What goes up, must come down.
The Boston Bruins welcomed the return of Kevan Miller, Zdeno Chara and Jake DeBrusk on Thursday, but were without Charlie McAvoy due to a lower-body injury. And now, they’ll be without one of their best wingers.
Brad Marchand will be scratched from Saturday’s tilt against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center due to an upper-body injury. The good news, however, is that both players could return for the Winter Classic on Tuesday.
Due to the injuries and David Backes’ three-game suspension, the lines will be shaken up a bit for the Atlantic Division matchup. Danton Heinen will join Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak on the top line, with Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and Noel Acciari slotting into third-line duties. Colby Cave will be bumped down to center the fourth line, and Sean Kuraly will slide over and skate on the last group’s left wing.
Zdeno Chara is expected to pair with Brandon Carlo, while Torey Krug and John Moore will make up the second duo. Matt Grzelcyk will be reunited with Miller, who has been his defensive partner for much of his young career, on the third unit.
Tuukka Rask will get the nod in net for Boston, and will be countered by Carter Hutton.
Here are the projected lines and defense pairings for Saturday night’s Bruins-Sabres game.
BOSTON BRUINS (20-14-4)
Danton Heinen–Patrice Bergeron–David Pastrnak
Joakim Nordstrom–David Krejci–Jake DeBrusk
Ryan Donato–Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson–Noel Acciari
Sean Kuraly –Colby Cave– Chris Wagner
Zdeno Chara–Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug–John Moore
Matt Grzelcyk–Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
BUFFALO SABRES (21-12-5)
Jeff Skinner–Jack Eichel–Sam Reinhart
Conor Sheary–Casey Mittelstadt–Kyle Okposo
Tage Thompson–Vladimir Sobotka–Jason Pominville
Remi Elie–Johan Larsson–Evan Rodrigues
Jake McCabe–Rasmus Ristolainen
Marco Scandella — Rasmus Dahlin
Nathan Beaulieu –Zach Bogosian
Carter Hutton
