The Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes each will look to get back on the winning track when they meet Thursday night at Boston.
Boston will likely be missing multiple key pieces after Tuesday’s 4-2 home loss to Pittsburgh, its second defeat in three games. Captain Patrice Bergeron won’t play after sustaining an upper-body injury in the third period, hitting his head near the boards on a collision with Sidney Crosby.
In addition, the NHL Department of Player Safety offered Brad Marchand an in-person hearing via Zoom after he was assessed a match penalty for his late-game exchange with Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry. A second suspension this season is looming for Marchand, who didn’t skate on a regular forward line during Wednesday’s practice.
“(Bergeron) won’t be available tomorrow, then we’ll see after that,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It involves his head, so we have to be careful. This is a guy who had a head injury in the past. … Hopefully he’s in good shape over the next few days, but we’re going to take as much time as we need.”
David Pastrnak, who leads Boston with 24 goals after scoring twice Tuesday, skated alongside left winger Taylor Hall and center Erik Haula on the top line in practice.
“Replacing your captain and a player like (Marchand) isn’t as simple as everyone doing a little more,” Hall said. “We have to find a way to all be the best version of ourselves and play collectively. … We’re going to have to be dialed in, especially against the team we’re playing (Thursday).”
Entering with a 9-1-1 mark in his last 11 decisions, Linus Ullmark is expected to start in net for Boston. Jeremy Swayman made 21 stops but allowed three second-period goals to the Penguins.
That looks to be Boston’s goaltending duo going forward as Tuukka Rask’s comeback isn’t expected to continue, The Athletic reported during Tuesday’s game. Rask played in four NHL games last month upon returning from hip surgery.
“Tuukka wants to play at a certain level. If he doesn’t feel he can get there, he’s going to have a decision to make. That’s what he’s going through now,” Cassidy said. “It’s back to where we were at the beginning of the year with Ullmark and Swayman. We need them to play well to give us the best chance.”
Carolina has lost consecutive 4-3 decisions to begin a four-game road trip, but is 7-2-1 in its last 10. After a Monday overtime setback at Toronto, the Hurricanes scored three third-period goals to turn a 4-0 deficit into a one-goal game the following night.
Andrei Svechnikov, Brendan Smith and Vincent Trocheck scored Tuesday for Carolina, which fell despite piling up 45 shots on goal including eight on the power play.
“I like the fact that we don’t quit,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We’re gonna have games where it doesn’t go your way and we need to keep digging in. The game was the start of the second period when we gave them two quick ones (in less than three minutes). That was tough.”
Teuvo Teravainen could return after missing four games due to a lower-body injury. He is on the trip and was recently a game-time decision. The Canes’ most recent lineup was also without Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who entered COVID-19 protocol last weekend.
–Field Level Media