Game 40: Boston Bruins @ Anaheim Ducks Lines, Preview

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Boston Bruins Game Day Preview:

Boston Bruins (31-4-4, 66 pts) @ Anaheim Ducks (12-24-4, 28 pts)

TIME: 8:30 P.M. ET

TV: NESN, Bally Sports West

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Boston Bruins Notes

-The Boston Bruins will be without winger Jake DeBrusk for at least the next month, but that injury has allowed the Bruins to reunite the Perfection Line with David Pastrnak sliding back up to right wing with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. The electric Pastrnak had two goals in Saturday night’s win over the San Jose Sharks, and has four goals in two games since joining back up with his old linemates.

-With two assists in Boston’s win over San Jose, defenseman Charlie McAvoy became the third defenseman from the 2016 NHL Draft to hit the 200-point milestone, joining select company in Adam Fox (203) and Mikhail Sergachev (203).

Charlie McAvoy became the third defenseman from the 2016 NHL Draft to hit the 200-point milestone, joining Adam Fox (203) and Mikhail Sergachev (203).#NHLStats: https://t.co/jNRIafrM1b pic.twitter.com/UUa5OlbToC

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 8, 2023

-AJ Greer missed Saturday night’s win over the Sharks due to illness, so the Boston Bruins played with seven defensemen and added Jakub Zboril to the lineup. Zboril played 6:47 of ice time and had one blocked shot in the win, his first actual NHL game action since before Thanksgiving.

Anaheim Ducks Notes

-The red-hot Ducks are looking for their third straight win after back-to-back victories over the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks as they continue a ridiculously long 10-game homestand at the Honda Center.

-Mason McTavish is coming off a career-best four point game in the win over the Sharks and is part of an impressive youth movement for the Ducks.

“He played a really solid game,” said Anaheim Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins. “I keep saying the same thing because I believe the kid is investing in his career.

“He’s out there because he’s earned trust…He has not only the trust of me but he’s got the trust of our coaching staff and he has the trust of his teammates. He’s earned that along the way. I have no reservation at all putting him out there when the other team has the goalie pulled. I’ve got no problem putting him out at the crucial moments in overtime or late in the game.”

-The Ducks will welcome back defenseman Hampus Lindholm for the first time since trading him to the Boston Bruins last season as the Swedish defenseman is enjoying an excellent season sharing top billing on the back end with Charlie McAvoy for the Black and Gold.

Boston Bruins Lineup:

Forwards

Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak

Taylor Hall-David Krejci-Pavel Zacha

Trent Frederic-Charlie Coyle-Craig Smith

Nick Foligno-Tomas Nosek-AJ Greer

Defense:

Hampus Lindholm-Charlie McAvoy

Matt Grzelcyk-Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort-Connor Clifton

Goalies:

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark

Late night goalie hugs>>> pic.twitter.com/kJnAwdv9Qy

— Cam (@Swaybeaut) January 8, 2023

Anaheim Ducks Lineup:

Forwards

Adam Henrique-Mason McTavish-Troy Terry

Trevor Zegras-Ryan Strome-Frank Vatrano

Maxime Comtois-Sam Carrick-Jacob Silfverberg

Kirkland-Jayson Megna-Brett Leason

Defense

Cam Fowler-Dmitry Kulikov

Simon Benoit-John Klingberg

Urho Vaakanainen-Colton White

Goalies

John Gibson