1:08 p.m.: Greetings from a quiet TD Garden, where the Bruins and Blue Jackets nixed their game-day skates. Lesson No. 1 if you cover the NHL: Always check the media hotline. Unfortunately, yours truly didn't apply that lesson today. Makes sense that after two road games in two days, the Bruins would be off this morning, but oh well — being stuck in Boston on a beautiful day isn't a bad thing.
The Bruins are coming off their third straight win in the preseason, all by 2-1 scores. In fact, four of the five Bruins wins in the preseason have been by a 2-1 score. If you're a betting man and the over under is 3.5, go under!
Another good bet today — in fact, it's a lock — is that goaltender Tuukka Rask will be between the pipes for his team's final exhibition match against Columbus. Rask has been impressive throughout camp, going 2-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and a .967 save percentage. He has solidified the back-up spot behind starter Tim Thomas who himself has been splendid in his last two starts after a rough outing a week ago in his first preseason appearance. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner is now 2-1-0 with a 2.27 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Thomas was probably the main reason the Bruins flew out of Ottawa Friday night with another 2-1 win as he made 35 saves and looked to be in mid-season form.
The Bruins enter tonight's game with a 5-1-1 record while the Blue Jackets are 3-2-1. Below are the lists of players set to dress for tonight's game. Columbus captain and superstar Rick Nash is not on the trip but keep an eye on budding stars Derek Brassard and Nikita Filatov as well as 2009 Vezina Trophy candidate and Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason, should he start.
The Bruins players and head coach Claude Julien are scheduled to address the media at 4:30 pm. The Bruins are expected to trim their roster once again today so we will have more here after that. Do drop by again and follow our live blog of Bruins-Blue Jackets here at NESN.com.
Bruins
Forwards: Chuck Kobasew, Milan Lucic, Shawn Thornton, Blake Wheeler, Mark Recchi,
Patrice Bergeron, Zach Hamill, Vladimir Sobotka, Byron Bitz, Brad Marchand, Michael Ryder and Marc Savard
Defensemen: Dennis Wideman, Andrew Ference, Zdeno Chara, Mark Stuart, Matt Hunwick, Derek Morris and Johnny Boychuk
Goalies: Tuukka Rask, Tim Thomas
Blue Jackets
Forwards: Michael Blunden, Raffi Torres, Derek Dorsett, Derek Brassard, Andrew Murray, Alexandre Picard, Tom Sestito, Derek MacKenzie, Nikita Filatov, Jared Boll, David Liffiton, Stefan Legein, Matt Calvert
Defensemen: Mark Methot, Kris Russell, Mathieu Roy, David Liffiton, Martin Skoula, Grant Clitsome
Goalies: Steve Mason, Mathieu Garon
