Game preview: Boston Bruins @ St. Louis Blues | Nov. 23, 2009

November 22, 11:53 PMBoston Bruins ExaminerMark Marino

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The Bruins kicked-off their recent four-game road trip with two extra-minute victories, over the Atlanta Thrashers and Buffalo Sabres, and now look for their first trifecta of the season as they hit the Scottrade Center to face the St. Louis Blues.

Just as the Bruins have been finding their stride on the road, tonight they welcome back their All Star center Marc Savard, who had missed the previous 15 games with a broken left foot.

Meanwhile, the Bluenotes conclude their six-game home stand tonight after going 3-2-0 at home, and 3-2-3 for the month of November. Like Boston, St. Louis is also seeking its first three-game winning streak of the season.

Live coverage begins at 8:05pm ET. The East vs. West contest can be seen on NESN and streamed online at The Sports Hub.

Quick Comparisons:

• St. Louis is ranked 26th in the NHL with 2.40 goals-for per game (48). Boston is 29th with 2.27 (50)
• St. Louis' 2.40 goals-against average ranks them 5th. Boston's 2.41 has them 6th in the league.
• The Blues are the 3rd best team in the NHL on the penalty-kill with 84.9%. The B's are 5th with an even 84%
• The Bluenotes are the worst team in the NHL with the man advantage at 12.7%. The Bruins are slightly better with their 29th ranked 13.2% on the power play

Home Team: St. Louis Blues (8-8-4, 20 points, 5th Central Division, 13th Western Conference, 3-2-0 last five)

Who's Hot: David Perron has five goals in his last five games, including a two-goal-game in Saturday night's 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders.

Who To Watch For:  Chris Mason is 3-2-0 in his last five contests (all at home), and has allowed just eight goals throughout that span for a .936 save-percentage. Mason has been one of the better goalies in the league this season, playing for the .500 Blues, posting a 6-6-3 record with a .926 save-percentage (4th) and 2.16 goals-against average (4th).

Erik Johnson, the first overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, is the team leader in points (2-12-14) and plus-minus (plus-7) through 20 games this season—including 2-3-5, plus-4, and 12 shots on goal in his last five. The 21-year-old defenseman is an offensive threat that can end a game as quickly as this one.

“Offense is part of my game,” Johnson said. “That’s what I am counted on by this team to do, rush the puck and push the pace of the game and take passes and go. When I have a chance to do that, I’m going to do it every time. I’m going to use my shot as an asset and shoot every time.

“That is something I am going to key on. Hopefully it works out for our team more often.”

Line Combinations:
David Perron—Andy McDonald—Brad Boyes
Paul Kariya—David Backes—T.J. Oshie
Patrik Berglund—Jay McClement—B.J. Crombeen
Brad Winchester—Keith Tkachuk—Cam Janssen

Erik Johnson—Carlo Colaiacovo
Reic Brewer—Alex Pietrangelo
Roman Polak—Barret Jackman

Chris Mason—Ty Conlkin

Injury Report: Alexander Steen has returned to practice, wearing a no-contact jersey. D.J. King is the only player on St. Louis on the IR. King—who made his 2009-10 season debut on Oct. 24 from the IR with a dislocated thumb—fractured and dislocated a bone in his hand after a fight with Dallas Stars Krys Barch in the first period of that game.

Check out stltoday.com for more St. Louis Blues news and notes.

Away Team: Boston Bruins (10-8-4, 24 points, 3rd Northeast Division, 7th Eastern Conference, 2-1-2 last five)

Who's Hot: Tuukka Rask has taken full advantage of Tim Thomas' "minor, undisclosed injury" this past week. The 22-year-old Rask started the last three consecutive games for the Bruins, compiling a 2-1-0 record, and a staggering .964 save-percentage. On the season, Rask is 5-2-1 with a .917 save-percentage (210/229), one shutout, and his 2.31 goals-against average ranks him 10th in the NHL. With his recent play, backstopping the Bruins to victory, the future of Boston's goaltending is in safe hands with Rask.

Who's Not: The B's have now been shorthanded nine times over their last two games—14 in their last three—and have allowed two goals-against on the penalty-kill. Although still ranked fifth in the NHL with an 84-percent success rate on the PK, Boston needs to stay out of the box considering they are lighting the lamp of an average of just 2.27 times per game.


What to Watch For: Watch out for the third-line of Wheeler—Krejci—Ryder. During the 2-1 OT win over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night, the trio looked better than ever all season. Despite being left off the scoreboard, the (now) third-line combined for six shots on goal (plus six missed shots), with numerous scoring chances on Sabres net-minder Ryan Miller.
The once cold-as-ice Michael Ryder now has three of his six goals in the last three games, and is finally showing signs of promise and optimism. David Krejci looked as if he's gotten his legs back, and then some, after battling the H1N1 virus, and has four points, 10 shots on goal, and has won nearly 55-percent of his face-off draws in his last four games. And Blake Wheeler, see below: Unsung Player.

Who To Watch For: After missing the last 15 games with a broken foot, Bruins' superstar center Marc Savard makes is long anticipated return to the Black and Gold lineup tonight against the Blues. The No.1 center will reunite with left-winger Marco Sturm, as well as recently promoted right-winger Byron Bitz. Savvy averaged roughly 21 shifts per game, as well as 18-minutes of ice time before being placed on the LTIR. Watch to see how his level of play is tonight and if his foot, and legs, is where they once were in early Oct.
No.91 is scheduled to be on the first power-play unit—where Savard's presence was sorely missed—up-front with Marco Sturm, Michael Ryder, and Zdeno Chara and Derek Morris manning the point.

Unsung Player: Blake Wheeler was arguably the best player dressed in Black and Gold on Saturday against the Sabres; the kid did it all but find the back of the net. Between his aggressive forechecking to crashing the net, No.26 had "it" going throughout all 20 of his shifts. Wheeler's three points in the last five games is hardly indicative of his overall play as of late; as he's posted a plus-2, 17 shots on net and averaged nearly 18 of minutes of ice time during that span.  Wheeler should join David Krejci and Mark Recchi on Boston's second power-play unit; with Dennis Wideman and Patrice Bergeron on the point.

Line Combinations:
Marco Sturm—Marc Savard—Byron Bitz
Milan Lucic—Patrice Bergeron—Mark Recchi
Blake Wheeler—David Krejci—Michael Ryder
Shawn Thornton—Steve Begin—Daniel Paille/Vladimir Sobotka

Zdeno Chara—Derek Morris
Andrew Ference—Dennis Wideman
Matt Hunwick—Mark Stuart

Tuukka Rask—Tim Thomas

Injury Report: Marc Savard should be back in the lineup tonight, after missing over a month with a broken left foot. Tim Thomas has dressed and served as back-up to Tuukka Rask the last three games with a "minor, undisclosed injury". Brad Marchand has rejoined the Providence Bruins this past weekend. Johnny Boychuk has been a healthy scratch yet again, and there's a good chance one of the four fourth-liners will join him in the press box tonight.

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