The red-hot Boston Bruins look to extend their win streak to five when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night at Amalie Arena.
Boston is fresh off a 7-3 thumping of the Florida Panthers while Tampa Bay saw its win streak end at seven Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues. This is the third time the two teams have met this season, with one more matchup still to come on April 6, the final day of the regular season. The season series is tied at a game apiece. The B’s came away with a 4-1 win the last time the two squads took the ice in February.
Winger Marcus Johansson is a game-time decision for the Bruins. He has missed the last nine games with a lung contusion suffered on March 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Should he be in the lineup, he is expected to take his spot on the second unit opposite Jake DeBrusk with David Krejci between them. If the 28-year-old cannot go, expect Bruce Cassidy to role with the same forward lines as Saturday’s game, with Karson Kuhlman flanking Krejci on the second unit.
Tuukka Rask will be in net for the Bruins, while the Lightning will counter with Andrei Vasilevskiy
Here are the projected lines and defense pairings for both teams.
BOSTON BRUINS (46-20-9)
Brad Marchand–-Patrice Bergeron–-David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk–-David Krejci–-Karson Kuhlman
Danton Heinen–-Charlie Coyle–-Chris Wagner
Joakim Nordstrom–-Noel Acciari–-David Backes
Zdeno Chara–-Charlie McAvoy
Brandon Carlo–-Connor Clifton
John Moore–-Steven Kampfer
Tuukka Rask
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (58-14-4)
Ondrej Palat–Steven Stamkos–J.T. Miller
Tyler Johnson–Brayden Point–Nikita Kuhcherov
Alex Killorn–Anthony Cirelli–Mathieu Joseph
Adam Erne–Cedric Paquette–Ryan Callahan
Victor Hedman–Mikhail Sergachev
Ryan McDonagh–Erik Cernak
Braydon Coburn–Jan Rutta
Andrei Vasilevskiy
