NHL Preview (Nashville-Boston)
Posted: Mon January 18, 1999 at 9:27 a.m EST
Nashville (15-23-4) at Boston (19-15-7) 1:30 pm EST
BOSTON (Ticker) -- Coming off the
first shutout in franchise history, the Nashville Predators hope to figure
out a way to score on the road as they battle the Boston Bruins.
Tomas Vokoun, the
third-string goalie at the start of the season, made 31 saves Friday as
Nashville snapped a four-game winless streak with a 2-0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes.
But the Predators have scored just two goals in their last four road
contests, all losses. That streak includes shutout defeats at Dallas and
Philadelphia and a 2-1 overtime setback to Detroit in their last road game
last Friday.
Vokoun has started the last seven games for the Predators, going
2-4-1. But he has had only one bad game, surrendering five goals before
being replaced in the Predators' 8-0 loss at Philadelphia on January 11.
The 22-year-old native of the Czech Republic started the season third
on the Predators' depth chart after playing just one period during three
years in the Montreal
Canadiens organization. But injuries to Mike Dunham and Eric Fichaud have made
Vokoun the starter in all but two of the last 18 games.
The Bruins are coming off Saturday's 2-2 tie against Tampa Bay and are
0-2-1 in their last three contests. Boston's holds down the final playoff
spot in the Eastern Conference, but has just a four-point lead over the New York Rangers, Montreal
Canadiens and Florida
Panthers.
Boston is 3-0-1 in its last four home contests, dating to a 2-1 loss
to the Flyers on December 23, and 3-2-1 in the new year.
The Bruins posted a 5-2 victory at Nashville on December 30 in the
first meeting between the team. Anson Carter had two goals and an assist
and linemate Steve Heinze
added a goal and an assist for Boston.
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