Bruins Hopeful Bergeron (Upper-Body) Ready For Game 5
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
UPDATE (Friday, 12:26 p.m.): Patrice Bergeron skated at Warrior Ice Arena and Bruce Cassidy would only say he’s “not ruling him out” for Game 5.
The Boston Bruins stunned fans on Thursday night with a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. But the real reason the the B’s delivered such a satisfying win is because of an even more stunning announcement that came less than an hour before the first puck dropped.
Just minutes before the Bruins took the ice for their pregame warmups on Thursday, the team revealed Patrice Bergeron as a surprise scratch from Game 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team described him as “day-to-day” with an upper-body injury.
Head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters after the game on Bergeron that “hopefully he’s better and ready to go on Saturday” for Game 5, via NBC Sports Boston’s Joe Haggerty on Twitter.
Apr 3, 2018, Tampa, FL, USA: Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron during the first period at Amalie Arena. (Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Riley Nash took Bergeron’s place on the Bruins’ top line to start the game, with Tommy Wingels sliding into the lineup for the fourth forward group as a result. Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak were able to light the lamp anyway, with Marchand netting the game-winning goal off a feed from Pastrnak in the second period.
Bergeron is fresh off his seventh straight nomination for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward.
The Bruins don’t practice on Friday, but Cassidy is expected to speak to the media at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston. It’s likely that the next update on Bergeron won’t come until the Bruins’ morning skate on Saturday.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
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