BOSTON — The Bruins will look to gather some additional momentum entering their upcoming six-game road trip as they welcome the Los Angeles Kings to TD Garden on Tuesday night.
The Kings lead the NHL’s Pacific Division by a healthy margin, while the Bruins have an opportunity to leap into second place in the Atlantic with a win and a Tampa Bay Lightning loss.
“It is a measuring-stick (game),” Bruins center Patrice Bergeron said Tuesday morning. “They’re a team that’s been very successful over the last few years. I feel like it’s going to be a tight game, physical game, and they’re a heavy team. They’re a team that’s really on the puck, and they play well defensively. So, every chance we’re going to get, we’re going to have to bear down.”
The game will represent a homecoming for Kings winger Milan Lucic, who spent his first eight NHL seasons in Boston before being traded this past summer.
“It’ll be a little different (facing Lucic), that’s for sure,” Bruins center David Krejci said. “But I’m excited. I’m excited to see him play against us. It will be exciting for us, for the fans and I’m sure for him, as well. But two points are really important for us right now.”
Tuukka Rask is expected to start in net for the Bruins opposite Kings No. 1 netminder Jonathan Quick.
UPDATE (6:40 p.m. ET): The Bruins made one change to their lineup, as Tyler Randell replaced Zac Rinaldo on the fourth line after sitting out the previous 12 games as a healthy scratch.
Here are the projected lines and pairings for both teams:
BOSTON BRUINSÂ (28-18-6)
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — Brett Connolly
Loui Eriksson — David Krejci — David Pastrnak
Matt Beleskey — Ryan Spooner — Jimmy Hayes
Landon Ferraro — Max Talbot —Â Tyler Randell
Zdeno Chara —Â Zach Trotman
Joe Morrow — Dennis Seidenberg
Torey Krug —Â Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
LOS ANGELES KINGSÂ (31-17-3)
Milan Lucic — Anze Kopitar — Dustin Brown
Dwight King — Jeff Carter — Tyler Toffoli
Marian Gaborik — Vincent Lecavalier — Trevor Lewis
Kyle Clifford — Andy Andreoff — Jordan Nolan
Brayden McNabb — Drew Doughty
Jake Muzzin — Alec Martinez
Christian Ehrhoff — Luke Schenn
Jonathan Quick
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
