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4 Things To Watch As Bruins Take On Minnesota Wild

By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Good thing this preview didn't come out too early on Tuesday, because a lot has changed for the Bruins in the past 24 hours.

At the top of the list is the goaltending situation, as Tuukka Rask remains day-to-day while Anton Khudobin is expected to miss three weeks with an upper-body injury. That leaves the Bruins to turn to Malcolm Subban, who will make his second career NHL start against Minnesota. The Bruins will also be without forward David Backes, who is day-to-day with what head coach Claude Julien called a "minor issue."

The undermanned Bruins head to Manhattan after Tuesday's game to play the New York Rangers on Wednesday night, so it's imperative that they escape Tuesday's game with at least one point. It's another big test for Subban in net, and for the forward group to step up both on the ice and in the locker room without Backes.

The Wild, on the other hand, enter Boston with a clean bill of health and a new head coach in Bruce Boudreau, but will also be playing their third road game in four nights. The Bruins should have fresher legs, having not played since Saturday against Montreal. Hopefully, that can give them an advantage as they play without two of their most important players.

Here's what to look for in Bruins-Wild on Tuesday night ...

Zach attack. The Wild aren't very deep in terms of scoring, but they boast one of the league's premier threats in Zach Parise. The veteran winger leads Minnesota with five points and is absolutely peppering the net with shots, as his 25 shots on goal are third in the NHL.

Zach Parise - St Louis Blues v Minnesota Wild - Game Six
Zach Parise (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

The Wild also have free-agent addition Eric Staal, who has potted three goals in five games so far, but Tuesday night will be a good opportunity for the Bruins to pull a Bill Belichick on Minnesota and center their strategy around stopping Parise. Especially with Subban in net, suppressing Parise's shot attempts will be of the utmost importance.

Parise is well aware of the challenge in front of him as he likely has to deal with Patrice Bergeron all night.

"He's just smart all over the ice," Parise said of Bergeron after Minnesota's Tuesday practice. "He's good at draws, but he's just a really, really smart hockey player. He takes care of his own end really well. You feel like he's always in the right position. ... He makes a lot of turnovers, so when you're playing against him you've got to be ready to work for what you get and keep your feet moving."

If Bergeron can put together a strong enough effort to keep Parise off the score sheet, the Bruins will give themselves a great chance to win.

Malcolm Subban
Malcolm Subban (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Subban steps in. The Bruins will give goaltender Malcolm Subban another chance to prove himself at the highest level on Tuesday night, in a start that Julien described as an "opportunity for him to play well and show he can play in the NHL."

Just one problem: Subban has barely been able to play well at the AHL level. He is 0-3-1 with a 4.50 goals-against average and .846 save percentage for the Providence Bruins this season, having been pulled in the middle of two of those starts.

The 22-year-old is still young and not fully developed, but the clock is starting to really tick for Subban to prove himself as a player whom the Bruins felt was worthy of a late-first-round draft selection in 2012. Tuesday night likely won't be his last opportunity to inspire confidence in him as an NHL goaltender, but if he can't at least compete hard against Minnesota, his days in Boston (and the NHL) could be over sooner rather than later.

Broken Backes. As the Bruins' big offseason acquisition, David Backes has provided strong early returns for the Bruins with four points in five games. He's also provided a big, physical forward presence, which the Bruins have lacked in recent seasons. The Bruins will be without Backes on Tuesday night as the 32-year-old sits out with what Julien termed a "minor issue."

David Backes - New Jersey Devils v Boston Bruins
David Backes skates against the New Jersey Devils at the TD Garden. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

There's no doubt that Backes has made a significant early impact on the Bruins, both on and off the ice. His presence will certainly be missed, but Tuesday night will be a great opportunity for the team to show its mettle as it plays without one of its most important players.

But there's no doubt that Backes' absence will have an impact on David Krejci, who looked like a different player with Backes playing on his right wing. Perhaps Matt Beleskey can replicate some of that physical presence as he moves up to the Krejci line, but the loss of No. 42 has a chance to cause a ripple effect throughout the lineup.

Tired Wild. Minnesota is playing its third road game in four nights, having played in New Jersey on Saturday and New York on Sunday. This is the kind of thing that doesn't show up on the score sheet and can only be determined by using the vaunted "eye test."

The Bruins should have the fresher legs on Tuesday and should be able to use that extra gear to take it to the Wild on their home ice. Perhaps the best way to protect Subban in net is to keep the puck out of their own end entirely. It bodes well for the Bruins that Minnesota has allowed more shot attempts than it has generated, with a -11 differential that is 19th in the NHL (the Bruins are eighth with a +8 differential).

With the Bruins making the getaway to New York for Wednesday, it's likely that they're the ones with tired legs when they play the Rangers. They have a chance to take advantage of Minnesota's road trip fatigue on Tuesday.

Join the conversation!

What are you looking for in Tuesday night's game? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.

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