Bruins 5 - 2 Coyotes
Final
  for this game

Coyotes take on Bruins seeking rare home victory

Dec 6, 2014 - 3:42 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Arizona Coyotes take aim at their first home victory in just over a month on Saturday night as they play host to the struggling Boston Bruins.

The Coyotes have lost six straight at home for the first time since Jan. 27- Feb. 16, 2009, with their last win in Arizona coming on Nov. 4 versus Toronto.

It also has been 172 minutes and 33 seconds since the Coyotes' last goal at home. They have been shut out in two straight as the host, including a 4-0 setback to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday that opened up a five-game residency.

Mike Smith got the start for the Coyotes and gave up three goals on 20 shots before being pulled just over 35 minutes into the game. Devan Dubnyk stopped 21-of-22 shots in relief.

"The first goal was a tough goal. First chance they got was a breakaway," said Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett. "I thought we pushed hard, almost carried the puck in the net three times in the second period. Then they came down and got another."

It is unknown who Tippett will turn to in goal tonight. Smith is 3-8-0 with a 2.54 goals against average and .912 save percentage in his career versus the Bruins, while Dubnyk has lost all three of his lifetime starts against them with a 5.22 GAA and .861 save percentage.

The Bruins don't appear to be firing on all cylinders right now, having lost the first three of a four-game road trip and five of their past six overall.

Boston scored more than two goals for only the second time in 11 games on Thursday, but still picked up a loss as it was topped 7-4 by San Jose. The Sharks netted the game's final four goals, including three in the third period.

Reilly Smith scored two goals for the Bruins, while Gregory Campbell and Torey Krug also lit the lamp. Patrice Bergeron had two assists.

Tuukka Rask allowed all seven goals, a career worst, on 44 shots.

"We had a lot of poor, poor performances from a lot of people tonight," said Bruins head coach Claude Julien. "You can't win hockey games that way."

Rask is likely to get a chance to rebound tonight and is 3-1-0 in four career games against the Coyotes with a 1.99 GAA and .929 save percentage.

The Bruins have won four straight over the Coyotes and three in a row as the credited road team in this series. That includes a meeting in the Czech Republic on Oct. 10, 2010.






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