PHILADELPHIA — After posting a convincing 7-3 win in Game 1 on Saturday, the Bruins aren't looking for anything to change in the second game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with Philadelphia.
So it's not surprising that Bruins coach Claude Julien stated that there were no lineup changes planned for Game 2 Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
"Not as we speak," Julien said after the morning skate.
Tim Thomas was the first goalie off the ice at the skate and is expected to be in net for the ninth straight time this postseason.
The Flyers aren't as fortunate to have things so simple. Not only might they want to shake things up just based on their Game 1 performance, but they also have to deal with a number of injuries.
The latter issue may force some changes, but Philadelphia coach Peter Laviolette seems inclined to stick with his players and let them try to atone for their performance in Game 1 on the ice in Game 2.
That's certainly the case with the goaltending. Despite using three different starting goalies in the opening round against Buffalo and switching goalies in four of their first eight games this postseason, Laviolette will stay with Game 1 starter Brian Boucher, who allowed five goals on 23 shots before being pulled in the second period on Saturday.
"Brian will go back in net," Laviolette said. "Today for me is a game where we all get to go back in there and try to right some wrongs. Everybody gets an opportunity. He deserves it."
Laviolette stressed that all the Flyers are eager to get another shot at the Bruins, and both sides expect a much better effort from Philadelphia.
"I think it's really important for us to get back out there," Laviolette said. "Nobody was happy with the way we played and what went on."
The Flyers are playing shorthanded, however. Forwards Jeff Carter (knee) and Andreas Nodl (upper body) are already out, and defenseman Chris Pronger is now questionable as well. Pronger missed the final 16 games of the regular season and first five games of the Buffalo series after hand surgery, but did play the last three games.
He was not present for the Flyers' morning skate on Monday and Laviolette was tight-lipped about both Pronger's availability and Carter's status.
"With regard to injury, everything comes from the general manager Paul Holmgren," Laviolette said. "How we played without them, I think we've had success when those guys have been out of the lineup, just speaking from past instances when Carter and Pronger have been out."
If Pronger can't play on Monday, Danny Syvret will likely return to the lineup. He played throughout the Buffalo series with no points and a minus-2 rating in seven games, but was scratched in Game 1 against the Bruins.
Projected Bruins lines
Forwards
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Mark Recchi
Chris Kelly-Rich Peverley-Michael Ryder
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton
Defense
Zdeno Chara-Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Ference-Johnny Boychuk
Tomas Kaberle-Adam McQuaid
Goalies
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
Scratches: Tyler Seguin, Shane Hnidy, Matt Bartkowski, Jordan Caron, Jamie Arniel, Anton Khudobin
Projected Flyers lines
Forwards
Scott Hartnell-Danny Briere-Ville Leino
James van Riemsdyk-Claude Giroux-Nikolay Zherdev
Dan Carcillo-Mike Richards-Kris Versteeg
Zac Rinaldo-Blair Betts-Darroll Powe
Defense
Chris Pronger-Matt Carle
Kimmo Timonen-Braydon Coburn
Sean O'Donnell-Andrej Meszaros
Goalies
Brian Boucher
Sergei Bobrovsky
Scratches: Jody Shelley, Jeff Carter (knee), Andreas Nodl (upper body), Matt Walker, Danny Syvret, Nick Boynton, Erik Gustafsson, Ben Holmstrom, Michael Leighton
