Maple Leafs 0 - 2 Bruins
Final
  for this game

Maple Leafs-Bruins Preview

Nov 21, 2015 - 4:39 AM The good news for the Boston Bruins over the last two weeks is that they haven't let any loss linger.

Not being able to build on a victory is what's bothering them.

Boston looks to win back-to-back games for the first time this month when it hosts a Toronto Maple Leafs team that appears to be coming together under coach Mike Babcock.

The Bruins (9-8-1) followed a 6-0-1 stretch with three straight defeats and have alternated wins and losses over their last five. This contest marks the end of a five-game homestand they hoped would produce more positive results.

Boston hasn't won consecutive games since a four-game streak that ended Oct. 31, but it has a chance to do so by beating Toronto (7-9-4) after picking up a 4-2 win over Minnesota on Thursday.

Loui Eriksson recorded his third career hat trick and first since 2009 to give him a team-high nine goals. Patrice Bergeron had an assist, giving him four with three goals during a six-game point streak.

"For us as a group, we've been able to respond, obviously, after losses," defenseman Torey Krug told the team's official website after Friday's practice. "Then after wins, for whatever reason, we kind of have an emotional letdown and all of a sudden, teams come into our rink and they take two points from us.

"The question becomes, how do we respond to that? We have a group that's paying attention to that, and we'll take it from there."

The Bruins also are aware of how well the Maple Leafs have been playing. Since winning only twice in its first 14 games, Toronto is 5-0-1 after coming back to beat Carolina 2-1 in a shootout Friday.

Still, the Leafs are tied with Buffalo for last in the Atlantic Division.

"We're definitely not taking them lightly," Bruins forward Brett Connolly said. "They've got a good team. It's going to be a good energy in the building, so you can't take them lightly. I don't think anybody here is taking them lightly.

"They're only a few points behind us, so it's going to be a hard game. They're going to come hard, and they've been playing some good hockey as of late, so we've got to be ready to go."

Five of the Leafs' six goals over their last two have come on the power play, as Nazem Kadri tied it Friday with 3:33 left in the third on the man advantage. James Reimer made 33 saves and stopped four of five in the shootout.

''It's not going to be pretty every night, especially on the road,'' Babcock said. ''I think you've got to stick with it, find ways to in and be resilient and get it done.''

Reimer has won five straight starts while posting a .960 save percentage. It's unclear if he or the winless Jonathan Bernier will get the nod in this contest, but Reimer stopped 49 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss the last time he faced Boston on April 4.

Tuukka Rask, who has a 2.06 goals-against average in 22 starts including the playoffs against Toronto, could be in net for Boston. Rask, though, has allowed at least five goals five times in 13 starts, including his last outing when the Bruins lost 5-4 to San Jose on Tuesday.






Related News