Coming off an extremely successful road trip to Western Canada, the Boston Bruins come back to the TD Garden for a Tuesday night matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights.
However, they will have to do so without top-six forwards Brad Marchand and Craig Smith. Both were forced to enter COVID protocols today and will have to be in quarantine. Marchand currently leads the team in goals, assists and points.
Both players have missed time this season. Smith was out earlier in the year with an injury, while Marchand sat three games for his slew-foot on Vancouvers’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
It will be a tough strecth of games ahead for the B’s, and it starts tonight with a hot Golden Knights team that has won four of its last five games.
When: 7 p.m. ET
Where: TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
TV: NESN
Stream: ESPN+
"Bruins projected linesHall-Bergeron-PastrnakHaula-Coyle-DeBruskKuhlman-Nosek-FolignoBlidh-Frederic-Lazar Forbort-McAvoyGrzelcyk-CarloMoore-Clifton SwaymanUllmark"
"Golden Knights projected linesPacioretty-Stephenson-StoneMarchessault-Karlsson-SmithJanmark-Roy-DadonovCarrier-Kolesar-Amadio Hague–PietrangeloMcNabb–WhitecloudHutton–Theodore LehnerBroissoit"
With no Marchand and Smith in the lineup, it’s strictly speculation what the lines will look like for tonight. Smith was not at morning rushes, but Marchand was.
It would makes sense for Taylor Hall to slide up and play with Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. That trio played quite well together during Marchand’s suspension.
Erik Haula looked really good in his time on the wing and I think there is some chemistry there with Charlie Coyle. I would think putting the two together on a line would be smart.
While Marchand and Smith are out, Bruce Cassidy does return to the Bruins’ bench after being out with COVID. Joe Sacco had taken over in his place, but Cassidy resume his regular role now.
Vegas has been playing much better hockey as of late, but are still dealing with injuries. Nicolas Roy and Shea Theodore are considered game-time decisions for the Golden Knights. The team is coming off a big 6-4 win over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. The team is averaging nearly five goals per game in their last five outing, with 24 goals during that span.
Shorthanded team tonight, but no excuses. Next man up mentality needed out of the Bruins to take this home game.