Sharks Carry a Leaky Blue Line Into TD Garden

Boston comes home at 8-2-1, first in the Atlantic and second in the East, with 17 points and a plus 20 goal differential. The Bruins have taken at least a point in seven straight and are 4-1-0 at home.

The Sharks arrive at 6-4-1, holding the West's second wild-card spot with a minus four goal differential. They have won two straight and are 4-2-1 away from home. Their problem has been what they give up. Over their last 10 games, San Jose allowed chances worth 4.05 expected goals a night -- expected goals measure how many goals a team's chances were worth -- while creating only 2.91. They have also been out-attempted, averaging 66.4 shot attempts against to 56.1 for.

Boston has given up plenty of looks as well, with opponents creating more chances than the Bruins over the same 10-game stretch, so this is not a one-sided picture on paper.

For San Jose to keep it close, it has to cut down the chances it hands over, lean on Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith to create offence, and keep David Pastrnak -- 16 points in 11 games -- quiet.