The Bruins continue to play things close to the vest when it comes to Patrice Bergeron’s status after the Boston captain missed Monday night’s Game 1 against the Panthers, but there was at least a mildly encouraging update on Tuesday.
No Bergeron, no problem for Bruins in Game 1
“He’s feeling better,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said of Bergeron.
His status for Wednesday night’s Game 2?
“He’s questionable for tomorrow,” Montgomery said.
The Bruins held an optional practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Tuesday, which only a handful of players took part in. Bergeron was not one of them.
Bergeron left Thursday’s regular-season finale with what was termed “upper-body, precautionary” and did not return. He has also been battling an illness that has run through the team over the last couple weeks.
Based on comments from both Montgomery and Brad Marchand before Game 1, it sounded like the illness was the bigger concern. Bergeron, however, was in the building and around the team on Monday before the game, so we can at least deduce that whatever he’s dealing with isn’t contagious, or at least isn’t still contagious.
Still, plenty remains unclear regarding Bergeron’s situation. We don’t know if his absence is only because of the illness -- which could also include recovery time to build his strength back up if he lost any weight or something like that -- or if the upper-body injury is still a factor as well.
Montgomery was asked how he has seen Bergeron handling whatever it is that he’s dealing with.
“Great,” Montgomery said. “He doesn’t get rattled by anything. He promotes positivity and cool, calm confidence that I think permeates through the group. We keep him involved. Like yesterday, we’re having him in the coaches room, and he’s in the dressing room talking to the players about what he sees. So, that gives the players confidence. He’s a very -- he has a huge presence with us even if he’s not on the ice.”
The Bruins managed a 3-1 Game 1 win even without Bergeron, with Pavel Zacha stepping into the captain’s usual spot between Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk and doing a great job of driving play for the Bruins in some tough matchups against Florida’s top two lines.
If Bergeron remains out for Game 2, we would expect the same lineup from the Bruins. If Bergeron returns, it will be interesting to see if Zacha goes back on the Czech line with David Krejci and David Pastrnak, which would bump Tyler Bertuzzi down to the third line. Montgomery could also drop Zacha to the third line and keep Bertuzzi, who had two primary assists in Game 1, with Pastrnak and Krejci, where he has certainly fit well.
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