Bruins at Senators preview

BRUINS (16-3-5) at SENATORS (11-12-1)
7 p.m. ET; SN360, TVAS, NESN, NHL.TV

The Bruins, playing the second half of a back-to-back after an 8-1 victory at the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, have outscored opponents 21-8 in four straight wins and are 5-0-3 in their past eight games.
Goalie Tuukka Rask could start for the Bruins; he's 4-0-0 with a 2.23 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in his past four starts.
The Senators will try for their eighth win in 11 games; they are 7-3-0 in their past 10 after going 3-6-1 in their previous 10.
Goalie Anders Nilsson will start for Ottawa; he's 6-1-0 with a 2.13 GAA and .935 save percentage in his past seven starts.

Players to watch

Bruins forward David Pastrnak has eight points (seven goals, one assist) in his past five games.
Senators forward Anthony Duclair has six points (four goals, two assists) in his past five games.

They said it

"His one-timer has been rock solid from Day One. So the power play is a threat every time he goes over the boards. … As an 18-year-old, I had him in Providence; he was always winning pucks. But now he is able to stay on his feet longer and absorb hits, and I think that's why he's had more success this year."-- Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy on forward David Pastrnak
"Everyone knows how highly I speak of their game. I think you'd be crazy not to take the Boston Bruins seriously, coming off a loss, win, whatever the case may be." -- Senators coach D.J. Smith

Bruins projected lineup

Brad Marchand -- David Krejci -- David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk -- Jack Studnicka -- Charlie Coyle
Anders Bjork -- Sean Kuraly -- Danton Heinen
Joakim Nordstrom -- Par Lindholm -- Chris Wagner
Zdeno Chara -- Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug -- Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk -- Connor Clifton
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak
Scratched: Steven Kampfer, Brendan Gaunce
Injured: Patrice Bergeron (groin), Brett Ritchie (upper body), David Backes (upper body), John Moore (shoulder), Kevan Miller (knee), Zach Senyshyn (lower body), Karson Kuhlman (fractured tibia)

Senators projected lineup

Brady Tkachuk -- Logan Brown -- Anthony Duclair
Tyler Ennis -- Chris Tierney -- Colin White
Nicholas Paul -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Connor Brown
Filip Chlapik -- J.C. Beaudin -- Max Veronneau
Thomas Chabot -- Ron Hainsey
Mark Borowiecki -- Nikita Zaitsev
Erik Brannstrom -- Dylan DeMelo
Anders Nilsson
Marcus Hogberg
Scratched:Mikkel Boedker
Injured:Scott Sabourin (nose), Artem Anisimov (groin), Vladislav Namestnikov (back), Cody Goloubef (undisclosed), Craig Anderson (undisclosed)

Status report

Brannstrom will return to the lineup for the first time since sustaining a hand injury on Nov. 16. … Smith said Anderson is out as a precaution. Hogberg was recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League. … Bergeron is not with the Bruins on their road trip.

Stat pack

Marchand has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in a four-game multipoint streak. … Krejci needs two goals for 200 in the NHL. … Pageau (10 goals in November) is three goals from tying Ottawa's record for most goals in one month (Daniel Alfredsson, 13, November 2005).