Boston @ Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 30, 2018 ) Boston 3, Carolina 2

Patrice Bergeron is back and all is right with the Boston Bruins as they hit the road to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. Bergeron returned Saturday after missing 16 games with rib and collarbone injuries and contributed two goals - including the 300th of his career - and two assists in Boston's 5-2 victory over Nashville on Saturday.

"I was very excited before the game,'' Bergeron told reporters. "It’s one of those things where you get that adrenaline and nervousness right before and it’s actually a good thing, you know, I was looking forward to that for a while. So, you know, I was very happy this morning that I was back at it.'' The Bruins haven't trailed during their three-game winning streak as they turn their attention to winning for the third time in four road games and improving their 7-8-4 record away from home. Carolina was shut out for the third time this season, 3-0 by Pittsburgh on Saturday, and has lost five of its last six (1-4-1) - eight of 10 (2-6-2). Boston has won four straight meetings after a 3-2 decision Oct. 30 in the first of three encounters this season behind two goals from Brad Marchand, who has 498 career points, and 42 saves by Jaroslav Halak.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One; NESN (Boston), FS Carolinas

ABOUT THE BRUINS (20-12-4): David Pastrnak (team-high 47 points) and Marchand (39) each scored and had two assists Saturday with Pastrnak scoring his team-leading 23rd goal. Pastrnak has scored in two straight games and boasts six assists in the past three while Marchand owns five goals in his last seven contests. Halak, who is 3-0-0 with a .961 save percentage while starting the last three games, will give way Sunday to Tuukka Rask, who is 9-3-3 with a 2.10 goals-against average and .933 SP versus the Hurricanes.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (14-15-5): Sebastian Aho leads the team with 12 goals and 34 points but has been kept off the scoresheet for two games since recording five goals and three assists in the previous five contests. Jordan Staal, who returned Thursday after missing five games with a concussion, left Saturday's game in the second period with what the team called an upper-body injury. Petr Mrazek (5-7-2, 2.60, .897) is expected to start in goal after Curtis McElhinney stopped 29 shots against Pittsburgh in his first game since missing six (lower body).

OVERTIME

1. Boston, which entered Saturday with the league's No. 5 power-play unit, is 5-for-10 with the man advantage in its last three games to boost its average to 27.4 while its penalty killers are 11-for-11 in the last five contests.

2. Carolina will wear the old Whalers uniforms Sunday for the first time since relocating from Hartford, Conn., in 1997.

3. Bergeron is the sixth player to score 300 goals with the Bruins, joining Johnny Bucyk (545), Phil Esposito (459), Rick Middleton (402), Ray Bourque (395) and Cam Neely (344).

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Hurricanes 2