BOSTON — The Bruins are aiming for their first three-game winning streak of the season when they host the Florida Panthers at TD Garden on Tuesday night. The B’s are just 2-4-0 after victories in 2014-15.
This is the first meeting of the season between these Atlantic Division foes, and it’s the second game in a four-game homestand for the Bruins.
Bruins center David Krejci (undisclosed injury) and Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau (flu) will not play. Chris Kelly is expected to play on the top line in Krejci’s absence, just like he did Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators.
“We talk about (Kelly’s)Â demeanor in the room with players and what he brings,” Bruins head coach Claude Julien said after Tuesday’s morning skate. “I think people that watch him play now understand the dimensions he can bring.
“For a guy like him to just be told 10 minutes before the game, you’re playing in Krejci’s spot, and going out there and playing the way he did — he played hard, he was responsible, made some good plays, passes and that line was good — I think speaks volumes. He was there last game, he’s been on the wing, he’s been a center man before, he’s been bumped everywhere and still he responds with solid performances. Those guys are not easy to find.”
Here are the expected lines and pairings for both teams.
BOSTON BRUINS (7-6-0, fourth in Atlantic)
Milan Lucic-Chris Kelly-Seth Griffith
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Reilly Smith
Loui Eriksson-Carl Soderberg-Matt Fraser
Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Simon Gagne
Dougie Hamilton-Dennis Seidenberg
Adam McQuaid-David Warsofsky
Zach Trotman-Joe Morrow
Tuukka Rask (expected)
FLORIDA PANTHERS (4-2-3, seventh in Atlantic)
Tomas Fleischmann-Jussi Jokinen-Brad Boyes
Scottie Upshall-Nick Bjugstad-Jimmy Hayes
Colby Robak-Aleksander Barkov-Rocco Grimaldi
Tomas Kopecky-Derek MacKenzie-Shawn Thornton
Brian Campbell-Aaron Ekblad
Willie Mitchell-Dmitry Kulikov
Dylan Olsen-Erik Gudbranson
Roberto Luongo (expected)
Photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
