Bruins vs Penguins: Boston Looks to Extend Winning Run in Pittsburgh

The Boston Bruins head to PPG Paints Arena to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, with a 7 p.m. puck drop. Boston arrives on a two-game winning streak, including a 3-2 shootout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday at TD Garden, while the Penguins are looking to find their footing early in the season.

Bruins arrive with momentum

The Bruins are 11-4-1 and sit first in the Atlantic Division with 23 points. Over their last 12 games, they have gone 9-2-1, according to a team preview from the Penguins' side of the matchup.

Boston's goaltending has been a major factor. One preview described the Bruins' 5-on-5 goal differential as the best in the NHL at this point of the season, at 38 for and 20 against. Michael DiPietro is expected to start in net for Boston on Thursday.

Head coach Marco Sturm said the Penguins are a fast team that is strong at home. He pointed to puck management as the key for his club. "That's going to be our job to stop them," Sturm said.

Penguins look to bounce back

Pittsburgh is 5-8-2 with 12 points, seventh in the Metropolitan Division. One preview called the challenge a tall task against a team that controls play well and is backed by a strong goaltender.

The Penguins have been without forward Matt Poitras, who broke his nose after taking an elbow to the face on Monday. Poitras took part in Wednesday's practice wearing a protective bubble shield, and Sturm said he could play if needed but is not yet at 100 percent. Sean Kuraly will center the fourth line in his place.

Defenseman Frederic Brunet returns to Boston's lineup for the first time since Oct. 27. The 23-year-old is on the third pair alongside Mason Lohrei. Jonathan Aspirot and Connor Clifton are sitting out.

Crosby milestone and season series

Sidney Crosby is one point away from passing Marcel Dionne for sole possession of sixth place on the all-time NHL scoring list, according to a Penguins preview. Crosby was on the ice for two goals in the Penguins' last game but did not record a point.

Tommy Novak has been productive against Boston, with four points (three goals, one assist) in his last five games against the Bruins, according to Penguins public relations. Tonight's game is the first of the season series; the teams meet again on March 6 in Boston and March 11 in Pittsburgh.

What we know so far

The Bruins and Penguins play Thursday at PPG Paints Arena, with Boston entering as one of the early-season standouts in the league. Pittsburgh's next stretch takes it west, with games in Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose after this matchup. Live results were not available at the time of writing.

The game is also available on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NESN locally, with out-of-market streaming on ESPN+.

Chopal Unfiltered will update this story if the result or lineup changes.