Rich Peverley, Chris Kelly Switch Spots As Bruins Continue to Search for Right Line Combinations With Patrice Bergeron Out

BOSTON — Patrice Bergeron returned for part of Monday's practice at the TD Garden, but with his return to game action still uncertain, the Bruins are continuing to tinker with ways to replace him in the lineup.

Chris Kelly got the call to center the second line in Game 1 against Tampa Bay, but on Monday it was Rich Peverley in that spot. Peverley skated between Brad Marchand and Mark Recchi, while Kelly moved down between Michael Ryder and Tyler Seguin on the third line.

"Just moving guys around a little bit," Bruins coach Claude Julien said after practice. "I think it's important that if we're going to do that, that they get used to playing with each other. And Kelly has an opportunity to play with that line and has gotten used to them a little bit. Now Peverley does and I have some options. Just giving some thoughts to maybe [using] different combinations if need be and tomorrow we'll decide which one we want to go with."

The top line of David Krejci flanked by Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton and the fourth line of Gregory Campbell between Daniel Paille and Shawn Thornton remained unchanged. There's also no guarantee the other changes will last long.
 
"I don't think it's a permanent thing," Peverley said. "Me and Kells might switch off a bit during the game. I think it's just about me going in and playing my game. I don't think it's going to change anything and hopefully it will work."

The move wasn't just an attempt to find the best fit to replace Bergeron on the second line. It was also about giving the revamped third line better balance with a more defensively responsible center to work with Seguin and Ryder, as that unit struggled at times in that aspect of the game in Game 1.

"He's definitely great in the D zone," Seguin said of Kelly. "I think he got put here because we had two goals scored against our line there in the first period. I think it's going to help bring some good defense to our line.

"I think they're both great all-around players," Seguin added of Kelly and Peverley. "Kelly definitely thrives in the D zone, that's one of his specialties. I think he'll bring something new to the line because we did have those two goals scored against us in the first period, so he'll help us out."