Boston Bruins: Missing Patrice Bergeron
The Boston Bruins have been missing an important piece of their team these last two games. Forward and alternate captain Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron has been out with an undisclosed upper body injury, most likely obtained in his fight with Winnipeg Jets forward (and former Boston Bruin) Blake Wheeler. That second period bout was the second fight this season for Bergeron, who has rarely dropped the mitts in the past.
More from Bruins News
- Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
- Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
- The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
- NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
- The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci
Bergeron’s loss has been keenly felt. While the Bruins were able to answer the call of the Wild in a strong 4-2 win against Minnesota, Bergeron’s presence was keenly missed against the fast and furious Detroit Red Wings. While the Bruins did hold their own for most of the game, the Wings were able to get the last goal of the game and beat the B’s 6-5. That loss put Boston back in third place in the Atlantic Division, and sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Now the Bruins are hoping that Bergeron will be back in time for tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. While the Bruins can put another center to cover the whole in their top line, they just don’t have anyone that has the total package game that Bergeron possesses.
“You can’t replace a guy like Bergy,” said longtime linemate (and NHL’s most recent Third Star of the Week) Brad Marchand. “It’s such a big hole to fill when he goes down. We all have to realize that we all have to be a little bit better, and everybody needs to step up. You have to look to someone else . . . those unsung heroes [need] to step up and have big games for us.”
Bergeron still remains the Bruins top scorer with 47 points. He has 21 goals this season with nine of them coming on the power play. He’s put in nearly two hundred shots on goal (195) and has a 10.8% shot success rate.
Should the Bruins get Bergy back tonight, they should easily run over the anemic Blue Jackets who currently stand 15th in the Eastern Conference. Even without Bergeron, the Bruins are still the second best road team in the NHL, and they should have enough firepower at their disposal to overwhelm whomever Columbus puts in the crease.
The last time these two teams met the Bruins took the game in a shootout, beating Columbus 3-2.