Fire on ice

Up front:

Lucic: 1-3–4 in three of his last four games while registering 12 hits. Looch has logged 2:12 and 3:06 of ice time on the power play over the last two games after averaging just 0:19 all season.

Krejci: Not sure if there’s a better player dressed in Black-and-Gold over the past few weeks. Now riding a three-game point streak, Krejci has posted 2-4–6, plus-3, and nine SOG over that span. No. 46 also has 4-9–13 in seven of his last nine games with a plus-10 rating and 21 SOG

Recchi: One of three players to appear in all 74 games for Boston [Wheeler and Ryder] has 2-1–3 over his two-game point-streak. The 42-year-old future hall-of-Fame winger has tallied 5-4—9 scoring totals and a plus-8 rating over the last 10 contests.

Bergeron: Also part of a three-game points streak [1-3–4], Bergy also has 5-6–11 over his last 10 games while winning over 56-percent of the face-off draws.

“Defense is the best offense”:

Chara: Riding a big three-game point-streak with 2-2–4 scoring totals, a plus-5 rating, and 14 SOG over that span. The 6’9″ Captain went the seven game prior without registering a point.

Wideman: Has turned the corner, hopefully putting the worst of his game behind him. 1-3–4 in three of his last four games [game-winning goal] and a plus-4 rating.

Boychuk: The 2008-09 AHL Eddie Shore Award winner has 2-2–4  four of his last five contests and 10 SOG.

Seidenberg: Has played in 75 NHL games this season between Florida and Boston. The 28-year-old netted his first goal as a Bruin yesterday — a PP/game-winning goal — and now has a three-game point-streak with 1-2–3, plus-3 and eight SOG. In his last 10, Seidenberg has totaled 1-7–8, plus-9, and 28 SOG.

Man-up, man-down:

Penalty kill: The B’s have successfully killed-off 16 of their last 18 times short (88.9%) over the last five games. Their season percentage of 85.8 ranks them second overall in the NHL — trailing the St. Louis Blues by 0.03%.
Power play: Boston went 3-for-4 yesterday against the Flames with the man-advantage, finally snapping an 0-22 skid. The B’s are now 3-for-7 over the last two games in which the new PP lines have been united.

PPI:
Lucic — Krejci — Wheeler
Chara — Boychuk

PPII:
Sturm — Bergeron — Recchi
Seidenberg — Wideman

In the crease:

Thomas: Saving all 31 shots yesterday, Timmy notched his 16th victory and seventh shutout on the season. Not bad from the reigning Vezina Trophy winner who has been up-and-down all year long — also coming off an 0-2-1 record in his previous three starts with an .880 save-percentage. The 35-year-old is now 16-17-8 with 5 shutouts, a 2.50 goals-against average and .916 save-percentage.

Rask: Even though I won’t point the blame on at least three goals on Tuukka the other night, the 23-year-old did allow a season-high of five goals-against on Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, losing 5-3. Prior to the uncharacteristic .722 save-percentage night, Rask hoisted a 3-1-0 record in his five previous games played and stopped 124-of-130 shots against for a .954 save-percentage and one shutout. The Finnish net-minder still remains first in the league with a 2.11 goals-against average and second in save-percentage with .927; while posting a record of 18-11-4.