Bruins at Kings preview

BRUINS (33-17-8) at KINGS (23-28-6)
10:30 p.m. ET; FS-W, NESN, NHL.TV

The Bruins defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 on Friday and are 6-0-3 in their past nine games. Boston is in third place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Bruins forward Karson Kuhlman will make his NHL debut. Kuhlman helped Minnesota-Duluth win the NCAA Division I national championship in April and was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
The Kings lost 4-3 to the Vancouver Canucks in a shootout on Thursday, their third straight defeat (0-1-2). Las Angeles, which has earned a point in five of its past six games (3-1-2), is in last place in the Western Conference and eight points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

Players to watch

Bruins defenseman Torey Krug has six assists during a five-game point streak.
Kings forward Austin Wagner has scored three goals in his past two games and has four goals in his past four games.

They said it

"I think as a team we're happy with where we are, but each game we want to improve and get better in a different part of it. We've been talking a lot about just being strong defensively and the offense will come, and right now it's happening for us." -- Bruins center Noel Acciari
"I think with anything it's how tight you are to your coverage. If you are a long ways away they are going to get lots of speed, but if you are on them as soon as they get the puck and you can get them before they get speed then that helps." -- Kings coach Willie Desjardins on defending the Bruins

Bruins projected lineup

Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Danton Heinen
Peter Cehlarik -- David Krejci -- Jake DeBrusk
Sean Kuraly -- Noel Acciari -- Chris Wagner
Joakim Nordstrom -- Trent Frederic -- Karson Kuhlman
Zdeno Chara -- Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug -- Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk -- Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
Jaroslav Halak
Scratched:John Moore, David Backes
Injured:David Pastrnak (thumb)

Kings projected lineup

Alex Iafallo -- Anze Kopitar -- Dustin Brown
Brendan Leipsic -- Jeff Carter -- Tyler Toffoli
Carl Hagelin -- Adrian Kempe -- Ilya Kovalchuk
Kyle Clifford -- Trevor Lewis -- Austin Wagner
Derek Forbort -- Drew Doughty
Oscar Fantenberg -- Paul LaDue
Dion Phaneuf -- Matt Roy
Jonathan Quick
Jack Campbell
Scratched: Michael Amadio
Injured: Alec Martinez (upper body), Sean Walker (upper body), Jonny Brodzinski (shoulder)

Status report

Roy will make his NHL debut against the Bruins after being recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League because of injuries Martinez and Walker sustained against the Canucks. Martinez will miss one-to-two weeks. Walker will not play after being struck in the face by a shot by Canucks defenseman Ben Hutton in the third period.

Stat pack

DeBrusk has four points (two goals, two assists) in his past two games. … Clifford has two assists in each of his past two games. … Boston is 8-2-2 against the Pacific Division.