Ward to start; Seidenberg expected back

Cam Ward will be in goal again tonight when the Canes face the Boston Bruins at the RBC Center, and defenseman Dennis Seidenberg is expected to return to the lineup.

Seidenberg sat out Friday's game in Atlanta because of an illness.

Coach Paul Maurice said today that defenseman Niclas Wallin, recovering from an ankle injury, should return in a few more days.

Ward allowed four goals Friday in the win over the Thrashers but may have played one of his best games of the season.

"That was a brutal night for goaltenders," Maurice said of the Canes' 5-4 victory. "It's the worst game -- the game after Christmas -- for 'tenders. They get hung out to dry and they have to make great saves, post to post, but he was ... outstanding last night."

So was Eric Staal, whose third-period hat trick was the difference.

"And he missed one, actually, just prior to it," Maurice said. "And had he been undernearth on the open net, he could have had five, which is really impressive.

"He was feeling good. He wanted more ice, he was ready to go."

The Bruins, who lead the Eastern Conference, spanked the Canes 4-2 last Saturday in Boston, breaking away from a 1-1 tie after two periods.

"We lost 3-2 with an empty netter but I just thought they were better than we were, especially in the second period," Maurice said. "This will be a good challenge for us.

"These guys aren't far off where Detroit was last year. Leading the league in offense. Leading the conference in defense. They're getting on one of those kinds of rolls where they're building that confidence to take a run at the Stanley Cup.

"I'd like tonight for us to see if we can shut them down, at least. That will be a great test for us. Swinging with these guys doesn't do you any good; you don't learn anything. But if we can shut them down then we can gain some confidence from that for the next two to three weeks."