Boston Bruins host Stanley Cup champion Kings
Dec 2, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (32) protect the goal as Boston Bruins left wing Daniel Paille (20) attacks in the third period at Staples Center. The Kings won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Bruins (26-16-7) welcome the reigning Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings (21-15-12) to TD Garden on Saturday night, looking to avenge a 2-0 defeat in LA back on December 2.
The Bruins are coming off an impressive 5-2 victory on Long Island against the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Islanders. Reilly Smith and Milan Lucic both had a goal and two assists on the night while Tuukka Rask made 43 saves, highlighted by a goal-line save on Islanders winger Michael Grabner. Smith broke an 11-game goal drought with his first-period marker while defenseman Kevan Miller scored the game-winner with 3.4 seconds left in the middle frame. It was only his second goal of the season.
The Kings overcame three one-goal deficits to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Wednesday night at Staples Center. Former UMass goaltender Jonathan Quick made 26 saves and Jeff Carter scored twice in the victory over their Windy City rivals. Their visit to Boston is the first stop on a five-game Eastern Conference road trip.
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Both teams are battling just to make the postseason this year after some pundits predicted a Boston/LA match up in this season’s Stanley Cup Finals. Boston is trending upward with an 8-2-4 record since the NHL’s holiday break. They currently own a seven-point cushion on the Florida Panthers for a wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. A large part of their recent resurgence is thanks to Rask’s play between the pipes. The Finnish netminder has allowed two goals or less in eight of his 10 starts for the month of January. The Bruins have taken advantage of Rask’s recent consistency by picking up points in nine of those games, including six victories.
The Kings continue to hover around the final playoff spot in a competitive Western Conference after hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup for the second time in three years last season. They trail the upstart Calgary Flames by a solitary point for the final wild card berth in the West, but with a game in hand. It has been a tale of two arenas for Los Angeles this season. The club is 16-6-6 at Staples Center this season, but have stumbled to a 5-9-6 record on the road. Only the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres have fewer victories on the road than the Kings.
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The 29-year old Quick has been a shell of his usual self this season, sporting a 17-12-10 record with a save percentage of .911. He has allowed the fifth-most goals in the league this season (96) and has only won twice in his nine appearances to start 2015. Quick’s home and road splits mirror LA’s inability to carry their strong home form with them on their travels. The Milford, CT native is 14-5-5 at the Staples Center (2.22 goals against average), but is 3-7-5 on the road (2.89 GAA). Quick has enjoyed success against Boston in his career, going 7-3 with a 2.04 GAA and .925 save percentage including a 31-save shutout back in December against the Bruins.
It is sure to be a tight, defensive game with Claude Julien and Darryl Sutter at the helms of their respective clubs. Both coaches have used their defensive systems to win Stanley Cups within the past five seasons. Julien’s Bruins are currently sixth in goals allowed/game (2.41) after holding opponents to 18 goals in 10 January matchups. Sutter’s Kings are tied with the Red Wings for fewest shots allowed/game (27.5) and the fewest third-period goals allowed this season (31).
Boston’s offense is led by Brad Marchand (13 goals) and Patrice Bergeron (33 points) up front while Dougie Hamilton (8 goals, 27 points) and Torey Krug (10 goals, 25 points) lead the attack from the blue line. The Bruins have seven different players in double-figures for goals this season.
The Kings have a balanced offensive attack of their own led by Marian Gaborik‘s team-leading 15 goals. First-line center Anze Kopitar has a team-high 38 points on the season. Justin Williams, Tanner Pearson, and Tyler Toffoli join Carter, Gaborik, and Kopitar as LA’s leading contributors on offense.
The game can be seen live at 7pm on NESN and NHL Network in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada. Fans can listen to the radio broadcast on 98.5 The Sports Hub.