Backes And Marchand Return Versus Hurricanes

7 p.m. ET
PNC Arena – Raleigh, NC
TV: NESN
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Season Series/Schedule
Date      Game                                    GWG
1/6         CAR 1 @ BOS 7                  Riley Nash
2/27       CAR 3 @ BOS 4 OT           Charlie McAvoy
3/13       BOS @ CAR        

Team Leaders
Bruins                                                                                   Hurricanes
Brad Marchand, 69                          Points                   Teuvo Teravainen, 54
Brad Marchand, 29                          Goals                    Sebastain Aho, 24
Marchand/Pastrnak, 40                 Assists                  Teuvo Teravainen, 34

The Bruins will make their lone trip to Carolina tonight as they close out the season series versus the Hurricanes. 

The Bruins can complete the season series sweep after scoring 11 combined goals in the first two meetings of the year.

The Hurricanes have been an extremely inconsistent team this season.  Every time it looks like they are about to make a run towards a wild card spot, they have a few clunkers. 

Last night was no exception with a 6-3 loss at the New York Rangers in a game where they had an 86-41 advantage in shot attempts.  Their slim playoff hopes are all but finished as they sit seven points out of the final wild card spot.

The Bruins will have a much different look than what we saw Sunday afternoon in Chicago.  Both Brad Marchand and David Backes will return to the lineup tonight.  Marchand missed Sunday's rematch with the Blackhawks due to a mysterious upper-body injury and Backes has been suspended for the last three games.  Tommy Wingels will come out of the lineup to make room for their returns.

One the back end, Adam McQuaid appears to be the odd man out as both Nick Holden and Kevan Miller will dress. 

Tuukka Rask will return to goal for the Bruins and will likely be opposed by veteran Cam Ward since Scott Darling took the loss in New York last night.

Probable Bruins Lineup
FORWARDS
Brad Marchand - Riley Nash - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - David Krejci - Rick Nash
Danton Heinen - David Backes - Brian Gionta
Tim Schaller - Sean Kuraly - Noel Acciari

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
Zdeno Chara - Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug - Nick Holden
Matt Grzelcyk - Kevan Miller

GOALTENDER
Tuukka Rask (28-11-4, 2.31 GAA, .918 save %, 2 SO)

INJURY REPORT
LW-Anders Bjork (shoulder), C-Patrice Bergeron (foot) out, D-Charlie McAvoy (MCL) out

Probable Hurricanes Lineup
FORWARDS
Sebastian Aho - Jordan Staal - Teuvo Teravainen
Brock McGinn - Elias Lindholm - Justin Williams
Jeff Skinner - Viktor Rask - Phil DiGiuseppe
Joakim Nordstrom - Derek Ryan - Lee Stempniak

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
Jaccob Slavin - Brett Pesce
Klas Dahlbeck - Justin Faulk
Noah Hanifin - Trevor van Riemsdyk

GOALTENDER
Cam Ward (19-11-4, 2.70 GAA, .907 save %, 2 SO)

INJURY REPORT
None