Need to Know: Bruins vs. Penguins

BOSTON - The Bruins will be in search of their third straight victory on Tuesday night as they continue their homestand against the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden. Boston is coming off of back-to-back offensive explosions, potting a combined 10 goals over the past two games as their early-season scoring woes appear to be dissipating.
"If you look at how they were scored, they're all at the top of the crease, getting the puck there," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "You're seeing a pattern where every one of these goals are within four, five, six feet of the net. The next part of our game is to make some play off the rush…right now our focus is winning inside ice battles."
Here's everything else you need to know ahead of Tuesday's 7 p.m. ET puck (NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub), presented by CDW:

Grzelcyk Could Go

Matt Grzelcyk returned to the ice for Tuesday's morning skate after missing Saturday's win over Philadelphia with an injury. The blue liner will take warmups before a final decision is made on his game status.
"He felt good today, not 100 percent but first time on the ice in a few days, maybe that's to be expected," said Cassidy. "We'll see. If not, [Connor Clifton] will go in. I suspect he's very close. If he doesn't play, I'd think by Thursday. But we'll give him a chance tonight if he feels good."
Clifton subbed in for Grzelcyk on Saturday night, playing alongside Brandon Carlo, and landed four hits with a plus-1 rating in 18"12 of ice time in his season debut.
Veteran defenseman John Moore did not skate either of the last two days after undergoing a "small procedure" for a lower-body injury that dates back to training camp.
"He needed a couple days…it wasn't surgery," said Cassidy. "I don't even know what it was. But I was told he needed 48 hours…he'll be back [on Wednesday]."

Opposing View

The Penguins are off to a 4-2-0 start and are second in the East Division with 8 points. Pittsburgh, which has yet to win on the road this season (0-2-0), is coming off of its fourth straight victory, a 3-2 win over the Rangers on Sunday thanks to Jake Guentzel's 100th career goal with 1:31 remaining.
The Pens, who swept their four-game homestand, came from behind in all four contests, tying a club record.
Sidney Crosby is, once again, pacing the Penguins with seven points and three goals in six games. Pittsburgh's captain has 56 points in 42 career games against the Bruins, most among active players.
"You have a lot of respect for players like that," said Brandon Carlo, referring to Crosby and his fellow Pittsburgh stalwart Evgeni Malkin. "You have to be conscious of when you're playing against those guys and recognize their tendencies.
"Those players are special players for a reason and you just have to go out there and recognize you're in this league for a reason as well, you're capable of doing the job.
"You want to go out and enjoy the process of competing against the best in the world, including the guys you've watched growing up."
Guentzel and Bryan Rust each have five points (two goals, three assists) this season. Forward Drew O'Connor was recalled on an emergency basis on Tuesday morning and could make his NHL debut for Pittsburgh.
In goal, the Penguins have Tristan Jarry (2-2-0, 4.28 GAA, .849 save %) and Casey DeSmith (2-0-0, 2.76, .871 save %). Per Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan, Jarry will get the start in goal on Tuesday night.

By The Numbers

• Nick Ritchie is playing in his 300th career game tonight.
• The Bruins host the Penguins tonight in the first of eight games between these teams this season and the first of four to be played at TD Garden this year.
• The Bruins are playing the third game of a four-game homestand (2-0-0 so far).
• The Bruins and Penguins are meeting for the 211th time in their histories with the Bruins having a 116-65-21-8 record and 802-647 scoring advantage in those games.
• The Bruins are 72-22-6-4 vs. the Penguins all-time on home ice with a 434-286 scoring edge in those 104 contests.
• The Bruins are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games vs. the Penguins and they are 13-4-3 in their last 20 overall games of this series. They have taken points out of their last 11 games in Boston at 10-0-1, including wins in their last eight straight, with their last regulation home loss vs. the Penguins a 3-2 setback on Oct. 13, 2013.

Tuesday's Projected Lineup

FORWARDS
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Jake DeBrusk
Nick Ritchie - David Krejci - Jack Studnicka
Trent Frederic - Charlie Coyle - Craig Smith
Anders Bjork - Sean Kuraly - Chris Wagner
DEFENSEMEN
Jeremy Lauzon - Charlie McAvoy
Connor Clifton - Brandon Carlo
Jakub Zboril - Kevan Miller
GOALIES
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak