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Thrashers hope for bounce-back effort versus Bruins

Dec 23, 2010 - 4:39 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Thrashers will try to bounce back from just their third regulation loss in a month when they visit the struggling Boston Bruins tonight at TD Garden.

Atlanta was dealt a 4-2 loss by visiting St. Louis on Tuesday, ending a stretch of six straight games (4-0-2) with a point.

The Thrashers are 12-3-2 in their last 17 games and, with 43 points on the year, Atlanta is tied with Tampa Bay for second in the Southeast Division. Washington is currently leading the division with 44 points.

The Bruins, meanwhile, have struggled recently, losing four of their last five outings over a 1-3-1 stretch. Boston was shut out in its last game, dropping a 3-0 decision to visiting Anaheim.

Boston was handed a 4-1 loss by the Thrashers when the clubs met in Atlanta on Nov. 28. Dustin Byfuglien posted a goal and three assists and Ondrej Pavelec stopped 40 shots for the victory, which ended a 10-game series losing streak against the Bruins.

Tonight, Atlanta will try to end a six-game losing streak in Boston. The Thrashers' last victory in Beantown came on March 31, 2007.

After notching a 6-3 triumph in Toronto on Monday, the Thrashers were home the following night for a battle with the Blues. Atlanta had scored a total of 13 goals in its previous two games, but was held to just two scored in the 4-2 loss to St. Louis.

Byfuglien and Bryan Little both lit the lamp for the Thrashers, while Chris Mason stopped 23-of-26 shots in the loss to his former team.

"You have to dig down and find a way to win," said Atlanta head coach Craig Ramsay. "In the third period we put everything out on the line and it caught up with us. We have to re-group quickly because we're back on the ice in two days."

Pavelec, Atlanta's No. 1 netminder, is expected to be back in net tonight. The Czech backstop has struggled in five career games against Boston, going 1-1-1 with a 4.59 GAA and .877 save percentage.

The Thrashers are 9-5-3 as the guest this year and have won four of their last five road games. Atlanta's next game is at home against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Boston, meanwhile, will try to bounce back from Monday's shutout loss to the Ducks. Jonas Hiller made 45 saves for his blanking in Anaheim's 3-0 decision at TD Garden. Tim Thomas gave up all three goals on 25 shots for the Bruins.

"We had all the reasons in the world to compete tonight and we just didn't do it," said Boston head coach Claude Julien. "We have to be a lot better than that if we want to compete the way we want to compete."

Thomas still has a 15-4-3 record and a 1.70 GAA on the season, but he is just 1-2-1 over his last four starts. The veteran netminder is 5-3-1 with a 3.16 GAA in his career against Atlanta.

Boston has lost two of its last three home games and has scored a total of four goals in those outings. The Bruins are 8-6-3 as the host this season.