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Bruins try to match season-best win streak in clash with Thrashers

Dec 30, 2010 - 3:54 PM (Sports Network) - The Boston Bruins will try to match their longest winning streak of the season when they visit the sliding Atlanta Thrashers tonight at Philips Arena.

Boston, which is leading the Northeast Division by two points over Montreal, has won three straight and four of its last five games. The Bruins' only four- game winning streak this season was from Oct. 10-21.

Atlanta, meanwhile, has lost four straight games, going 0-3-1 during their worst losing streak of the season. Like Boston, the Thrashers also enter tonight with 44 points on the season and Atlanta is two points ahead of Montreal for the Eastern Conference's seventh playoff seed.

The Bruins began their current winning streak against the Thrashers, posting a 4-1 home win over Atlanta last Thursday. It was the 12th win for Boston in the last 14 meetings with the Thrashers overall and the Bruins have also won five of their last seven in Atlanta.

Boston's most recent victory came Tuesday evening in Tampa as Mark Recchi scored a power-play goal with 19.7 seconds left in the game to lift the Bruins to a dramatic 4-3 win at St. Pete Times Forum.

Michael Ryder and Brad Marchand tallied for the Bruins, who also received Steven Kampfer's first career goal.

Tim Thomas turned away 31 shots to earn his 18th win of the year for the Bruins. Thomas has started the last six games for Boston and the veteran backstop is 6-3-1 with a 2.96 GAA in 11 career games against the Thrashers.

Boston has a solid 11-5-1 road record this season and is playing the third test of a five-game swing tonight.

The Thrashers were in action Tuesday evening in Pittsburgh and the Penguins notched a 6-3 victory.

Evander Kane, Dustin Byfuglien and Eric Boulton scored for the Thrashers, who have lost four in a row for the first time since April 1-9 of last season. Atlanta last dropped five straight during a six-game slide from March 6-14.

Ondrej Pavelec allowed all six goals on 36 shots in a game that was tied at 2-2 after the first period.

"We had a good first 20 minutes and let it slip away," said Byfuglien. "We quit working and lost our one-on-one battles. They're a good team and you can't give them any room."

The Thrashers have lost two straight and four of their last five home games. They are 10-7-3 as the host this season.

Atlanta could be without a pair of key forwards tonight as both Kane (right arm) and Nik Antropov (hip) are currently dealing with injuries. Antropov has sat out the last three games and is doubtful for tonight, while Kane suffered the injury in Tuesday's contest and is questionable.