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Bruins, Devils try to overcome injuries in Boston

Nov 10, 2014 - 3:32 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Bruins will look to conclude a four-game homestand with a fifth straight victory on Monday night as they play host to the New Jersey Devils.

The Bruins extended their longest winning streak of the season on Thursday with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Carl Soderberg and Dougie Hamilton netted power-play markers as part of a four-goal third period.

Boston trailed 2-1 with under nine minutes left before scoring three times within a span of 2:34 to move ahead, with Soderberg's tally with 7:31 remaining following Loui Eriksson's equalizer that began the barrage.

Hamilton added a pair of assists, while Eriksson, Soderberg and Reilly Smith each finished with a goal and an assist. Milan Lucic tacked on an empty-net goal and Tuukka Rask made 24 saves.

"Those games aren't always perfect, but you like the way your team responds to different situations," Bruins head coach Claude Julien stated. "We're down 2-1 (and) instead of panicking, we just picked up our game and put our foot on the gas pedal and found a way to get some goals here."

Julien will have to juggle his blue line again tonight as defenseman David Warsofsky is out 2-to-4 weeks due to a groin injury. He joins Zdeno Chara (knee), Kevan Miller (shoulder) and Torey Krug (finger) as injured Boston defensemen.

Krug, though, has returned to practice after missing four games and could return tonight, though forward David Krejci's status is unknown as he deals with an undisclosed injury. Krejci returned on Thursday after missing the previous two games.

The Devils have their own injury issues, with Ryane Clowe sitting out Friday's 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings with a head injury.

New Jersey was already without Mike Cammalleri (bruised jaw/stiff neck), Martin Havlat (facial laceration/lower body), Adam Henrique (lower body) and Jon Merrill (bruised arm). Henrique, Merrill and Clowe did not travel to Boston, though Cammalleri and Havlat returned to practice on Sunday.

Cammalleri has missed the past six games, while Havlat has sat out the last eight.

The pending return of those two comes on the heels of Jordan Tootoo returning to action on Friday from a seven-game absence caused by a foot injury. He and Steve Bernier both scored, but Cory Schneider was pulled early for a second straight game. He gave up four goals on 24 shots through two periods, while Keith Kinkaid stopped all seven shots he faced in his third career NHL appearance and second this season.

"I have a lot of concerns from our game tonight," said New Jersey head coach Peter DeBoer. "I think the score is flattering because they were a much better team tonight."

New Jersey will visit Minnesota on Tuesday, so Kinkaid may get a chance at his first NHL start then as DeBoer will go back to Schneider tonight.

Schneider has faced Boston only once before in the regular season and got a win by stopping 36-of-39 shots faced.

The Bruins have won 12 of their last 15 versus the Devils and six of the past seven played in Boston. Rask is likely to start tonight and is 3-2-2 lifetime versus the Devils with a 1.44 goals against average, .953 save percentage and two shutouts in eight prior meetings, including six starts.