Patrice Bergeron (lower-body) misses practice, uncertain for Saturday
The Bruins may be without Patrice Bergeron on Saturday night.
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 21: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round in the 2018 Stanley Cup play-offs at TD Garden on April 21, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Leafs defeat the Bruins 4-3. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy gave his top line the day off on Friday.
In the case of Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, it was a simple maintenance day. But Patrice Bergeron's absence, on the other hand, was apparently related to a lower-body injury sustained in Thursday's shootout loss to the Lightning. According to Cassidy, Bergeron sustained the injury on a blocked shot. Bergeron, for what it's worth, was credited with two blocked shots in the losing effort, and both were against Tampa defenseman Ryan McDonagh (the second of which came in overtime).
But the Bruins are hopeful that their top-line center will be good to go when the puck drops on Saturday night.
"I don't believe there is [a chance he misses the game]," Cassidy said following the skate at Warrior Ice Arena. "But he didn't go out [today], so I'd better make sure."
This is potentially troubling news for the Bruins, as they Bruins have been carried by their first line out of the gate, with the Bergeron Line having scored 14 of the team's 19 goals through the first seven goals of the new campaign.
Bergeron has scored two of those goals, and has seven points in seven games to date.
Ty AndersonEditor
Ty Anderson is 98.5 The Sports Hub’s friendly neighborhood straight-edge kid. Ty has been covering the Bruins (and other Boston teams) since 2010, has been a member of the PHWA since 2013, and went left to right across your radio dial and joined The Sports Hub in 2018. Ty also writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to the Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox.
