BOSTON –– The Boston Bruins will host the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday at TD Garden for a 7 p.m. matchup. It marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams.
“They’ve been in the finals a few years in a row now for a reason. Now it’s almost like they can taste it again,” head coach Marco Sturm said of Edmonton. “If you have a guy like McDavid and Leon on the same team, it sounds dangerous to me. We’ve just got to make sure we play them the right way, play them hard, don’t give them too much room. That is going to be the challenge tonight.”
The Bruins have won five of their last six games, most recently beating the Utah Mammoth 4-1 on Tuesday to open the homestand. The B’s have the most wins on home ice in the Eastern Conference with 12 so far this year.
“We feel comfortable at home. For me, what I’ve noticed since I’m here, every time we score, it feels like the energy all of a sudden it’s starting to come more from the crowd, and also from us, too,” Sturm said. “It gives us a little extra boost, I would say.”
Tanner Jeannot did not practice with the team on Wednesday due to illness, but is expected to play on Thursday against the Oilers, Sturm said. The 28-year-old forward is on the fourth line with Mark Kastelic and Sean Kuraly. The trio has combined for 11 points in the last five games.
“It’s been awesome. Really, two predictable players. I think, generally, we think the game the same way, and how we want to produce a successful trio. I really think anytime we get together, it really does take all three,” Kuraly said. “We’re learning to work better and better. I’m looking forward to continuing to get better with two big, strong, skilled players. I’ve really enjoyed playing with both of them – good teammates.”
