Game Day Buzz: Bruins have re-emerged as team to beat in Eastern Conference

When: 7:08 p.m. | Where: Consol Energy Center

Referees: Dean Morton (36); Kevin Pollock (33) Linesmen Derek Amell (75); Jean Morin (97)

Tonight marks a tremendous matchup between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins.

Pittsburgh boast the best record in the East with 36 points, while the defending champs are the hottest team in the league and are showing that they are deeper than last year.

The Bruins have re-emerged as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and there's not a team that matches up as a well against Pittsburgh as Boston does.

They are one of the few teams in the league who can come close to matching the Penguins strength down the middle and the Bruins are the best defensive team in hockey.

An emerging dynamic for the Bruins this season though is that they can put the puck in the net with the best of them. Boston ranks second in the NHL, averaging 3.42 goals per game and are first in the NHL, giving up just 2.08 goals against per game.

The Bruins went 2-1-1 vs. the Penguins in last season’s series but won both games in Pittsburgh, coming from two goal deficits in both games for the wins. One game the Penguins surely remember was the Bruins scoring four unanswered goals in the final 3:23 of regulation time for a 4-2 win on Jan. 10, 2011.

A key matchup to watch is whether Pittsburgh can contain Boston's ability to crash the net. The line of David Krejci (2G-3A-5pts ) Milan Lucic (2G-2A-4pts) and Nathan Horton (1G-3A-4pts) has combined for 13 points in their last two games.