Boston Bruins’ Bergeron ‘Questionable’ For Game 2

BRIGHTON, MA – The Boston Bruins may get their captain back for Wednesday night’s Game 2 against the Florida Panthers as Patrice Bergeron has been upgraded to “questionable” while dealing with an upper body injury and illness. The 37-year-old captain missed the Game 1 win on Monday night and hasn’t been seen on the ice since exiting after the first period almost a week ago in Montreal with what the B’s termed an “upper body, precautionary.”

Montgomery said that Bergeron wouldn’t skate with a B’s group going out for an optional practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Tuesday, but

Pavel Zacha subbed in for Bergeron as the top line center in the Game 1 3-1 win for the Black and Gold and finished with an assist and a plus-1 rating in 14:30 of ice time along with two shot attempts, one takeaway and a 10-for-17 performance in the faceoff circle. It was Zacha’s shot on net that created the loose puck rebound situations that eventually led to Jake DeBrusk’s insurance score when he knocked a resting puck atop Alex Lyon’s leg pads that was just sitting there waiting to pounce.

Love Lyon trying to say "I had it" when the puck was literally resting on top of his leg pad. Ah, no you didn't buddy. Goaltending proving to be a big margin between these two teams in Game 1 https://t.co/cyOmA2Rpub

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) April 18, 2023

In a move that signals it was probably more injury than illness keeping Bergeron out of the lineup for Game 1, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said that No. 37 was around the team before, during and after the playoff game, and played a role as another set of eyes watching what was happening on the ice.

“He doesn’t get rattled by anything. He promotes positivity and cool, calm confidence and I think it permeates through the group. We keep [Bergeron] involved,” said Montgomery. “We were having him in the coach’s room [asking him] ‘What are you seeing?’ and he’s in there with the players talking about what he’s seeing.

“That gives the players confidence. He has a huge presence with us even if he’s not on the ice.”

Otherwise, it appears that the Boston Bruins lineup came out of Game 1 in good shape and that would leave Montgomery with a really difficult decision with his forward group if Bergeron can return for Game 2.