Need to Know: Bruins vs. Hurricanes

BOSTON – The Bruins will close out their five-game homestand on Wednesday night as they host the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Garden in search of their sixth straight victory. It marks the first meeting of the season between the clubs.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the 7:30 p.m. ET puck drop on TNT and 98.5 The Sports Hub:

Opposing View

After a slower start to the season, Carolina has played strong hockey in recent weeks and is in the midst of a 7-2-1 stretch. The Hurricanes, coming off a 5-2 loss to Minnesota on Sunday night, are third in the Metro Division with a 25-15-5 record and 55 points.

“They hunt pucks all over the ice,” said Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. “They punt a lot of pucks and they get their speed, they get their forwards out of the zone, they get on top of you. They pressure you all over the place, so that’s why I say it’s a hornet’s nest. They go to the net and spend more time in the offensive zone than any other team in the league.”

Carolina is paced by All-Star Sebastian Aho, who leads the club with 51 points and 16 goals in 42 games. Seth Jarvis (15-19—34), the injured Andrei Svechnikov (11-19—30), Michael Bunting (10-20—30), and Martin Necas (11-18—29) round out the ‘Canes top five scorers. Former Bruin Dmitry Orlov has 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 45 games.

“I’m excited to play them, they are always a very tough team to play,” said Bruins captain Brad Marchand. “It kind of feels like a playoff game every time you play them. It will be interesting to see…they’re playing really, really well right now. It’s a great challenge when you play a team like them.”

Goalie Spencer Martin, a newcomer to the Hurricanes, could be “in line to make his first start” with the club, according to Hurricanes.com. Netminders Frederik Andersen (blood clots) and Pyotr Kotchetkov (concussion protocol) have been out since Nov. 6 and Jan. 11, respectively.

Wait, There’s More

• Oskar Steen will replace Matt Poitras as the fourth-line right wing against the Hurricanes. “It’s just part of [Poitras’ process],” said Montgomery. “We don’t want him to play back-to-back, so that’s why [there’s a] change.”
• On the back end, Kevin Shattenkirk will sub back in for Parker Wotherspoon on the B’s third pair alongside Derek Forbort. “That one’s a hard on to predict,” Montgomery said when asked if there will be a defense rotation. “We’ll try to keep everybody involved. I don’t necessarily see it as a Wotherspoon-Shattenkirk platoon. It’s just going to be dependent on where everybody’s at. Health comes into it. Opponent…schedule.”
• Montgomery on Jake DeBrusk’s recent hot streak of 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 14 games: “I think it’s the best version we’ve seen, even including last year.”
• Marchand on how he’s formed chemistry with Charlie Coyle: "I think just time. You need games, you need practices together. I think both of us are different players than what we're used to playing with. We just needed time to build that chemistry in practice."

Wednesday’s Projected Lineup

FORWARDS

Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – David Pastrnak

James van Riemsdyk – Pavel Zacha – Jake DeBrusk

Jakub Lauko – Morgan Geekie – Trent Frederic

Danton Heinen – Jesper Boqvist – Oskar Steen

DEFENSEMEN

Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort – Kevin Shattenkirk

GOALIES

Linus Ullmark

Jeremy Swayman