Thursday night will be a good challenge for the post-trade deadline Bruins against the Lightning, but it will not quite be the full-strength marquee battle we were all hoping to see.
That's because the Bruins will still be without Patrice Bergeron. While the team had been optimistic that Bergeron would get final clearance on Thursday morning, he ultimately didn't get it and will miss at least one more game. They'll now have to wait to see if he gets cleared for Saturday's game against the Islanders.
"We got bad news on that one, so he's out tonight," Bruce Cassidy said of Bergeron after morning skate. "It was a bit of a curveball. Leading into today, we thought he'd be cleared, but doctors felt otherwise. So we'll look at Saturday now."
This will be the fourth straight game Bergeron has missed due to an infection in his elbow that flared up before the team's game in Chicago on March 15. While Bergeron played that game, he had to fly back to Boston the next day and undergo surgery to take care of the issue.
With Bergeron out, Jack Studnicka will stay in his spot centering the top line between Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk.
"It's business as usual once the puck drops. An opportunity for someone else," Cassidy said. "I think Jack has been good in terms of his 200-foot game, has played well away from the puck. The offense should come if that continues. He's with two good players. It's a good opportunity for him now against obviously a two-time defending Stanley Cup champion. That's the way we look at it. Other guys will pick up the slack."
The big story aside from Bergeron's absence is that Thursday will be the Bruins debut for defenseman Hampus Lindholm, whom the Bruins acquired from Anaheim in a blockbuster trade on Saturday.
Lindholm will start on Boston's top pairing next to Charlie McAvoy, while Matt Grzelcyk remains on the second pairing with Brandon Carlo. On the third pairing, Cassidy announced he will be going with Derek Forbort and Connor Clifton on Thursday, with Mike Reilly being the odd man out.
"They've been good as a pair," Cassidy said of Forbort and Clifton. "Mike's been fine as well. It's not an easy decision in terms of merit, to be honest with you. It's a good problem to have in that regard. It's tough for Mike, but it's one game. We're gonna get everyone involved and go from there, but that's how it's gonna be tonight."
Here is the Bruins' lineup for Thursday night. Jeremy Swayman starts in goal. The Bruins can leapfrog the the Lightning in the standings with a regulation win.
Brad Marchand - Jack Studnicka - Jake DeBrusk
Taylor Hall - Erik Haula - David Pastrnak
Trent Frederic - Charlie Coyle - Craig Smith
Nick Foligno - Tomas Nosek - Curtis Lazar
Hampus Lindholm - Charlie McAvoy
Matt Grzelcyk - Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort - Connor Clifton
Jeremy Swayman
