Hurricanes at Bruins

[IE]

Good morning from TD Garden, where the Bruins will start their four-game homestand tonight against Carolina.

David Krejci (core) has yet to practice. It is highly unlikely, therefore, that Krejci will play tonight. Tyler Seguin should center the No. 1 line for the third straight game.

Adam McQuaid (neck) could be available tonight. We?ll assume McQuaid will play.


Records: Hurricanes 2-2-1, Bruins 2-3-0

Projected Bruins lineup:

Milan Lucic-Tyler Seguin-Nathan Horton
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Rich Peverley
Benoit Pouliot-Chris Kelly-Jordan Caron
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk
Dennis Seidenberg-Joe Corvo
Andrew Ference-Adam McQuaid

Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask

Healthy scratch: Matt Bartkowski

Storylines: Seguin and Nathan Horton each have a goal and an assist in the last two games? The Bruins are 1 for 20 on the power play. They have gone 19 straight opportunities without a goal? Tomas Kaberle will receive his championship ring today? Paul Devorski and Wes McCauley will be the referees. Tony Sericolo and Tim Nowak will be the linesmen.

--theglobe

 

[IE]

While it may not have been as meaningful as his 298th career NHL victory, which delivered Boston the 2011 Stanley Cup Championship, Julien's 300th career triumph in Saturday's shootout win over the Blackhawks was worth nothing, even though it seemed to escape him at the time. "I think I found out before the home game here that I had an opportunity at it,'' Julien said. "I'd actually forgotten about it before the Chicago game, but it's nice. I mean, 300 is always a nice number to have, but, for me, I look forward to another 300, so that's the way I look at things. I don't know if I'd call it a milestone, but it's a nice feat in this league where coaching is not an easy job to hold onto in the NHL. I'd like to look ahead and if I can get another 300 it means I've been around for quite a few years."

 

[IE]

Skinner still shining



Eric Staal is the captain. Cam Ward is the backbone. They're still No. 1 and 1A in the Carolina Hurricanes' pecking order. With every game he plays, Jeff Skinner is closing in on them.

He's not there yet, but he continues to demonstrate his truly electrifying ability to make things happen with the puck on his stick, the kind of individual brilliance not often seen in these parts. It was Jussi Jokinen's vision that created the game-winning goal against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday, but Skinner's hands that finished it.

Coming into the year, there were naturally worries of a second-year decline from the Calder Trophy winner. He's not catching anyone by surprise this season, and a scoreless preseason - more fights (one) than points (none) in five games - didn't exactly calm those fears. He looked better on camera during the NHL's New York media tour than he did on the ice in training camp.


Through five games, at least, Skinner has picked up where he left off last season. He has at least a point in all but one game, and with two goals and four assists he went into tonight's games in a six-way tie for 10th in the NHL in scoring, only two points off the league lead.

"It's a new year, obviously," Skinner said. "We've just had some good team games. I've been on the good end of some nice plays. That last goal in Buffalo, Jokinen makes a heck of a pass and I sort of put it in almost an empty net."

Not that it has been a perfect start to the season: With Staal at an NHL-worst minus-8 and Skinner at minus-6, by far the lowest among the league leaders, Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice split that line up in practice on Sunday. They figure to stay separated for tonight's game at the Boston Bruins that kicks off a brief three-game road trip.

But putting Skinner with Jokinen and Chad LaRose and Staal with Alexei Ponikarovsky and Tuomo Ruutu has the additional benefit of generating some matchup issues for opposing coaches, especially on the road.

So far, with Staal and Skinner on the same line, they have drawn the opposition's top defensive pair. Now, on the road, Claude Julien will have to decide which one to use Zdeno Chara against, in theory opening up space for the other. It's less important at home, where Maurice has more control over the matchups, but with the next three on the road, separating Staal and Skinner has immediate strategic value.

"Playing with 'Staaler,' when I was with him before, I'd always say, 'Tonight's going to be a tough night,' because he always draws the top guys," LaRose said. "He does a great job playing against teams' top 'D,' and it's able to open up guys like Skinner and 'Juice' (Jokinen) to play against the third, fourth and fifth 'D,' and those guys run wild."

Skinner thrived last season in a secondary role, with Staal taking on the majority of the tough checking. A time will come in Skinner's career where he's physically and mentally capable of carrying that burden. He's not there yet, and it's important to remember he won't turn 20 until May.

"He's got the offense and he's got the skill," LaRose said. "That's not going anywhere. Of course he's getting checked a little bit harder and people notice him a little more, but he's getting the opportunities to score two or three goals a game. As long as that's there, there's nothing to worry about."

It's a long season, and just because Skinner has started well doesn't mean there won't be tougher times ahead. These things do happen. So far, though, it's hard to imagine the offensive side of his game starting much better than this.



--newsobserver.com