WILMINGTON, Mass. — After a day off on Tuesday, the Bruins returned to work Wednesday in Wilmington.
But there were some changes that greeted the club upon its return, as Bruins coach Claude Julien had once again shuffled two of the forward lines.
"Another little tweak, I had two days to think about it," Julien said with a smile.
On this occasion, Julien reached back into the recent past in hopes of rekindling some chemistry that had worked previously. Rich Peverley moved back to the right wing on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, while Nathan Horton moved to the right side of a line with David Krejci at center and Benoit Pouliot and Jordan Caron alternating at left wing.
"Peverley has had good chemistry with that line before and Horton and Krejci have been good together before as well," Julien said. "We'll try that out, and if it doesn't work then we'll change it again."
Peverley began the season with Bergeron and Marchand and the line clicked initially before struggling for a bit, but all three forwards are excited about the chance to skate together again.
"We've got some good chemistry," Marchand said. "We might have just started complicating things a little bit. The first couple games we were working pretty good and getting opportunities. If we get back to playing simple hockey and taking pucks to the net then maybe we'll get some more opportunities than we did the last couple games we played together."
Horton and Krejci spent most of last season together on the top line with Milan Lucic. Horton and Krejci complemented each other well, especially in the playoffs, but that line struggled to generate similar production at the start of the season.
They too will get another chance together, though Lucic will remain with Chris Kelly and Tyler Seguin. That combination has been Boston's best since it was put together last week, with Kelly (1-3-4, plus-4), Seguin (2-2-4, plus-4) and Lucic (2-3-5, plus-3) combining for five goals and 13 points in two games.
The Bruins defense could also get a new look. Adam McQuaid once again practiced without any limitations from the neck injury that has kept him out of the last four games. He could return Thursday against Montreal.
"He is symptom-free," Julien said. "As long as the doctors are OK with that, then we'll make that decision as far as whether he plays or not."
When ready, McQuaid will be joining a crowded blue line, as Steven Kampfer has played well since returning from a knee injury last Thursday. McQuaid hasn't received word yet of if he will play on Thursday, and knows he may have to play his way back into the rotation as he did a year ago when he began the season as the seventh defenseman.
"We have seven capable guys, so I'll try to work my way back into the lineup," McQuaid said. "At least I've been through it before. I'll just wait for my opportunity and then hopefully make the most of it."
