Devils at Bruins preview

DEVILS (25-32-8) at BRUINS (38-17-9)
7 p.m. ET; NESN, MSG+, NHL.TV

The Bruins, who have won three straight and are 11-0-4 in their past 15 games, are three points ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Goalie Tuukka Rask will start; he's 13-0-3 with a 1.99 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and two shutouts in his past 17 games (16 decisions). He has not lost in regulation since a 5-3 defeat at the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 23.
Bruins forward Marcus Johansson will play against the Devils for the first time since heacquired him in a trade with New Jersey on Feb. 25.
Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood will start for the Devils, who have lost two straight and are 5-8-1 in their past 14 games.

Players to watch

Devils forward
Kevin Rooney
has three points (two goals, one assist) in a three-game point streak.
Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk has 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in his past eight games.

They said it

"We're going to continue to work on that. We have to have more of a shot mentality, get in and around the net a little bit better." -- Devils coach John Hynes
"Yeah, I think it's going to be a little weird. I mean obviously I made a lot of good friendships and you know it's going to be weird." -- Bruins forward Marcus Johansson on facing the Devils

Devils projected lineup

Jesper Bratt -- Nico Hischier -- Drew Stafford
Kenny Agostino -- Travis Zajac -- Blake Coleman
Nick Lappin -- Michael McLeod -- Nathan Bastian
Blake Pietila -- Kevin Rooney --
Joey Anderson
Andy Greene -- Damon Severson
Will Butcher -- Sami Vatanen
Egor Yakovlev -- Connor Carrick
Mackenzie Blackwood
Cory Schneider
Scratched: Steven Santini
Injured: Miles Wood (ankle), Pavel Zacha (upper body), Stefan Noesen (lower body), John Quenneville (upper body), Taylor Hall (knee)
Suspended:Kurtis Gabriel

Bruins projected lineup

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

Status report

Neither team held a morning skate. … Gabriel (concussion protocol) and Bastian (undisclosed) each left in the third period of the Devils' 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday. Their availability will be updated before the game Saturday. Gabriel was suspended one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety for a major penalty for boarding against Philadelphia Flyers center Nolan Patrick during New Jersey's 6-3 loss on Friday. ... Anderson was recalled from Binghamton of the American Hockey League on Saturday and is available to play.

Stat pack

Bratt has nine points (three goals, six assists) in his past seven games. … Bergeron is one point shy of 793 in the NHL, which would tie him with Wayne Cashman for sixth on the Bruins' all-time list. … Marchand has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in his past 12 games. … Krejci has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in his past eight games.