Need to Know: Bruins vs. Kraken

BOSTON – The Bruins will be aiming to snap their two-game skid on Thursday night when they continue their seven-game homestand with a tilt against the Seattle Kraken at TD Garden. While Boston dropped a 3-2 shootout decision to Tampa two nights ago, the Black & Gold were far more pleased with their effort compared to what they put forth in losses to Calgary and Washington earlier in the homestand.

“Consistency,” coach Jim Montgomery said when asked what he’d be looking for out of his club against Seattle. “We've been one bad game, one good game since the All-Star break. I want to see two good games in a row here.”

Montgomery, however, believes that just like the B’s downturn before Christmas, the slump coming out the All-Star break should help them come the spring.

“I think it's a healthy thing for us. We went through it in December and I think we came out a better team and, hopefully, we're getting out of it right now,” said Montgomery. “But I really liked our team game last game. I thought we played to how I think we can have success and we all believe we can have success, but I think there's going to be more adversity.

“There's still 29 or 30 games left. So, there's going to be adversity. We have a lot of back to backs. Three and four is coming up. All of that is good in preparation. That's why you go through the grind of the season. You want to be pushed, you want to be tested.”

Opposing View

Seattle (22-21-10) is closing out a four-game road trip, during which it has posted a 1-2-0 record, including a 2-1 shootout win over the Islanders on Tuesday night. Oliver Bjorkstrand paces Seattle with 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 53 games this season, while Jared McCann leads the club with 21 goals.

North Andover, Mass., native Joey Daccord is expected to make the start between the pipes for Seattle. He is 15-11-9 with a 2.36 goals against average and .921 save percentage.

“Really sound checking team,” said Montgomery. “They don't draw a lot of penalties. I think the bottom three in both categories – or top three, whichever way you look at it. And scoring chances, they’re on the good side of it and don't give up a lot. They're also not getting a lot. So, it's a team that plays the tight-checking game that doesn't give you a lot of opportunities. We're going to have to really work for our offense today and be patient.”

Morgan Geekie, who spent the previous two seasons with Seattle, knows the Kraken will present a strong challenge.

“They’re good, obviously pretty familiar with them,” said Geekie, who had a career-high nine goals and 28 points with Seattle last season. “They work hard, they play really solid at both ends of the ice. They can roll four lines pretty well. They’re a good team.”

Wait, There’s More

• After missing Wednesday’s practice for maintenance, David Pastrnak took part in the optional morning skate. He will be in the lineup against the Kraken. “Pasta is fine. He’ll be out there,” said Montgomery.
• Parker Wotherspoon will sub in for Kevin Shattenkirk on the B’s third defense pairing alongside Derek Forbort: “It's play-driven and sometimes it's a matchup,” Montgomery said of choosing how to deploy his defensemen. “And it's not just those two…we have confidence in all seven defensemen to get the job done. But we do want to keep guys in a rotation, so to speak. And it just feels like right now it's been those two. But I have told both of those two, that it's not just them two. There is going to be other guys at some point, whether it's injury or because of just play.”
• Montgomery said that Wootherspoon’s confidence has stood out as one of his finest attributes. “Confidence and making plays…and being physical and determining other people to get to our net. That's been the two main things. What I've seen is, he's pretty comfortable as a person being up full-time. A lot of times, guys are always wondering [if he’ll be sent down]. He doesn't seem to wonder. He walks around like he belongs, which is a great thing.”
• Wootherspoon added that he has embraced his role even if it means sitting out as healthy scratch at times like he did on Tuesday night.  "My main thing is I'm here to win,” he said. “If I came in with a bad attitude because I got scratched, then that affects the team, that's just not me. It’s a different situation, but it's hard to complain in the NHL."

Thursday’s Projected Lineup

FORWARDS

Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Trent Frederic

Jake DeBrusk – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak

James van Riemsdyk – Morgan Geekie – Anthony Richard

Danton Heinen – Jesper Boqvist – Oskar Steen

DEFENSEMEN

Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort – Parker Wotherspoon

GOALIES

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark