Bruins out to improve road effort, Devils aim to play spoiler
More consistent play on the road may be the key to the Boston Bruins' playoff push, which continues Monday against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J.
The Bruins lead the NHL with 51 home points, but their 29 road points (from a 12-14-5 away record) is near the bottom of the league. Ten of the Bruins' final 16 games are on the road, all against Eastern Conference rivals.
"It's been kind of two different worlds at home and on the road, but we believe in our group," Boston's Charlie McAvoy said after Saturday's 3-2 shootout win over the Washington Capitals. "We know that we've won a decent amount of games this year on the road....It's just, for whatever reason, been harder for us."
The victory at Washington ended Boston's seven-game winless streak (0-3-4) in road games. The Bruins twice equalized on goals from McAvoy, then endured overtime and a lengthy scoreless shootout before Fraser Minten finally got the only tally in the ninth round.
McAvoy has eight points (four goals, four assists) over a six-game point streak. After scoring only four times in his first 45 games, the defenseman has five goals in his last nine games.
The Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings each have 80 points and hold the East's two wild-card slots, with Boston ahead of Detroit on a tiebreaker. Boston is chasing a top-three spot in the Atlantic Division, and a crucial game against the rival Canadiens looms Tuesday in Montreal.
Jeremy Swayman has been playing well, but Boston probably won't start the goalie in both ends of the back-to-back. Given the extra importance of the Montreal game, Swayman could be saved for Tuesday while backup Joonas Korpisalo potentially faces New Jersey.
While Boston is in the thick of the playoff race, New Jersey is 12 points out of a wild-card berth and realistically out of contention. The Devils can only play spoiler to teams with postseason aspirations, as they did in Saturday's roller-coaster 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
New Jersey led 2-0 after the first period, allowed three goals in the second period, then outscored Los Angeles 4-1 in the third frame. Devils captain Nico Hischier recorded four points, including a goal and two assists during the third-period comeback.
"Adversity hit us a little bit there ... but we follow the lead of our captain," forward Cody Glass said. "(Hischier) put his head down, didn't say much, put his work hat on and led us to a win."
Hischier leads the Devils with 23 goals. Jesper Bratt leads the club in assists (37) and points (51).
Jake Allen stopped 27 of 31 Kings shots in the goalie's first outing since Feb. 25. Jacob Markstrom had started each of the Devils' previous seven games and could go again Monday, unless Allen is rewarded for Saturday's win.
Monday is the final date on a seven-game homestand for the Devils, who are 4-2-0 in the first six contests. While the Bruins haven't played well on the road, the Devils are a similarly uninspiring 17-15-2 on home ice.
The Bruins are 12-1-3 in their last 16 games against the Devils, including a 4-1 victory in Boston on Dec. 6.