Win-needy Blue Jackets face Bruins, fresh off rare loss

For the first time in nearly two months, the Boston Bruins(Boston Bruins championship rings) must bounce back from a regulation defeat. They'll get that chance Tuesday night, when they visit a Columbus Blue Jackets team fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Boston's stellar 15-0-4 stretch ended with Sunday's 4-2 loss at Pittsburgh, but the hosts needed an empty-netter to secure the result. It was the Bruins' first regulation defeat since Jan. 19, at home to the New York Rangers.



In the end, the Bruins outscored their opponents 62-41 during a 19-game point streak that's the second-longest in team history. "I think we can be proud of that, but not satisfied," defenseman John Moore told the Bruins' official website. "There's no reason we can't get right back to work on Tuesday. "That's the special part about this group, is guys really push each other and we expected a lot of each other. We'll be ready to go on Tuesday."

Second in the Atlantic Division, Boston hasn't lost back-to-back games since an 0-1-2 slide from Jan. 19-31. It last dropped two straight in regulation on Dec. 23 and 27. The Bruins will try to get back on track while minus key defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (arm), who was injured Sunday. They're also unsure if forward Jake DeBrusk will miss a fourth consecutive game with a lower-body injury. The club remains without star winger David Pastrnak (thumb), who could be back this weekend when it returns from this three-game trip. After Jaroslav Halak made 33 saves against the Penguins, Tuukka Rask could be in net trying for his fifth straight win. Rask is 16-0-3 with a 1.94 goals-against average during a 20-start stretch in which he's earned a decision in all but one game.

In an interesting scheduling quirk, this is the first meeting of the season between the Bruins and Blue Jackets. The teams will play again Saturday at Boston and back in Columbus on April 2. The Blue Jackets have won three of the last four meetings against the Bruins(nhl championship rings), who earned four points during that stretch. However, while Boston is sitting comfortably in playoff position in the East, Columbus has work to do to remain in the postseason picture. Columbus returns home after falling 2-0 to the New York Islanders on Monday. The Blue Jackets outshot the Islanders 31-20, but were blanked for the third time in six games in March, going 2-4-0.

"We just need to score," Columbus captain Nick Foligno said. "We've just got to find a way to get the puck in the net. ... We've got to get some run support for our goalie." Columbus' Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all but one of the 19 shots he faced, and he could again get the call in this back-to-back since backup Joonas Korpisalo has lost four consecutive starts. Bobrovsky owns an 0.99 goals-against average and .962 save percentage in his last three starts. There's uncertainty about the availability of Blue Jackets(custom championship rings) forward Boone Jenner, who missed Monday's contest with an illness. Jenner has two goals with an assist in his last three games against the Bruins.

Boston's David Krejci has a goal in four straight contests. He has two with seven assists during a seven-game point streak versus Columbus. The Blue Jackets are 4-8-0 at home since a four-game winning streak there from Dec. 31-Jan. 15.