B's aim to rebound in home matinee vs. 'Canes

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Bruins return home following a quick, but rough, road trip on Saturday afternoon as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes.

Boston carried a five-game winning streak into a trek through Toronto and Montreal, but came away pointless after a pair of lopsided defeats. The Bruins were routed 6-1 in Toronto on Wednesday, then fell by a 5-1 score to the Canadiens the following night.

Dougie Hamilton had the lone goal for the Bruins, while backup netminder Niklas Svedberg yielded all five goals on 34 shots.

"It was going to take a team effort, and tonight we weren't good enough again. Once they got the third goal, they had more good chances after," Svedberg said. "Obviously, we were hoping to come back in the third. We were way too loose."

Forward David Krejci missed both games on the swing due to a hip issue and it is unknown when he will return to the lineup.

The Bruins are home for consecutive games and for five of their next six. They have won three straight and eight of their last 11 as the host against the Hurricanes.

Carolina lost all three of its games versus Boston a season ago and has dropped five of the past six encounters overall.

After beginning the season winless through October, the Hurricanes picked up a point in their first six games of the new month. They put together a 5-0-1 tear, but had that point streak halted with Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Elias Lindholm had the lone goal for Carolina on a second-period power play, while Cam Ward stopped 34-of-36 shots in defeat.

Ward has a 1.49 goals against average and .946 save percentage in six November starts, but his effort versus the Jets could not overcome a slow start as the 'Canes had just six shots in the first period.

"I didn't like our start again," Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters remarked. "Usually we have more energy than we had tonight. For whatever (reason), we didn't have a lot of energy, and it never really got going."

Lindholm is tied with Jiri Tlusty for the club lead with six goals, but is battling a foot issue that leaves his status for this game up in the air. Defenseman Jay Harrison also is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.