The Boston Bruins enter Game 4 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Ottawa Senators trailing 2-1 after losing Game 3 at TD Garden. But reinforcements should be on the way.
B’s defenseman Colin Miller is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday night after missing the previous two games. He left Game 1 after a scary knee-on-knee collision. Miller’s return likely will result in Tommy Cross being a healthy scratch.
Miller is the only one of Boston’s four injured defensemen expected to play Wednesday.
David Krejci returned in Game 3 after missing the first two games with a lower body injury. He’ll slot in at second-line center in Game 4, and the Bruins need his playmaking ability and smooth skating to break down Ottawa’s neutral-zone trap.
Senators head coach Guy Boucher told reporters Wednesday there will be no lineup changes for his team entering Game 4.
Here are the projected lineups for both teams.
BOSTON BRUINS (1-2)
Brad Marchand–Patrice Bergeron–David Pastrnak
Drew Stafford–David Krejci–David Backes
Tim Schaller–Ryan Spooner/Sean Kuraly–Frank Vatrano
Dominic Moore–Riley Nash–Noel Acciari
Zdeno Chara–Charlie McAvoy
Joe Morrow–Kevan Miller
John-Michael Liles–Colin Miller
Tuukka Rask
OTTAWA SENATORS (2-1)
Ryan Dzingel–Kyle Turris–Alex Burrows
Viktor Stalberg–Derick Brassard–Bobby Ryan
Mike Hoffman–Zack Smith–Mark Stone
Clarke MacArthur–Jean-Gabriel Pageau–Tom Pyatt
Mark Methot–Erik Karlsson
Dion Phaneuf–Cody Ceci
Ben Harpur–Chris Wideman
Craig Anderson
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
