Need to Know: Bruins vs. Lightning | Boston Bruins

The Bruins and Lightning are meeting for the second time this season. Tampa won the first matchup, 5-4, in overtime on Nov. 20 at Amalie Arena. The Bolts are closing out a three-game road trip and are coming off a 4-1 win in Minnesota on Thursday night.

Tampa (19-16-5) sits one point back of Philadelphia and New Jersey for a wild card spot.

“They’ve got a lot of skill, they’re a fast team, pretty complete team,” said Trent Frederic. “They’ve got a lot of guys we can key onto. If we keep playing like we have in the past couple games, minus last game, I think we’ll have a good outcome.

“It’s kind of turned into a bit of a rivalry game. They’re a fun team that we like to play against. It feels like every time we play them it’s a pretty physical, fast hockey game.”

Nikita Kucherov is tied with the Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for the league lead in scoring with 64 points in 39 games. His 27 goals rank second behind Toronto’s Auston Matthews.

“Can’t take penalties. We’ve got to be aware,” said Montgomery. “Plays almost 24 minutes a night, so it’s not like you can maybe match up D-men against him. You can’t match up the line against him, so every forward has to know when he’s on the ice and you have to get pucks out. You can’t give players like that, like we did last game with [Sidney] Crosby, second-chance opportunities in the O-Zone.”

Brayden Point is second on the Lightning with 17 goals and 40 points in 40 games.

“He’s a terrific, terrific player, who plays the game the right way at both ends of the ice, comes back hard, makes plays at top end speed, drives to the middle of the ice so Kucherov can drive and do his thing,” said Montgomery.