The Bruins got a boost from three rookie defensemen in Game 1 on Thursday night, but the B’s may not need the tenderfoot trio to do it again in Game 2.
Torey Krug, Dougie Hamilton and Matt Bartkowski stepped into the lineup against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference semifinals due to injuries to Wade Redden, Andrew Ference and Dennis Seidenberg. The three not only held their own, but were a big part of the B’s overtime victory.
Krug buried the B’s tying goal in the third period. Hamilton assisted on Krug’s goal and had five shots. Bartkowski led the three with over 26 minutes of ice time. For their efforts, however, one, two or all three may be sitting out Sunday’s Game 2, according to CBS Boston, as the vets may be good to go.
“A little early to say,” head coach Claude Julien said Friday morning at TD Garden. “Again, it is two days, and two days in the playoffs makes a big difference as far as getting guys back. There’s a possibility, that much I can say. Whether they will or not is too early to say right now.
“There’s no doubt that gave us a real good transition game, [Thursday night],” Julien said of the rookies. “Whether some of those guys come back or not, we’ve got to keep doing the same thing.”
