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Panthers-Bruins Preview

Nov 11, 2009 - 7:35 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Florida (5-9-1) at Boston (8-7-2), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Boston Bruins have finally won back-to-back games for the first time, and they'd love to go on a run similar to the ones that led them to the top of the Eastern Conference last season.

With the struggling Florida Panthers coming to Boston for Thursday's meeting, the Bruins should have a good chance for a third straight win as they try to hold an eighth consecutive opponent to two or fewer goals.

Although they've struggled offensively with top-line forwards Marc Savard and Milan Lucic injured - scoring one goal during a three-game losing streak to start November - the Bruins (8-7-2) have remained stingy at the defensive end.

They led the league by allowing 2.32 goals per game last season, helping them rattle off five winning streaks of at least four games between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15, going 28-4-1 in that stretch.

Boston has been even better defensively lately, allowing eight goals in the last seven games despite going 3-3-1. The offense has finally shown signs of improvement in recent wins over Buffalo and Pittsburgh, combining for seven goals, and the Bruins hope that will lead to another string of victories.

"A lot of times when your team stops scoring goals you tend to start cheating on the wrong side of the puck to try and create goals," veteran forward Mark Recchi told the Bruins' official Web site. "We stayed with the game plan and we knew that if we continued in that path ... it would eventually pay off and now it's starting to pay off for us."

The 41-year-old Recchi notched his 900th career assist in Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Penguins, while Tim Thomas earned his second shutout with 27 saves as the reigning Vezina Trophy winner snapped a four-start losing streak. Thomas has a 1.20 goals-against average in his last five appearances.

Boston would still like to see some of its skaters break out of offensive slumps. David Krejci, who returned from a bout with the swine flu Tuesday, has been held without a point in his last five games.

Michael Ryder has gone nine straight without a point. He and Krejci combined for 126 points last season.

Florida (5-9-1) could provide a good opportunity for Boston's scorers if it plays defense like it did while getting swept in a home-and-home set with Washington over the weekend.

The Capitals, despite playing without Alex Ovechkin, totaled 11 goals, scoring five during the third period of a 7-4 win Saturday.

"One thing we need to do is work on our coverage down low and behind the net," said backup goalie Scott Clemmensen, who started Saturday. "I'm not sure how it gets so bad at times. It's a matter of knowing responsibility. Forget about tonight; we're not quite there yet as far as taking care of our own end."

The Panthers had seemed to be figuring things out with Tomas Vokoun notching back-to-back shutouts against St. Louis and Carolina on Oct. 31 and Nov. 4, but Florida's opponents have scored four or more goals eight times.

Vokoun will likely start against the Bruins, a team he made 41 saves versus in a 2-0 home victory Feb. 21. Boston went 3-1-0 against the Panthers last season, with two of those wins coming at the expense of departed backup Craig Anderson.