Should Shawn Thornton or Jordan Caron Dress for Game 7?

by NESN Staff on Wed, Apr 25, 2012 at 9:00AM

With Game 7 of the Bruins-Capitals series ready to rock on Wednesday night, Boston head coach Claude Julien has a serious decision to make at forward.

Should he play Shawn Thornton or Jordan Caron?

Thornton was a healthy scratch for Game 6 as the team prepared for the possibility of Patrice Bergeron not being able to play the whole night. Had that happened, Caron would have been the better replacement.

But with two days off between games, Bergeron is a lock to play in the must-win game and Thornton could return to the lineup. After all, the Bruins enforcer has been an influential player on and off the ice since last season's Stanley Cup run.

Last season, when faced with a similar decision between Thornton and then-rookie Tyler Seguin, Julien usually sided with the veteran forward. Of course, Seguin's four-point period against Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference Finals stands as a testament that sometimes a young gun can provide a spark, although that wasn't a Game 7 situation.

On the flip side, Thornton's energy could arguably be pointed to as the difference-maker for the Bruins in at least one game already this series.

While Julien hasn't made his announcement yet, perhaps you can sway his opinion by giving him a piece of your mind. Check out the poll below and vote on which player you think deserves to dress — Thornton or Caron?

Which forward should dress for the Bruins in Game 7?