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| The Bruins celebrate a 2-1 SO victory over Winnepeg back on January 21. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images) |
Boston: 19-5-3 Winnipeg: 15-12-2
The Winnipeg Jets will welcome the Boston Bruins to the MTS
Center Tuesday night. Both clubs are coming off losses in prior outings. The
Jets have been playing much better of late, picking up victories in six of
their last ten. Winnipeg has battled its way into a tie for the Southeast
Division lead with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Bruins, unbeaten in two
attempts against the Jets this season, will look to bounce back from a
disheartening effort Sunday afternoon at Pittsburgh.
The MTS Center is known for its raucous crowd and is one of
the more challenging venues in the NHL to visit. Surprisingly, the Jets have
been pedestrian at best playing in their home barn, coming in at 6-6. The
Bruins on the other hand have faired very well on the road, posting a 9-3-2
mark away from Boston.
The meeting with Boston will kick off the beginning of a
four game home set for the Jets. It’s a guarantee Winnipeg will want to erase
the sour taste in their mouths from prior 3-2 and 2-1 losses suffered at the
hands of the Bruins.
The Bruins are coming off of back-to-back physical battles
with the Caps and Pens. Fatigue set in on Sunday and it was more than evident.
With a day off, Boston should be refreshed and ready to go. The black and gold
have been scuffling on the road of late, losing two in a row. If Boston hopes
to grab a win, they must play a focused, determined, fundamental game.
Jets goalie, Ondrej Pavelec, has shinned versus Boston in
his last two starts. He may be 0-2 against them on the year, but his GAA is an
eye popping 1.94. The Czech net minder will need to be tested early and often.
The Bruins failed to generate a substantial offensive attack against Tomas
Vokoun and were subsequently sent away losers.
Tuukka Rask has had great success in facing Winnipeg. Rask
is 7-3 in head to head meetings against the franchise formally known as the
Thrashers.
Boston will likely be without their top center David Krejci
in this one. Krejci was struck in the knee Sunday with a slap shot and
immediately was forced to leave the game. Ryan Spooner was recalled from Providence
on an emergency basis and could slide in between Jay Pandolfo and Jordan Caron
on Boston’s third line. The injury to Krejci will leave a huge whole on the
Bruins top line. Claude Julien may opt to slot Rich Peverley alongside Milan
Lucic and Nathan Horton.
Winnipeg packs a punch offensively. They have several
bruising goal scoring forwards. The Jets aren’t going to blow you away, but
Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Evander Kane, and Dustin Byfuglien are all great
talents. When those guys are on the ice, Boston will be sure to keep close
watch over them.
A depleted Bruins team will need a full sixty-minute team
effort if it hopes to keep pace in the Northeast Division. Montreal shows no
signs of slowing down and the Bruins need to keep their nose to the grindstone
and continue plugging along. Ryan Spooner should provide an offensive spark.
The youngster will bring fresh legs and an energetic charge to a Boston team
that could certainly use it. Spooner had 12 goals and 33 assists playing in
Providence prior to the call up.
Brad Marchand could also factor into this
game. The winger has potted two goals against the Jets this season.
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