Bruins Make Slight Lineup Tweak Ahead of Game 3 vs. Lightning

Not exactly thrilled with his lineup's determination despite a two-game split in Tampa Bay, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy has opted to make a slight tweak to his lineup for Wednesday's pivotal Game 3 meeting at TD Garden.

Out comes Tim Schaller, and in comes Tommy Wingels.

“Timmy’s played well for us, and so has Tommy,” Cassidy offered following a morning skate at Warrior on Wednesday. “At the end of the day, Tommy’s got some experience, he provides physicality. I think we were a little short on that up there [in Tampa]. Bit of a gut move to make sure we’re not comfortable and we have the urgency required."

The 'gut move' by Cassidy is the second one involving Wingels this postseason.

His last playoff appearance saw him step in for the scratched Danton Heinen in Game 6 of the B's first-round series against the Maple Leafs, and with Wingels contributing one shot and three hits in 9:52 of play. The 30-year-old Wingels has appeared in three postseason games in total this spring, with zero points, nine hits, and four blocked shots. Wingels has appeared in 52 postseason contests since the start of the 2013 playoffs.

Schaller's scratch, meanwhile, will make it just the first game that the industrial winger has missed in an undeniable career year, with 12 goals, 22 points, and 132 hits in 82 regular-season games for the Bruins. The Merrimack, N.H. native has also contributed with two assists and a plus-3 rating through nine postseason contests.

But this decision comes on the heels of a Game 2 effort featuring just one hit and a faceoff loss in 8:45 of action (the second-lowest among all Boston skaters), and with Schaller skating just four shifts in the third period.

And with Cassidy most definitely seeking more of an offensive threat from his bottom-six forward corps.

“We need some of our other lines — the bottom of the lineup, guys that create offense by scrumming, and being good below the goal line," Cassidy said. "That’s kind of where we need them to contribute.”

Puck drops a little after 7 p.m., and can be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub.