It appears Brad Marchand will return to the Boston Bruins lineup for the crucial Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Florida Panthers on Friday. So says an authority on the subject.
Marchand’s mother, Lynn, seemed to let on to Boston television reporter Steve Cooper that her son will play in Game 6.
“He’s doing good. He’s pumped,” she said. “He’s ready for a big win tonight for the Bruins and he’s excited to get out there and extend the series.”
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery, however, didn’t confirm anything after an optional morning skate.
“He’s going through his final steps. He’ll be a game-time decision,” Montgomery said.
Marchand returned to practice Thursday and was a full participant. The Bruins captain and emotional heartbeat was injured on a Sam Bennett hit during Game 3 of this best-of-7 series which Florida leads 3-2. The feisty forward missed the past two games, but looked the part of being able to play at practice.
“We’ll see how (Friday morning) goes, but hopefully (I’ll play),” Marchand said Thursday. “It’s very tough to watch this time of year. It was great to get back out there (at practice) and be around the energy and emotion.”
Montgomery said Thursday that Marchand still had “boxes to check” before he could play.
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Brad Marchand’s mom ‘confident’ Bruins can force Game 7 against Panthers
The Bruins extended this series with a 2-1 win in Florida on Tuesday, despite playing without Marchand. They face elimination again Friday, but will be playing at home trying to force a seventh game, again in Florida, on Sunday.
“It’s nerve wracking. They’re all nerve wracking, but especially Game 6 and it could be an elimination game,” Lynn Marchand said. “I’m always full of anxiety. But I’m confident because I know the Bruins can do this.”
It’ll be a bit easier with her son in the lineup. The 2011 Stanley Cup champion has 138 points in 156 career postseason games. He is tied for the Bruins lead with Jake DeBrusk with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in these playoffs.
The Bruins were on the opposite side of the coin in the first round. They took a 3-1 series lead against the Toronto Maple Leafs, lost the next two games and won Game 7 in overtime on David Pastrnak’s goal.
Now they’re the ones trying to fight their back from a 3-1 deficit. And the next step in that journey just might be with Lynn Marchand’s son back in the lineup.