Troiani Rink Report

The Boston Bruins begin a three-game road trip Tuesday night against the St. Louis Blues, and reinforcements appear to be on the way for the Original Six franchise.

Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak are joining the club, but no definitive timeline has been given as to when either star player will make their return.

“For us, we just want to make sure they’re going to be ready to go; physically, mentally. We don’t want to rush things,” head coach Marco Sturm told reporters after practice Monday at Warrior Ice arena. “But both look good right now. Hopefully, on the road, at one point, they can play.”

Even with McAvoy and Pastrnak out of the lineup, the Bruins have managed to stay in a playoff position and are 3-2 in their last five games without the duo.

One of the reasons the B’s have had a solid start to the season with a 17-13-0 record is the play of Morgan Geekie.

Geekie has recorded nine points over his last five games, including a five-game point streak. He ranks second — behind only Colorado Avalanche star Nathan McKinnon — in goals this season with 22 and leads the Bruins with 32 points and three game-winning goals.

Last time out, Boston defeated the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden after a 5-2 victory over the Blues on Dec. 4.

Across the ice, the Blue return home with momentum after closing out a three-game road stint with back-to-back wins in Ottawa and Montreal after beginning the trip with the loss to Boston.

The two clubs meet for the second and final contest this season. Puck drop from Enterprise Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. on NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Here are the projected lines and defensive pairings for both clubs:

BOSTON BRUINS (17-13-0)
Alex Steeves — Elias Lindholm — Morgan Geekie
Casey Mittelstadt — Pavel Zacha — Viktor Arvidsson
Tanner Jeannot — Fraser Minten — Mark Kastelic
Marat Khusnutdinov — Sean Kuraly — Michael Eyssimont

Hampus Lindholm — Andrew Peeke
Nikita Zadorov — Jonathan Aspirot
Mason Lohrei – Victor Soderstrom

Jeremy Swayman

ST. LOUIS BLUES (11-12-7)
Jake Neighbours — Robert Thomas — Pavel Buchnevich
Dylan Holloway — Brayden Schenn — Mathieu Joseph
Pius Suter — Dalibor Dvorsky — Nick Bjugstad
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki — Oskar Sundqvist — Matt Luff

Philip Broberg — Colton Parayko
Tyler Tucker — Justin Faulk
Cam Fowler — Logan Mailloux

Joel Hofer

ODDS AND ENDS
Special Teams
Power Play: Boston 25.0%, St. Louis 19.0%
Penalty Kill: Boston 83.0%, St. Louis 77.3%
Penalty Minutes: Boston 373, St. Louis 213

Offense and Defense
Goals Scored: Boston 94, St. Louis 77
Goals Allowed: Boston 94, St. Louis 102

Point Streaks:
Boston: Morgan Geekie (5 Games / 5-4-9)
Elias Lindholm (2 Games / 0-4-4)
Pavel Zacha (3 Games / 2-2-4)
Viktor Arvidsson (2 Games / 1-2-3)
St. Louis: Brayden Schenn (2 Games / 2-2-4)
Pavel Buchnevich (3 Games / 2-1-3)