Bruins center David Krejci will miss his second straight game when the B’s aim for a 3-1 series lead in Sunday’s Game 4 at FLA Live Arena, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery confirmed in his pregame media availability.

A late scratch from last Friday’s Game 3, and with the team calling it an upper-body injury, the Bruins put their already-blended lines into more of a blender, which left them with Trent Frederic in Krejci’s projected spot on the B’s third line and with Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno’s as Frederic’s wingers. The trickle-around effect of that move saw the Bruins plug Charlie Coyle between Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk, while Pavel Zacha served as the center for Tyler Bertuzzi and David Pastrnak.

• The Bruins managed without Krejci in Game 3, and while the hope is that they’ll do the same in Sunday’s Game 4, the Bruins also expect to remain without Krejci when the series shifts back to Boston following today’s contest.

  “I wouldn’t think he’s a real option for Game 5,” Montgomery offered.

  Krejci, who recorded one assist in the first two games of this series, missed the final six games of the regular season, but that was considered a lower-body injury, not an upper-body injury.

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  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 25: David Krejci #46 of the Boston Bruins looks on during the second period at TD Garden on October 25, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• The only silver lining when it comes to Krejci’s expected absence in Game 5 is that the Bruins are hopeful that Wednesday’s Game 5 will come with the series debut of captain Patrice Bergeron.

  Bergeron, who did not fly down to Florida with the team and has instead been working on his own with team staffers back in Boston, has missed the entire series to date with an upper-body injury.

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  Apr 8, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (59) and right wing David Pastrnak (88) celebrate a goal by center Pavel Zacha (18) during the first period against the New Jersey Devils. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

• Here’s the full expected Bruins lineup for Game 4 against the Panthers…

  Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Jake DeBrusk

  Tyler Bertuzzi – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak

  Taylor Hall – Trent Frederic – Nick Foligno

  Jakub Lauko – Tomas Nosek – Garnet Hathaway

  Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

  Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo

  Derek Forbort – Dmitry Orlov

  Linus Ullmark

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