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The Boston Bruins come into Monday in eighth place in the Eastern Conference just one point ahead of the ninth placed New York Rangers.

The Bruins are 6-3-1 in their last ten games but have won only two of their last five games away from the Garden. Defensive lapses have been costing the Bruins on this seven-game road trips including a misplaced pass on Saturday from Tuukka Rask which gave the win to the Canadiens in Montreal. Another big problem for the Bruins is their penalty kill which is only 70% in their last five road games and will need to be worked on if they are to remain a playoff team. Offensively Boston have been playing quite well, averaging 2.80 goals-a-game over that five game period and converting a very good 25% of powerplays faced. Patrice Bergeron has been on good form for the Bruins recently scoring two goals and five assists in his last three matches. On the injury front forward Marc Savard is out with concussion after suffering a hit to the head last week while Miroslav Satan is questionable and Andrew Ference is doubtful.

The New Jersey Devils are currently fourth in the Western Conference and are four points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Atlantic Division. Jersey has been a mixed bag recently going 4-5-1 in their last ten games but has won four of their last five games at home. They are averaging 4.00 goals-a-game during that period and only conceded twelve goals. Their powerplay at home is a respectable 17% and their penalty kill is a good 85%. One impressive aspect of their play recently has been the number of shots they are limiting their opponents to. In the last five games played at home the Devils have only allowed twenty-two shots per game on their goaltender and with Martin Brodeur set to return after a night off against the Islanders on Saturday New Jersey should prove a tough nut to crack. Recent big-money signing Ilya Kovalchuk has been on good form recently, registering two goals and four assists in his last two games. From an injury point of view only Paul Martin will be missing for the Devils as he recovers from a forearm injury suffered in October.

Considering their recent good run of form at home the New Jersey Devils will fancy their chances tonight against a Bruins team that have struggled on the penalty kill of late and do not score too many, a problem made worse by Savard’s injury.