Florida @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 4, 2018 ) Boston 0, Florida 5

The Boston Bruins can tie the second-longest point streak in franchise history and win their fifth straight to start a six-game homestand Thursday night when they host the Florida Panthers. The Bruins extended their run to 17 contests (13-0-4) by rallying for a 4-3 overtime win over Carolina on Tuesday and attempt to match 18-game point streaks by the 1968-69 and 2017-18 teams - who are behind only the 1940-41 squad (23).

“We believe in ourselves,” Boston left wing Jake DeBrusk told reporters after scoring for the eighth time in 10 games Tuesday. “We always have. But it’s nice to get results, especially this time of year when every point matters.” The Bruins, who have allowed only eight goals in the past six contests, had a chance to win the Atlantic Division spoiled by two late-season losses to the Panthers in 2017-18 and were routed 5-0 at Florida on Dec. 4 in the first of four meetings this season. The Panthers have lost five straight games - four after regulation, two in shootouts - and sit 11 points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after a 3-2 overtime setback at Pittsburgh on Tuesday. “It’s another hard-fought point,” Florida coach Bob Boughner told reporters. “It’s just getting frustrating, obviously, not being able to execute in the overtime, or put the game away in overtime. … To talk about our effort, talk about our battle and our compete, all those things were there. We had a couple turnovers that cost us.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario; FS Florida, NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (28-26-12): Forward Henrik Borgstrom scored Tuesday for his third goal in three games to start March after the rookie from Finland managed one tally in his previous 20 outings. Captain Aleksander Barkov was kept off the scoresheet against Pittsburgh, but boasts nine goals in the last 10 contests to push his team-leading total to 68 points - three more than fellow forward Jonathan Huberdeau. Left wing Mike Hoffman leads Florida with 30 goals and is two points from matching his career high of 61 with Ottawa in 2016-17.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (40-17-9): Recently acquired forward Marcus Johansson suffered an upper-body injury after taking a shoulder-to-shoulder hit from Carolina’s Micheal Ferland on Tuesday and is questionable for the Florida contest. Brad Marchand continues to pile up points with six in the last four games to increase his team-leading total to 77 while linemate David Pastrnak (team-best 31 goals, 66 points) is recovering from a thumb injury. Center Patrice Bergeron reached 60 points for the seventh time in his career Tuesday with his 23rd goal.

OVERTIME

1. Florida RW Evgenii Dadonov is mired in a five-game point drought as he sits one shy of his second straight season with at least 50.

2. Boston G Tuukka Rask, who was rested Tuesday, is 21-5-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and .946 save percentage against the Panthers.

3. Panthers C Vincent Trocheck, who recorded 23 shots the last five contests, scored Tuesday to pull within two of 100 goals in his career.

PREDICTION: Bruins 4, Panthers 2