Boston Bruins
Bruins Camp Journal: Bruins Down To One Roster And ‘Bergy’ Ready To Go!
The final game of the Boston Bruins preseason is upon us! The Bruins will host the Chicago Blackhawks in one final tuneup for the 2019-20 regular season Saturday in a 3 PM matinee at the revamped TD Garden. After a wave of cuts and a day off on Thursday, the team was back on the ice Friday at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, MA and resembling more and more, what the roster could look like opening night in Dallas. …minus one key cog up the middle.
There was some great news Friday though and that was that head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed that top center Patrice Bergeron is a go for game action Saturday against the Blackhawks.
Here’s the latest from the almost over Bruins training camp:
Bergy Ready To Roll
Bergeron (groin) spent the early part of training camp and the preseason skating with other injured players like Joakim Nordstrom before the full roster took to the ice, had one practice wearing the maroon non-contact jersey and has practice with contact since September 18. Bergeron has yet to play in any of the Bruins’ first five preseason games. On Saturday he’ll hop onto the TD Garden ice for the first time since the Bruins lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final back on June 12.
“He’s gonna play [Saturday],” Cassidy told the media Friday. “That will be a good test for him, some live action. He felt good today in practice. Sunday is a scheduled off day, he’ll get some rest. Then we’ll ramp it up Monday…he looks good right now and I anticipate he’ll be full-go on Thursday in Dallas.”
Krejci, Nordstrom, And Studnicka Remain Out
Krejci missed a fourth straight day on the ice as he recovers from a lower-body injury suffered early in the Bruins’ 4-3 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers last Monday. Cassidy still seems confident that his second line center will be good to go for the season opener next Thursday.
“He’s in today getting treatment. Obviously not on the ice. He won’t play [Saturday] I think he’ll be back on the ice Sunday or Monday and hopefully with the group early next week to get ready to go.”
Nordstrom (foot) remained off the ice as well and Studnicka was not present and instead was having his mouth repaired from scoring a goal with his teeth in the Bruins’ 2-0 win over the New Jersey Devils Wednesday. Both players will not play against the Blackhawks.
Here’s what your lineup could look like this afternoon:
Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak
DeBrusk-Coyle-Kuhlman
Heinen-Frederic-Wagner
Bjork-Lindholm-Ritchie
Chara-McAvoy
Krug-Carlo
Zboril-Grzelcyk
Rask
Halak