Vancouver @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 8, 2018 ) Vancouver 8, Boston 5

The Boston Bruins appear to be revived following a nine-day layoff for the All-Star break, posting back-to-back victories to move within one point of Washington for the NHL's best record. The Bruins take aim at their fourth consecutive victory when they host the surging Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night in a matchup of division leaders.

Boston kicked off a two-game road trip by squeezing out a 2-1 win at Winnipeg before erupting for three power-play goals in a 6-1 blowout of Minnesota the following night. "To win two games in different styles definitely gives us confidence moving forward that we can play a few different ways and come up victorious," defenseman Torey Krug said Monday. The Pacific Division-leading Canucks had their five-game winning streak snapped but still earned a point in Sunday's 4-3 shootout loss at Carolina. It marked only the fourth defeat in 18 games (14-3-1) for Vancouver, which has won the past three meetings against the Bruins.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: NESN, Sportsnet Pacific

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (30-18-5): Forward J.T. Miller continues to thrive in his first season with Vancouver, collecting an assist Sunday to extend his point streak to six games. Miller was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week on Monday after recording three goals and four assists in four games to boost his season point total to 53 -- five shy of his career high. "I think we have a lot of confidence right now," said Miller, who has 13 points in 20 meetings versus the Bruins. "When you're winning, that confidence is there."

ABOUT THE BRUINS (31-10-12): Forward David Pastrnak reclaimed the league goal-scoring lead by scoring his 38th in Saturday's romp to match his career high from last season and also collected two assists to give him multiple points in four of his last five games. Pastrnak had a hand in all three power-play goals by Boston, which is 5-for-9 with the extra skater in the last two wins following an 0-for-15 drought in the previous four contests. Jake DeBrusk had scored in three straight games to run his point streak to four.

OVERTIME

1. Bruins F Brad Marchand has seven goals and 11 points in 14 matchups versus Vancouver.

2. Canucks C Elias Pettersson became the seventh Swedish-born player to reach 50 goals in 124 games or fewer.

3. Bruins G Tuukka Rask is unbeaten in regulation at home (10-0-6) but is 3-6-1 with a 3.07 goals-against average versus Vancouver.

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Canucks 2