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Ottawa tries to continue road success in Boston

Nov 13, 2010 - 4:03 PM (Sports Network) - Though the Senators have struggled when facing the Bruins over the past few seasons, they have had some success as of late in Boston.

Ottawa aims for a fourth straight road victory overall and a third at TD Garden where tonight it will battle Boston, which has hit a bump after a fast start.

The Senators kick off a four-game swing in Boston this evening and have won their last two trips to Beantown. Those victories are their only ones against the Bruins in the last seven meetings overall and Boston has won 12 of the last 15 matchups in the series.

Ottawa had a season-high four-game winning streak snapped on Thursday in a home loss to Vancouver. Peter Regin scored his first goal of the season, Sergei Gonchar also lit the lamp and Alex Kovalev had an assist for his 998th career point.

Pascal Leclaire made his first start since suffering a groin injury versus Carolina on Oct. 14 and gave up six goals -- four in the third period -- on 33 shots to remain winless in four games this season.

"We played very well the first 40 minutes and if you take away the first two shifts of the third period we played a good game," said Ottawa head coach Cory Clouston. "But that's a good team over there and they made us pay for our mistakes."

The Senators have won three straight on the road since dropping their first four games away from Ottawa this season.

Brian Elliott made 11 straight starts before getting a rest on Thursday and is 2-3-3 with a 2.82 goals-against average in his career versus the Bruins. He gave up four goals on 25 shots in a 3-0 home loss to the Bruins on Oct. 30. Leclaire has faced Boston just once in his career, stopping all 19 shots faced in a relief outing.

Kovalev has just two goals and two assists in his last 12 games versus the Bruins, who have dropped three of their last four (1-2-1) since a 7-2-0 start.

Tuukka Rask's season-long bad luck continued on Thursday as he made 38 saves versus Montreal but still got a 3-1 loss. He is winless in five games this season, going 0-4-1 with a 2.75 GAA.

"I try not to get frustrated out there and give the team a chance to win," said Rask. "But, it's hockey and things are going to happen. You're not going to win every game."

Boston could elect to go with Tim Thomas in net tonight and the former Vezina Trophy winner is 8-0-0 with a 1.39 GAA and three shutouts this year. One of those shutouts came against Ottawa in October as he stopped 29 shots to improve to 17-7-2 with a 2.01 GAA in his career against the club.

Zdeno Chara had Boston's lone goal versus Montreal as the Bruins kicked off a span of five home games in six contests. They are 2-3-1 as the host this year.

Ottawa defenseman Filip Kuba will be a game-time decision to see if he can suit up for the first time this year and return from a broken leg.