BOSTON – Five days after leaving Game 2 against the Hurricanes with an upper body injury following a heavy hit by Andrei Svechnikov of Carolina, Bruins blue line Hampus Lindholm he was back on the ice with his teammates for an optional practice Monday morning at Warrior Ice Arena as Boston prepared for Tuesday’s pivotal Game 5 at Raleigh.
“He’s skating today, I’ll get an update on him from the medical team,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I’m not going to rule it out. [for Game 5] but I’m not going to put it at this time either… I have to know from the doctors that he’s discharged… if he is, he’s inside. If it isn’t, then we’ll list it as likely for the next game. But the fact that he is skating is always a positive sign.”
Charlie McAvoyIn the meantime, he remains on COVID-19 protocol and didn’t skate Monday, though Cassidy said Boston’s No. 1 defenseman is “feeling better.”
“Same information from me. Doctors will let me know when it’s out of protocol,” Cassidy said. “I’m not sure how you get out of protocol, I just know they’ll let me know when I’m out. I talked to him. [on Sunday], He feels better. So that’s positive. When he’s available, I don’t have an answer today for that.”
Video: Cassidy speaks to the media Monday at WIA
Stick with Swayman
Cassidy said that jeremy swayman he’ll get the call up for Game 5, marking his third straight start between the tubes for the Black & Gold. It will be only the third time this season that Swayman has started three games in a row.
“He’s there today. It was optional, completely optional. So that’s a good sign that he’s not too fatigued,” Cassidy said. “I think a game in the afternoon helps recovery. I think he likes to work too. He knows that every day he can do something.”
“I’m not that worried about three games. I’d be more worried if it was seven in a row or something. There’s a little bit of that momentum that you carry, it gives you some energy this time of year that you might not have in January, February of the year.
“Right now, it doesn’t look like he’s fatigued there. He’s certainly had work done, but not to the point where it should affect his game overall. Until he gets his feedback, that’s what we’ll do. We’re always keeping an eye on him. ..but that’s probably more as the ball gets going.”
Video: Russo and Pastrnak discuss Game 4 against CAR
got it clicking
With McAvoy and Lindholm out of the picture, the Bruins’ defense has had to take a lot of reins. And Boston’s third couple of Derek Forbort Y Connor Clifton – a duo who have been together for much of the year – have risen to the challenge.
Forbort led all Bruins in ice time, both overall (23:07) and shorthanded (6:46), and blocked shots (nine) in Game 3, while Clifton led all Boston blue liners in Game 4 with 20:16 ice time. and six strokes.
“Playoff hockey … we’ve played almost all year together,” Clifton said. “We finally have some chemistry. We’re playing good, we’re playing fast, we’re defending hard and we’re playing hard. Honestly, it’s been going really well for us. I just have to keep it up.” , that energy.
“Collectively, we’re all going to take a couple more minutes. No one is going to replace what Charlie brings to the table and the minutes he plays … play the best game we can like the six D’s that are.”
Clifton, in the midst of his fourth postseason appearance with the Black & Gold, has now played 40 career postseason games.
“It’s easy to get up for these games,” Clifton said. “Obviously 82 in the regular season, we did our job, we made the playoffs, we got our opponent, and now it’s time to make sure and play however we can as Bruins.”
Cassidy praised the value that both Clifton and Forbort have brought to the table during this first-round series against the Hurricanes.
“Cliffy’s physicality has been great — fast breaks, finishers, annoying in that way,” Cassidy said. “Forget PK, blocking shots, getting in the way has been good. They’re playing to their strengths. They feel good about their game now and their puck play has been good enough to help us go the other way. “. .
“They’re going to have to keep working on it. But I think that’s what happened with them. I think they also look around: Lindholm is not in, McAvoy is not in, someone has to step up, why not I?”.
Video: Clifton speaks to the media Monday at WIA
Reference-www.nhl.com