Boston @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( May 29, 2019 ) St. Louis 3, Boston 2

The St. Louis Blues are three wins away from hoisting their first Stanley Cup largely due to their prowess on the road, including a 3-2 overtime victory in Boston on Wednesday night that allowed them to swipe home-ice advantage from the Bruins. The Blues hope to carry the momentum from that dramatic victory when the series shifts to St. Louis for Saturday night's Game 3.

The Blues, who rebounded from a 4-2 loss in Game 1, have been only a .500 club at home in the postseason, although they closed out each of their past two series with wins at Enterprise Center. "We're going to have energy, but we've got to make sure we keep our emotions in check, too," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said of playing before a rabid home crowd. "That's a big thing. ... We've got to keep them in check and be pretty even-keeled out there, but at the same time have emotion in your game but keep it at a good level." Boston had to come from behind in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs and has been comfortable away from home with a 6-2 record, including wins in its last four road matchups. "We've been in enemy territory," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters. "Toronto, not easy to win there. Went to Columbus, Carolina. We've got a veteran crew. They've been there before. I don't anticipate they'll be overwhelmed."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA

ABOUT THE BRUINS: The talk around Boston is the lack of production from its vaunted top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, who have combined for just two points in the series, including an empty-net goal by Marchand in Game 1. "We need to be better. Personally, I wasn't good the last two games. We can't be playing like that," Marchand acknowledged. "We're 1-1. There's five games left. That's what makes the Stanley Cup Final fun. It's exciting. It's competitive, so we'll just prepare for the next one." Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is listed as doubtful due to a concussion and will likely be replaced by John Moore, Cassidy said Friday.

ABOUT THE BLUES: Unlike Boston, St. Louis' No. 1 line of Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn has done the heavy lifting with three goals and three assists, including a pair of tallies by Tarasenko to extend his point streak to eight games. “He’s got obviously a great shot," Bergeron said of Tarasenko. "He finds ways to get away from coverage, to get open, finds ways to get that puck. Once he does have it, it doesn't stay long on his stick.” With forward Oskar Sundqvist suspended for one game due to the hit on Grzelcyk, Ivan Barbashev moved to center on the fourth line alongside Alexander Steen and Zach Stanford at Friday's practice.

OVERTIME

1. Tarasenko can match the franchise-record nine-game playoff point streak set by Tony Currie in 1981.

2. Bruins G Tuukka Rask has notched two shutouts and allowed two goals in his last four road games.

3. Schwartz has a team-high 18 points in the playoffs after mustering 36 during the regular season.

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Blues 2