Bruins vs Senators preview: Boston looks for a defensive improvement against Ottawa – The Boston Globe

Boston is looking for its first win against the Senators this season; two games against Ottawa, the Bruins have allowed eight goals in regulation and have been outshot 78-44. However, they’ve scored seven goals in regulation, showing some signs of offensive capabilities in an unpredictable season.

Both teams are coming off of blowout losses and also sit at 52 points apiece.

Here’s your preview.

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: TD Garden, Boston

TV, radio: NESN, WBZ-FM 98.5

Line: Ottawa -125. O/U: 5.5.

SENATORS

Season record: 24-19-4. vs. spread: 19-28. Over/under: 14-27, 6 pushes

Last 10 games: 5-3-2. vs. spread: 4-6. Over/under: 1-9

BRUINS

Season record: 23-20-6. vs. spread: 17-32. Over/under: 25-23, 1 push

Last 10 games: 3-5-2. vs. spread: 4-6. Over/under: 7-3

TEAM STATISTICS

Goals scored: Ottawa 131, Boston 134

Goals allowed: Ottawa 131, Boston 157

Power play: Ottawa 22.8%, Boston 13.5%

Penalty minutes: Ottawa 422, Boston 526

Penalty kill: Ottawa 77.9%, Boston 75.0%

Faceoffs won: Ottawa 52.0%, Boston 51.7%

Stat of the day: Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk is on an eight-game streak without a point.

Notes: Morgan Geekie scored a first-period goal — his third tally in five games — that staked the Bruins to a 1-0 lead on Wednesday, but the Devils’ four-goal middle frame was Boston’s downfall. “We’re trying to find an answer here and what we’re doing isn’t good enough. We know it,” Geekie said. “It’s embarrassing, frankly, just the way that we’re letting these games slip away.” … Another David Pastrnak-Pavel Zacha connection set up the Bruins’ lone goal. Pastrnak has 12 of his 54 points in the past five games. … Boston allowed three power-play goals in a game for the seventh time this season, and the Bruins yielded 35 or more shots for the sixth time in the past eight contests — including 44 shots by Ottawa on Saturday … Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman was pulled after two periods in New Jersey, having allowed four goals on 29 shots. He has managed a .912 save percentage over his past 12 starts (4-6-2). … Rookie goaltender Leevi Merilainen’s strong play in place of Linus Ullmark (back) has been important of late for Ottawa, especially given the team’s struggles to score at times. Merilainen is 6-3-1 with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 10 games.

Aiden Barker can be reached at aiden.barker@globe.com. Follow him on X @ac_barker23.