Patrice Bergeron remains a question mark as the Boston Bruins prepare for the fourth game of their season-long six-game road trip.
Bruins coach Claude Julien on Tuesday morning deemed Bergeron a game-time decision for Boston’s matchup with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“We’ve got to go through the medical staff first and see if he’s good,” Julien told reporters, via BostonBruins.com. “And No. 2, if there’s a risk attached to it, so we’ll make that decision here as we move along today.”
Bergeron, who sat out the Bruins’ last two games with an undisclosed injury, participated in Tuesday’s morning skate, reportedly rotating with Ryan Spooner on Boston’s top line. The All-Star centerman remains the team’s leader in points with 47, and his defensive reliability was sorely missed Sunday against Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk, who scored twice as his team beat the Bruins 6-5.
Julien also said defenseman Adam McQuaid would be a game-time decision for Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jackets, but the Bruins later announced he would be available to play after being activated from injured reserve. McQuaid has missed the last 18 games since suffering an upper body injury Jan. 5.
Here are Tuesday’s projected lines and pairings, as reported by the teams:
UPDATE (6:35 p.m. ET): Both Bergeron and McQuaid will be in the lineup. Forward Max Talbot will sit as a healthy scratch for the first time since Nov. 27.
BOSTON BRUINS (30-20-6)
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron– Brett Connolly
Matt Beleskey — David Krejci — David Pastrnak
Loui Eriksson — Ryan Spooner — Jimmy Hayes
Landon Ferraro — Joonas Kemppainen — Tyler Randell
Zdeno Chara — Zach Trotman
Dennis Seidenberg — Adam McQuaid
Torey Krug — Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (23-28-6)
Boone Jenner — Brandon Dubinsky — Cam Atkinson
Scott Hartnell — Alexander Wennberg — Brandon Saad
Matt Calvert — William Karlsson — Nick Foligno
Rene Bourque — Gregory Campbell — Kerby Rychel
Ryan Murray — Seth Jones
Jack Johnson — David Savard
Fedor Tyutin — Dalton Prout
Joonas Korpisalo
Thumbnail photo via Russell LaBounty/USA TODAY Sports Images
