Nathan Horton Misses Practice Due to Skate Problem

PHILADELPHIA — Throughout the season, especially in the latter stages of the year, Bruins coach Claude Julien has done his best to balance the need to keep his club sharp with enough practice time and the desire to keep everyone fresh with enough rest.

Veteran players have been excused from a number of practices and morning skates for the latter purpose, and when forward Nathan Horton was the only Bruin not to come out for the team's practice between Games 1 and 2 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, most on hand assumed that was the case again.

But it was not so on this occasion. It wasn't anything more serious for Bruins fans to worry about either though, as a simple equipment problem sidelined Horton for the workout.

"No, it wasn't supposed to be a maintenance day," Julien said. "I don't know if you guys know, but he had his rivets pop just before going out there. So the trainer came to see me and I said we were only going out there for 20 minutes so by the time we got it fixed [it would be too late]. He did a little off-ice workout. It's not a big deal. He'll skate [Monday] morning."

Horton wasn't concerned after practice, confirming the issue was strictly with his skates.

"I was getting dressed and my skates were all messed up," Horton said. "I was just about to go on [the ice] and coach just told me to stay off because my skates weren't going to be done in time. He said [practice] was going to be really quick, so I got a little off-ice workout instead."

Horton, who's never without a wide smile on his face to begin with, certainly didn't seem too upset to have to take the afternoon off, though he denied any deliberate sabotage for the extra free time.

"I didn't plan it," Horton said. "It just kind of happened that way."

With Horton out, Tyler Seguin filled in on the top line alongside David Krejci and Milan Lucic in practice. The rest of the lines remained unchanged, with Patrice Bergeron between Brad Marchand and Mark Recchi, Rich Peverley flanked by Chris Kelly and Michael Ryder and Gregory Campbell skating with Daniel Paille and Shawn Thornton. Spare forwards Jamie Arniel and Jordan Caron alternated in on the Bergeron and Campbell lines, respectively.