Bruins will be down at least one key piece Friday vs. Lightning
The Bruins will be without David Pastrnak for the second straight game when the team takes to the Amalie Arena ice for a Friday night showdown with the Lightning, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Thursday.
The update came following a practice that did not come with No. 88 on the ice for the team’s skate at the Brandon Ice Sports Forum, and with Cassidy noting that Pastrnak is ‘definitely’ out for Friday. But the Bruins aren’t worrying with Pastrnak, who has grabbed at his side the three times in the last eight games as he deals with a core injury, just yet.
“I don’t think he’s [going to be out] a while,” Cassidy offered. “We listed him as day-to-day and he’s still on the trip. I think if it was anything long term, he would’ve went home by now.”
As for defenseman Hampus Lindholm, who departed Tuesday’s loss early with a lower-body injury, the Bruins are holding out hope that he will be available despite missing Thursday’s practice.
“Lindholm, they weren’t sure,” Cassidy said following the session. “They were hoping to get him on the ice today, didn’t work out that way. I know he did off-ice [work], so I won’t rule him out yet.”
The 6-foot-4 Lindholm has put up four assists and a plus-5 rating, along with 11 hits and 12 blocked shots, through his first seven games with the Bruins. If Lindholm is unavailable, Mike Reilly is projected to skate opposite Charlie McAvoy on the B’s top pairing, with Derek Forbort and Connor Clifton back together on the third pairing.
A bit of good news: Trent Frederic, who left Monday’s game in Columbus with an upper-body injury, is set to return to his normal spot to the left of Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith on the Black and Gold’s third line.
Cassidy also confirmed that Linus Ullmark will get the call in net for the Bruins on Friday night. Ullmark is on a definite heater of late, with a 5-0-0 record and .931 save percentage in his last six appearances.
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Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. He has been covering the Bruins since 2010, and has been a member of the Boston chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
