(SportsNetwork.com) – The St. Louis Blues will try to extend their success
against the Eastern Conference with a seventh straight victory in Boston as
they visit the Bruins for Tuesday night’s contest between streaking clubs.
The Blues are 5-1-0 versus the East this season after beating the Washington
Capitals 4-1 on Saturday. Brian Elliott made 24 saves and was supported by
goals from four different skaters.
Jori Lehtera was one of those who lit the lamp, extending his point streak to
seven straight games. The red-hot Finn has five goals and six assists over
that run and was named the NHL’s First Star of the week on Monday.
Though Vladimir Tarasenko had a seven-game point streak end, linemate Jaden
Schwartz scored a goal and has amassed two goals and eight assists over a six-
game point streak.
Overall, the line of Lehtera, Tarasenko and Schwartz has posted 33 points over
the last eight games.
Head coach Ken Hitchcock, though, also got some secondary scoring on Saturday,
with David Backes and Patrik Berglund adding goals and defenseman Kevin
Shattenkirk notching a pair of assists in St. Louis’ third straight victory.
The Blues won four of five on their homestand and are 10-1-0 in their last 11.
“It was a good team win,” Schwartz said. “Nice way to finish out a homestand.”
St. Louis begins a four-game swing tonight in Boston, where it has not lost
since Jan. 30, 2001. The Blues’ six-game road winning streak in this series
has helped them take 11 of the last 14 meetings overall.
Shattenkirk is one Blues skater who will enjoy the trip to Beantown. The
former Boston University defenseman is set to appear in his 300th career game
tonight.
Though the Bruins have struggled to pick up wins against the Blues, they have
picked up points in this series, going 3-0-4 in the last seven meetings.
Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask has never lost in regulation to the Blues, going
1-0-3 with a 1.90 goals against average and .933 save percentage in four
previous encounters.
Elliott is 3-5-3 with a 2.98 GAA and .898 save percentage in 11 career starts
versus the Bruins.
Boston picked up a fifth straight home victory with Saturday’s 2-1 victory
over Carolina. It was a much-needed effort after the Bruins got outscored 11-2
in consecutive road losses to Toronto and Montreal.
“We’ve got to build ourselves back up there, and today was a good start,” said
Bruins coach Claude Julien about halting the losing streak.
Rask made 33 saves, while Seth Griffith and Patrice Bergeron scored first-
period goals in Boston’s sixth victory in eight games.
David Krejci missed his fourth game in a row for the Bruins due to an
undisclosed injury. He did practice on Monday and is day-to-day.
“He’s been coming along and I think he’s felt pretty good, from what I’m
told,” Julien told Boston’s website. “But they want to make sure that they
make the right decision, so they haven’t cleared him yet for me.”
Krejci has three goals and 10 points in 10 games this season.
