Boston Bruins
Game 5 Preview: Marchand Out; Bruins Trying To Force Game 6

Down 3-1 in their second round Stanley Cup Playoffs series, the Boston Bruins will try to stave off elimination against the Florida Panthers in Game 5 tonight in Sunrise, Florida.
Boston Bruins Captain Out Again
For a second straight game in this Eastern Conference semifinal series, Brad Marchand will not be in the lineup for the Boston Bruins. The Bruins captain took part in the team’s game-day skate on Tuesday morning, but he did not take any regular line reps or power play reps.
PP1: McAvoy, Pastrnak, DeBrusk, Coyle, van Riemsdyk
PP2: Lohrei, Geekie, Heinen, Zacha, BrazeauBrad Marchand is not on either power play, indicating he has not been cleared for tonight at this time.
— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) May 14, 2024
Following the skate, Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery ruled Marchand out for Game 5.
“Not an option tonight,” Montgomery replied when asked if there was a chance he’d play on Tuesday night.
Jim Montgomery confirms Brad Marchand is "not an option tonight."#NHLBruins | https://t.co/eDcdLamH2W pic.twitter.com/wy3aA9nQo2
— NESN (@NESN) May 14, 2024
Marchand did not play in his team’s 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday at TD Garden after he was injured early in the first period of his team’s 6-2 loss in Game 3 on Friday night.
“On that play, I’m obviously not trying to punch him in the head.”
– Sam Bennett, seen here ‘accidentally’ punching Brad Marchand in the head. pic.twitter.com/MZ2ZVm5RK3— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) May 13, 2024
After realizing he was about to be the recipient of a reverse hit from Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett, Marchand braced for impact and got the worst of it. The 5-foot-9, 176-pound Bruins winger appeared to take the butt-end of Bennett’s stick as the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Panthers center followed through on the hit. He fell to the ice hard and, thankfully, in front of the Bruins’ bench because he was shaken up and needed help to get to the bench. Brad Marchand missed a couple of shifts but returned and tried to battle through whatever the injury was that he suffered in the collision with Bennett. After playing 10:51, 15 shifts, and registering four hits but no points, Marchand was done after two periods of play. He did not practice on Saturday, and Tuesday morning was the first time he skated since being injured on Friday.
Bruins Lineup
Here’s what the Bruins lineup is expected to look like in Game 5 against the Panthers on Tuesday night:
Forwards
Danton Heinen – Charlie Coyle – Trent Frederic
Jake DeBrusk – Morgan Geekie – David Pastrnak
James van Riemsdyk – Pavel Zacha – Justin Brazeau
Jakub Lauko – John Beecher – Pat Maroon
Defensemen
Mason Lohrei – Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo
Parker Wotherspoon – Andrew Peeke
Goalies
Jeremy Swayman
Linus Ullmark