine points from the back end, including six in his last five games, and Filip Forsberg has eight. Ryan O'Reilly has four goals, two on the power play.
That power play is the big worry. Nashville is clicking at 29.6 percent, third in the league, and its penalty kill is seventh at 85.2 percent. In net, Juuse Saros is 3-2-2 with a .906 save percentage.
Three things we're watching
1. Stay out of the box. Boston's penalty kill is at 80 percent, and giving a top-three power play extra chances is asking for trouble. Discipline matters tonight.
2. Fix the power play. The B's went 0-for-4 in Dallas in a one-goal game. They're converting 21.4 percent on the season, and a goal or two with the extra man would go a long way against a stingy Nashville kill.
3. Win the faceoffs. Boston wins 52.7 percent of its draws, sixth in the league. Nashville is under 50 percent. Starting with the puck is a simple way to keep Stamkos and Josi chasing.
By the numbers
The Bruins score 3.6 goals per game, seventh in the NHL. The Predators score 2.88, which ranks 21st. Boston has the better offense, the better goaltending numbers and home ice. On paper, this is a game the Bruins should win.
Our prediction
We're fans, so you already know: Bruins win in front of a packed Garden, Pasta adds to his point total, and a new streak starts tonight. See you at 7. Let's go, B's! 🐻