UPDATE (7:11 P.M. ET): It appears the question mark no longer is needed next to David Pastrnak’s name.
The Boston Bruins right winger, who has missed the past three games with an upper-body injury, will start on the fourth line Tuesday for the Bruins in their Winter Classic rematch against the Canadiens in Montreal, according to the team’s Twitter account.
He will take over for Landon Ferraro, who is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
ORIGINAL POST: The Boston Bruins could be without two key offensive players once again Tuesday night when they face the free-falling Canadiens in Montreal.
Center David Krejci “has no chance” to return from injured reserve for B’s-Habs at Bell Centre, according to Bruins coach Claude Julien, who also hinted at right wing David Pastrnak being a game-time decision. Both players are dealing with upper-body injuries.
Krejci has missed the past nine games, but in an encouraging sign for the team, the center returned to practice for the first time Monday. However, that one practice won’t be enough for Krejci to return to the ice for this key Atlantic Division matchup. Pastrnak, meanwhile, is dealing with his second significant injury of the season, and he has missed the last three games, too.
Regardless of who plays, the Bruins will look to avenge their NHL Winter Classic loss against the archrival. And they are catching the Habs at a good time.
Montreal has lost its last four games and five of seven since the start of the new year. The Canadiens dropped from first place in the division all the way down to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Puck drop is set for 7:30 P.M. ET in the team’s final meeting in the 2015-16 regular season. You can check out Tuesday’s projected lines and pairings, as reported by the teams, below:
BOSTON BRUINSÂ (23-16-5)
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — Brett Connolly
Matt Beleskey — Ryan Spooner — Loui Eriksson
Frank Vatrano — Joonas Kemppainen — Jimmy Hayes
Zac Rinaldo — Max Talbot — David Pastrnak
Zdeno Chara — Zach Trotman
Joe Morrow — Dennis Seidenberg
Torey Krug—Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
MONTREAL CANADIENSÂ (23-19-4)
Max Pacioretty — Tomas Plekanec — Brendan Gallagher
Alex Galchenyuk — David Desharnais — Dale Weise
Tomas Fleischmann — Lars Eller — Paul Byron
Brian Flynn — Torey Mitchell —Â Devante Smith-Pelly
Andrei Markov — P.K. Subban
Alexei Emelin — Jeff Petry
Nathan Beaulieu — Mark Barberio
Mike Condon
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
