dpFollowing a winless two-game road trip, the Bruins return to TD Garden looking to right the ship against the Blackhawks.
Boston managed just one goal apiece in losses against the Hurricanes and Blues, despite taking a first-period lead in both games. The pair of defeats brought the team’s momentum to a halt following an eight-game point streak.
“Even the games we won lately, in the end, we were just sloppy, I would say. It finally caught up to us a little bit on this road trip,” said Bruins coach Marco Sturm. “You just can’t play that way. Maybe we needed it. Hopefully it’s going to be a bit of a wake-up call for us. Just got to move on.”
Despite the sluggish week, the Bruins sit atop the Atlantic Division with 19 points. The Saturday matinee begins a stretch with 12 home games out of the next 14.
“I don’t think it’s time to panic or anything. I think we’ve got some confidence and some swagger in here, so go home and regroup,” forward Casey Mittelstadt said.
Here is a preview.
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Where: TD Garden, Boston
TV: NESN. Radio: WBZ-FM 98.5.
Line: Boston -245. O/U: 6.0.
BLACKHAWKS
Season record: 4-9-0. vs. spread: 5-8. Over/under: 6-7
Last 10 games: 4-6-0. vs. spread: 4-6. Over/under: 4-6
BRUINS
Season record: 9-4-1. vs. spread: 11-3. Over/under: 5-8, 1 push
Last 10 games: 7-2-1. vs. spread: 9-1. Over/under: 4-5, 1 push
TEAM STATISTICS
Goals scored: Chicago 27, Boston 50
Goals allowed: Chicago 48, Boston 32
Power play: Chicago 10.0%, Boston 20.9%
Penalty minutes: Chicago 110, Boston 170
Penalty kill: Chicago 78.0%, Boston 77.6%
Faceoffs won: Chicago 42.8%, Boston 53.6%
Stat of the day: The Blackhawks are the only NHL team without a road win (0-5-0).
Notes: The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-1 road loss to the Red Wings on Thursday, which marked the team’s fifth straight game scoring two goals or fewer. Chicago has dropped four of its last five contests and is last in the Central Division with eight points … Connor Bedard’s first-period goal was Chicago’s only score in the defeat in Detroit. Bedard missed the first six games this season while recovering from offseason shoulder injury, and has three goals and seven points through his first seven games … The Blackhawks are led in scoring by 37-year-old Patrick Kane, who has a goal and seven assists in 13 games. Kane, who spent the first 16 seasons of his career with Chicago and won three Stanley Cups, signed a two-year, $16 million contract this offseason to return to his former team … James Hagens supplied Boston’s only offense in the loss against the Blues. The soon-to-be 20-year-old is tied for second with Fraser Minten and one shy of David Pastrnak (7 goals, 18 points) for the team lead in goals with five.
Matty Wasserman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @Matty_Wasserman.
