The Bruins will look to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season on Wednesday in Florida, and it appears they'll turn to Tim Thomas to do it.
That's not a bad option to have, considering that Thomas is 10-1-1 this season and currently leads the NHL with a 1.49 GAA, .954 save percentage and four shutouts. He is just 4-6-2 with a 3.36 GAA and an .893 save percentage against the Panthers though, but he hasn't faced Florida yet this year when he's been dominating almost every opponent.
Thomas is expected to get that chance now, as he was the first goalie off the ice at Wednesday's morning skate as the Bruins prepared to play the Panthers.
Marc Savard returned from his testing in Pittsburgh and joined the Bruins for their skate, now cleared for contact. Marco Sturm also skated, but neither injured player is ready to return to game action yet.
The Bruins aren't expected to have any changes in their lineup on Wednesday. Daniel Paille and Adam McQuaid will remain the healthy scratches, Blake Wheeler will stay at center and Tyler Seguin will skate on Patrice Bergeron's right wing for the second straight game after his solid play there was one of the few bright spots for the Bruins in Monday's 3-1 loss at Tampa.
The Panthers, on the other hand, will have a much different lineup than what faced the Bruins last Thursday at the Garden, as Florida has been forced to shuffle its lines and call up reinforcements from the AHL because of injuries.
The defense will be without veteran Bryan Allen, who is out with a broken foot, and Jason Garrison, who suffered a groin injury. Brockton, Mass., native Joe Callahan and Keaton Ellerby have been recalled from Florida's AHL affiliate in Rochester. It will be Callahan's Panthers debut, though he did play 18 games with the Islanders two years ago and one with San Jose last year.
Up front, Florida will be without Rostislav Olesz (broken finger), who joins former Bruin Byron Bitz (sports hernia), Mark Cullen (Achilles) and Steve Bernier (broken orbital bone) on Florida's lengthy injured list. The Panthers did get one bit of good news, as Steve Reinprecht (groin) did participate in the morning skate and is expected to play on Wednesday.
The Panthers have moved Cory Stillman up alongside Marty Reasoner and Radek Dvorak, while center Mike Santorelli moves to right wing on a line with David Booth and Shawn Matthias as Florida tries to get Booth, who has not scored a goal in eight games, going again.
Florida does have one of the best goalies in the business playing behind that banged-up lineup, with Tomas Vokoun expected to start again against the Bruins.
Projected Bruins lines:
Forwards
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Mark Recchi-Patrice Bergeron-Tyler Seguin
Jordan Caron-Blake Wheeler-Michael Ryder
Brad Marchand-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton
Defense
Zdeno Chara-Andrew Ference
Mark Stuart-Dennis Seidenberg
Matt Hunwick-Johnny Boychuk
Goalies
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
Scratches: Daniel Paille, Adam McQuaid
Projected Panthers lines:
Forwards
Chris Higgins-Stephen Weiss-Michael Frolik
David Booth-Shawn Matthias-Mike Santorelli
Cory Stillman-Marty Reasoner-Radek Dvorak
Darcy Hordichuk-Steven Reinprecht-Michal Repik
Defense
Bryan McCabe-Mike Weaver
Keaton Ellerby-Dennis Wideman
Joe Callahan-Dmitry Kulikov
Goalies
Tomas Vokoun
Scott Clemmensen
Scratches: Bill Thomas, Rostislav Olesz (finger), Bryan Allen (foot), Jason Garrison (groin)
