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Canucks-Bruins Preview

Feb 6, 2010 - 12:05 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Vancouver (34-20-2) at Boston (23-22-10), 1:00 p.m. EDT

The Vancouver Canucks couldn't snap an opponent's historic streak in their last game. At the next stop on their NHL-record road trip, they won't want to.

The Canucks' string of 14 straight road games finally brings them into the United States, where they'll try to hand the fading Boston Bruins a 10th straight loss in Saturday's matinee.

Playing the third of eight straight away from home before the Olympics - with six more to follow after their arena hosts the Games - the Canucks couldn't prevent Ottawa from extending a franchise record with an 11th straight win on Thursday night.

Vancouver (34-20-2) lost 3-1 to the Senators, the team's second straight defeat after it won its seventh straight game in the opener of the trip at Toronto last Saturday.

The Canucks haven't scored an even-strength goal in their last two contests, also losing 3-2 at Montreal on Tuesday despite putting a season-high 47 shots on net.

"We had been good on the road prior to these last two games," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "But that being said, we've got a lot of guys whose personal stats on the road are definitely as good as they are at home."

Although they're 11-13-1 on the road this season, the Canucks had averaged 3.8 goals while going 8-3-1 in their previous 12 road games before visiting Montreal.

Their vaunted top line of Alex Burrows and twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin has gone quiet, however, combining for one assist in the last two games. They had totaled 14 goals and 25 assists in the Canucks' previous seven games, all victories.

Workhorse Roberto Luongo will likely be back in net for Vancouver after getting Thursday night off - a break that came after he had started 26 straight contests.

The Bruins (23-22-10) likely aren't excited to face one of the league's elite netminders as they continue to have problems scoring. Boston has been held to two or fewer goals in eight straight games, a primary reason the second-longest losing streak in club history is at nine.

Although Boston does have three shootout losses in that span - an outcome that wasn't possible until 2005 - the only longer string of defeats in Bruins history came in their inaugural season, as they lost 11 straight after winning their first game on Dec. 1, 1924.

The last two losses have been especially disheartening as Boston combined to put 89 shots on goal against Washington and Montreal. The Bruins fell 4-1 to the Capitals on Tuesday and 3-2 in a shootout to the Canadiens on Thursday, blowing leads in both games.

"It's frustrating, to say the least," coach Claude Julien said. "To be honest with you, I don't think I've ever seen that as a coach or experienced that as a player."

Especially jarring have been Boston's problems at home, where the team went 29-6-6 last season. The Bruins are 0-6-2 in their last eight at the TD Garden.

It has been Vancouver struggling offensively in recent meetings between the teams, however, with Boston's Tim Thomas stopping all 70 Canucks shots he has ever faced.

Thomas made 39 saves in a 2-0 home win on Dec. 21, 2006, then outdueled Luongo with 31 saves in a 1-0 win at Vancouver on Oct. 28, 2008. The Canucks haven't scored against Boston since beating the Bruins 5-2 on Dec. 4, 2005.