Nordstrom, Krejci And Wagner Out, Cehlarik Recalled As Bruins Take On Rangers

After a huge win over the St. Louis Blues in Boston Saturday, the Boston Bruins (7-1-2, 16 points) will try to avoid a letdown and sweep their first back-to-back set of games this season when they play the New York Rangers (3-4-1, 7 points) Sunday night at Madison Square Garden (7 PM ET, NESN).

The Bruins will once again have a mishmash lineup as David Krejci (upper-body) will miss his fifth straight game, Joakim Nordstrom (infection) is out again and Chris Wagner will miss his first game of the season after blocking a shot in the Bruins’ 3-0 win over the Blues in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final rematch game.

The team also placed forward Karson Kuhlman – who has a hairline nondisplaced fracture of his right tibia – on injured reserve and recalled forward Peter Cehlarik from the Providence Bruins (AHL). The 6-foot-2, 202-pound winger has six goals and two assists through six games with the P-Bruins. Cehlarik has played 37 career games in Boston, recording five goals and five assists for 10 points while with the Bruins.

Bruins Ready For Second Of Back-To-Back Games

This will be the first time the Bruins have played in back-to-back nights but they’re not concerned that fatigue or a mental letdown will hurt them as they take on a Rangers team that hasn’t played since upsetting the Buffalo Sabres with a 6-2 win Thursday night at MSG.

“I think the biggest thing is to try to stick to the same routine daily, regardless of the situation,” forward Brad Marchand told the media Sunday. “That’s kind of how we work. We prepare and when we go through our routine every day it allows us to mentally get into a mindset that we’re gonna be good. I just try to be consistent with that. At this point, I think we’re all pretty good pros and we know we need to take care of ourselves to get ready for these games. I actually like these better because I don’t like to skate in the morning, so it kind of works out in my favor.”

Maybe the Bruins should do away with morning skates then because he enters the Original 6 tilt tonight with a career-high eight-game assist streak and a nine-game point streak that has seen him light the lamp five times and rack up ten helpers.

A Guess At Bruins Lineup Against Rangers 

With Wagner and Nordstrom out and Cehlarik playing his first NHL game of the season, David Backes is likely to draw in as well. Chances are he’ll slot in on the right side of the ‘Grind Line’ with Sean Kuraly in the middle and Cehlarik on the left wing. The top nine are performing too well to tinker with right now so that’s the likely roster for tonight.

Jaro Halak is the confirmed starter between the pipes as head coach Bruce Cassidy goes back to the goalie rotation after starting Tuukka Rask for the last two games.

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk – Charlie Coyle – Brett Ritchie
Anders Bjork – Par Lindholm – Danton Heinen
Peter Cehlarik – Sean Kuraly – David Backes

Zdeno Chara – Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug – Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk – Connor Clifton

Jaro Halak