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Bruins strive for notoriety vs. Blackhawks

Oct 25, 2007 - 2:37 PM Chicago (5-4-0) at Boston (5-3-0) 7:00 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Bruins have had to compete for fans with the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, the New England Patriots in the midst of a potential undefeated season and the Boston Celtics' big three on display in the NBA preseason.

However, the Bruins will try to move these teams to the back burner when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

Boston had a four-game win streak snapped during a 6-1 rout to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. The Bruins had outscored their opponents, 15-8, over that winning stretch - including an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in the first game of the win streak.

Phil Kessel has been a large part of the Bruins' recent surge. The second year center scored the only goal in a 1-0 shootout victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Kessel has three goals and two assists this season after scoring just 11 goals with 18 assists during the 2006-07 season.

While Kessel has been helping the Bruins, offseason acquisition goalie Manny Fernandez has done anything but. Brought to Boston to solidify a crease patrolled by career backup Tim Thomas, Fernandez has played like the second-stringer he was supposed to replace.

Fernandez, who coupled with Niklas Backstrom won the Jennings Trophy last season while a member of the Minnesota Wild, has posted a 2-2-0 record with a 3.93 goals-against average and a horrendous .832 save percentage.

The Blackhawks have struggled on defense recently as well, as they have allowed 17 goals to the opposition over their last four games.