Losers of eight straight games, the Boston Bruins return home from a dreadful five-game road trip looking for anything good to happen. It won’t be easy against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, the top team in the Eastern Conference.
Boston is looking for anything positive to build off of as they play out the final two weeks of the season and avoid finishing in the basement of the Eastern Conference. Well, that actually may not be a bad thing in terms of the draft this summer. Here are three things to watch out for at the TD Garden on Tuesday night.
Bruins start to the game
The first game back after a long road trip is never great for home teams, especially when you travel the country and lose all five in the fashion the Black and Gold did, you never know what to expect in the first home game after the trip. We'll know within the first 10 minutes of the Bruins are in for a long night in their first game back. If they are, the Capitals could put some early separation between themselves and the Black and Gold.
Ovechkin’s chase of the Great One
With the regular season quickly coming to an end, all eyes are on Ovechkin and his chase of Wayne Gretzky and the all-time mark for goals scored. After potting a goal in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Sabres, he's just five shy of breaking the record.
If Boston wants to keep him off the scoresheet, staying out of the penalty box is a must as he is leathal on the Capitals power play. There is a good chance that Ovechkin ties or passes the Great Ones mark and a goal against the Bruins would go a long way into making that happen.
Fabian Lysell is in search of his first NHL goal
Top prospect Fabian Lysell has been searching for his first career NHL goal and had a golden opportunity against the Red Wings on Saturday night but was stopped on a breakaway. He has had a handful of chances and John Gibson made a nice side-to-side save last Wednesday night in Anaheim for the Ducks.
His first one will come as it's just a matter of when. You get the feeling that once he sees one go into the net, it could give him more confidence, and he could score in bunches. To do that, however, like the rest of his teammates, he nededs to generate high-danger chances, something that is easier said than done recently.