Another must-win game awaits the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night as they visit the New Jersey Devils.
Boston enters the game in third place in the Atlantic Division, but it owns just a one-point lead over the Detroit Red Wings, who will take on the abysmal Canadiens on Tuesday in Montreal.
The Bruins will ice a new-look third line against the Devils, as winger Loui Eriksson is expected to make a rare appearance at center in place of the injured Ryan Spooner.
Eriksson lined up at center during Monday’s practice, and Bruins coach Claude Julien explained Tuesday morning why he decided to play the veteran out of position rather than recall a centerman from Providence.
“Maybe (we would have considered) bringing another young player in there, (but) when you’re fighting for a playoff spot, you probably lean a little bit more with experience there down the middle because we know how important that is,” Julien told reporters in New Jersey, via BostonBruins.com. “We thought Loui could do the job, and hopefully it’s short-term.”
Boston also will be without defenseman John-Michael Liles for a second consecutive game as he continues to recover from a lower body injury.
New Jersey boasts the ninth-best goals against average in the NHL but will be without starting goaltender Cory Schneider (knee) for the 11th consecutive game. Schneider very well could make his return to the lineup later this week, but Devils coach John Hynes confirmed to reporters that Keith Kinkaid will start in net against the B’s.
Here are the projected lines and pairings for both teams:
BOSTON BRUINS (40-28-8)
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — Lee Stempniak
Matt Beleskey — David Krejci — David Pastrnak
Frank Vatrano — Loui Eriksson — Jimmy Hayes
Landon Ferraro — Noel Acciari — Brett Connolly
Zdeno Chara — Kevan Miller
Joe Morrow — Dennis Seidenberg
Torey Krug — Adam McQuaid
Tuukka Rask
NEW JERSEY DEVILS (36-32-8)
Reid Boucher — Travis Zajac — Kyle Palmieri
Joseph Blandisi — Adam Henrique — Devante Smith-Pelly
Sergey Kalinin — Blake Pietila — Mike Sislo
Bobby Farnham — Stephen Gionta — Tuomo Ruutu
Adam Larsson — Andy Greene
John Moore — Damon Severson
Seth Helgeson — David Warsofsky
Keith Kinkaid
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
