Joakim Nordstrom ruled out for Bruins vs. Predators
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 27: Joakim Nordstrom #20 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at TD Garden on October 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
The sickness that made its way through the Bruins’ locker room will keep Joakim Nordstrom back in Boston and out of action on Tuesday when the B’s skate against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
“He’s not going to travel,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed after Monday’s practice in Brighton. “We thought he might, but we’ve had a little bit of this going on, so for one game we’ll probably play it safe.”
A fourth-line fixture this season, Nordstrom’s absence is expected to throw Brett Ritchie back in action, as he skated with Danton Heinen and Charlie Coyle on the Black and Gold’s third line. That third line moved Anders Bjork to the right of Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci on the B’s second line, and moved Par Lindholm to the middle of Boston’s fourth line, which moved Sean Kuraly to Nordstrom’s spot as the fourth-line left wing.
The 27-year-old Nordstrom has four goals and an assist, along with 60 hits and 15 blocked shots, in 31 games for the Bruins this season, and has averaged 12:07 of time on ice per contest this season.
The B’s head to Nashville with losses in three straight, and have just one victory in their last nine road meetings against the Predators dating back to Dec. 2006, including five straight defeats on Tennessee ice.
Some good news for the Bruins? The Predators, who have straight-up plummeted in recent weeks, ended Monday night without a head coach, as the team relieved Peter Laviolette of his duties but did not name an interim coach.
