Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said after Tuesday’s loss to Toronto that there would be lineup changes for Thursday night’s game against New Jersey, and sure enough there are. Four of them, in fact.
Cassidy told reporters Thursday morning that he is switching out the entire third defense pair, with Mike Reilly and Josh Brown replacing Derek Forbort and Connor Clifton. Up front, Marc McLaughlin and Anton Blidh will go in for Craig Smith and Nick Foligno.
Reilly had been a healthy scratch the last three games, as he became the odd man out on the blue line following the acquisition of Hampus Lindholm. Brown, who was acquired from Ottawa in a trade deadline depth move, will be making his Bruins debut.
Cassidy had been saying he wanted to get both into a game at some point soon, and noted that Tuesday’s disastrous defensive showing probably “accelerated” the process. Clifton had an especially tough night, as he had an errant pass and a blocked shot lead to two Maple Leafs goals.
McLaughlin will be making not just his Bruins debut, but his NHL debut. The B’s signed the 22-year-old Billerica native two weeks ago following the end of his senior season at Boston College, where he served as team captain the last two years. McLaughlin, who also played on the U.S. Olympic team in February, ranked among the NCAA leaders in goals this season with 21 in 33 games.
McLaughlin is expected to replace Smith as the third-line right wing next to Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic, although it wouldn't be surprising to see him and Curtis Lazar flipped at some point. Cassidy said Smith is a little “under the weather” and is considered day-to-day. Blidh will slot in at fourth-line left wing in place of Foligno, who is also day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to Cassidy.
Here is the Bruins’ expected lineup for Thursday’s game against the Devils. Linus Ullmark starts in net.
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - Jake DeBrusk
Taylor Hall - Erik Haula - David Pastrnak
Trent Frederic - Charlie Coyle - Marc McLaughlin
Anton Blidh - Tomas Nosek - Curtis Lazar
Hampus Lindholm - Charlie McAvoy
Matt Grzelcyk - Brandon Carlo
Mike Reilly - Josh Brown
Linus Ullmark
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