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Causeway gameday! Boston Bruins play desert hockey with Coyotes

Chad Zimmermann|
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 28: Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) makes a glove save as Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) ties up Arizona Coyotes defenseman Alex Goligoski (33) during a regular season game between the Boston Bruins and the Arizona Coyotes on February 28, 2017 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts The Bruins defeated the Coyotes 4-1. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 28: Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) makes a glove save as Boston Bruins center David Krejci (46) ties up Arizona Coyotes defenseman Alex Goligoski (33) during a regular season game between the Boston Bruins and the Arizona Coyotes on February 28, 2017 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts The Bruins defeated the Coyotes 4-1. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Boston Bruins look to right the ship against the Arizona Coyotes, who have yet to win a game this season.  The Bruins need points and they need them now.  What’s on tap for tonight’s game?

It’s still early on, but the NHL season has not exactly been kind to the Boston Bruins and its fans.  With a medical condition sidelining David Backes, and Patrice Bergeron still out due to a lower-body injury, the Bruins team that was already young and inexperienced is getting even younger and even more inexperienced.

It was anticipated that the Bruins roster to start the season would feature two rookie forwards (Jake DeBrusk and Anders BJork) and one rookie defenseman (Charlie McAvoy).  With the injuries, now Danton Heinen and Sean Kuraly have been added to the mix, along with other young player Frank Vatrano.

The team that played well and cohesively on opening night against the Predators played like a team of rookies the next two games against the Avalanche.  Mistakes were made up and down the lineup; not just by the rookies, but by veterans as well.  The Bruins look to start playing better hockey against Arizona tonight.

Schedule

Gila River Arena
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 12: General view outside of Gila River Arena before the NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Detroit Red Wings on October 12, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Game time in Arizona at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona is 9:00 pm.  The game will be broadcast on NESN for television viewers, and on 98.5 The Sports Hub for the devoted radio listeners.

What to watch for

The Bruins lineup shake-ups continue.  In a team looking to find themselves and develop chemistry, here’s hoping the team can find some momentum.  Riley Nash will be playing on the first line again tonight, hoping to show to fans that head coach Bruce Cassidy’s trust is not misplaced.  Austin Czarnik also practiced, meaning he might find his way back into the lineup.

Arizona, like the Bruins, is a very young team.  Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, and Calder Trophy candidate Clayton Keller lead a forward group that only has TWO players born before 1990.  The team does however have experience where it matters, on the blueline.  Players like Niklas Hjalmarsson, Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson are a very solid set of defenseman, capable of containing the Bruins if they play uninspired hockey.

Next: Early morning ice 10/14/17

It will be interesting to see how Kevan Miller looks tonight.  He took a puck to the knee at practice, and it was reported he had to be helped off the ice by Don DelNegro.  However, the reports are that he is okay, and should be good to go tonight.  The Bruins are already down two great defensive forwards, and just got back Torey Krug on the blueline.  Now is not the time for the Bruins to lose anyone else, especially a blueline vet.

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