Game 54: Boston Bruins @ Anaheim Ducks Lines, Preview

The Boston Bruins (32-17-4, 68 pts) will look to extend their win streak to six games on Tuesday night (10 pm, NESN, 98.5 the Sports Hub, ESPN+) in Anaheim when they take on the Ducks (25-21-9, 59 pts), who come into the game having lost their last two games.

The Bruins come in for the second night of back-to-back games in Southern California after stomping the LA Kings to the tune of a 7-0 blowout win on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. Jake DeBrusk had the first hat trick of his NHL career and Erik Haula added a pair of goals of his own as the Black and Gold stomped the Kings after running out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first period.

Boston Bruins veteran Linus Ullmark will get the starting nod for the Bruins after Swayman pitched a 34-save shutout against the Kings on Monday. Ullmark is 17-8-1 with a 2.76 goals against average and a .909 save percentage on the season, but struggled in February with a 3.27 goals against average and an .897 save percentage in four appearances.

Kings and former UMass goalie Jonathan Quick will look to continue his bounce-back season between the pipes for the Kings tonight. Quick is 14-10-6 with a 2.55 GAA and .913 save percentage.

Boston Bruins Notes

-As most right wingers (besides Craig Smith), do when playing alongside center Patrice Bergeron and left wing Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk has prospered since being slotted in next to the team’s two best players. After a two-goal performance and scoring the overtime winner against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday and his first career hat trick on Monday night against the Kings, DeBrusk is in one of the hottest stretches in his career. He now has points in five straight games with seven goals and one assist over that span. The winger, who still wants the Boston Bruins to trade him, now has 14 goals and 10 assists in 48 games.

-David Pastrnak has six goals and 11 points in 11 career games against the Ducks and could be the focal point for the offense after a relatively quiet two-assist night in the win over the Kings.

-Jeremy Swayman wrapped up the month of February by earning NHL Rookie of the Month honors after racking up a 5-1-1 record and a .960 save percentage while throwing a pair of shutouts as well. Swayman has begun seizing the No. 1 gig with the Boston Bruins based simply on his performance since Tuukka Rask retired and the rookie reclaimed his spot.

Anaheim Ducks Notes

-Anaheim’s first game this season against the Boston Bruins was a memorable one as it was the game that helped Tuukka Rask make a retirement decision after a 5-3 loss at TD Garden. Hampus Lindholm notched three assists, five different Ducks players scored and John Gibson made 23 saves. It was a rough game for the Black and Gold with Boston Bruins fans chanting “We Want Swayman” in the third period after Rask had surrendered five goals with most of them coming on shots to the upper half of the net.

-The Ducks are struggling with a 1-2-0 start in the middle of a six game homestand at the Honda Center and have managed just a single goal in their last two games while hitting a bit of a wall offensively. “I like that we’re trying to shoot the puck, but we’ve got to get them through,” said Anaheim head coach Dallas Eakins. “When the opportunities are there, we’ve got to finish them.”

Boston Bruins Lines:

Forwards

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – Jake DeBrusk

Taylor Hall – Erik Haula – David Pastrnak

Trent Frederic – Charlie Coyle – Craig Smith

Nick Foligno-Tomas Nosek-Jesper Froden

Defense:

Mike Reilly – Charlie McAvoy

Matt Grzelcyk – Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort – Connor Clifton

Goalies:

Linus Ullmark

Jeremy Swayman

Anaheim Ducks Lines:

Forwards:

Sonny Milano–Ryan Getzlaf–Troy Terry
Maxime Comtois–Trevor Zegras–Rickard Rakell
Sam Steel–Isac Lundestrom–Jakob Silfverberg
Nicolas Deslauriers–Sam Carrick–Derek Grant

Defense:

Hampus Lindholm–Jamie Drysdale
Cam Fowler–Kevin Shattenkirk
Simon Benoit–Josh Mahura

Goalies:

John Gibson