Calgary @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 21, 2020 ) Boston 4, Calgary 3

The Boston Bruins are leading the chase for the Presidents' Trophy for the league's best record and thus saw no need to make major changes to their lineup at Monday's trade deadline despite coming off their most lopsided defeat of the season. Winners of 11 of their last 13 games, the Bruins return home to host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Boston made one move Monday, adding size and a physical presence by acquiring Nick Ritchie from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for fellow forward Danton Heinen. “Right now I love our team," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said two days after his team closed out a four-game road trip with a 9-3 beating by Vancouver. "I love our makeup. I like our competitiveness." Cassidy also loved the way his team erased a pair of early two-goal deficits Friday in a 4-3 win over Calgary, which is holding down the top wild card in the tightly bunched Western Conference after opening a five-game road trip with a 4-2 win at Detroit on Sunday. The Flames also came away feeling victorious on Monday, bolstering their blue line by acquiring defensemen Erik Gustafsson (Chicago) and Derek Forbort (Los Angeles).

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

ABOUT THE FLAMES (32-25-6): The anticipation was so high in Calgary at the deadline that leading scorer Johnny Gaudreau caused a spike on social media when he exited Monday's practice early, only to explain later that it was a bathroom break. General manager Brad Treliving assuaged his jittery fan base by bringing in a "premier power-play player" in Gustafsson and adding some size and penalty-killing experience in Forbort for two draft picks. Captain Mark Giordano (hamstring), out since Feb. 4, practiced fully for a second straight day.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (39-12-12): Ritchie had only eight goals and 19 points in 41 games for Anaheim, but he left on a high note by scoring twice and collecting two assists in Sunday's 6-5 loss to Vegas. Ondrej Kase, Ritchie's former teammate with the Ducks who was acquired by Boston on Friday, has been sidelined due to illness but practiced Monday on the second line alongside David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. "He's fast. He can score. Hopefully, he'll fit in well and help the team," Krejci said of Kase, who is unsure he if will return Tuesday.

OVERTIME

1. Flames F Andrew Mangiapane was named the NHL's Third Star of the Week after scoring five goals in three games.

2. Bruins F David Pastrnak, the league leader with 45 goals, has seven tallies and 10 points in the last six games.

3. Calgary traded D Brandon Davidson to San Jose on Monday.

PREDICTION: Bruins 4, Flames 2