BOSTON — The Boston Bruins opened 2019 with a thrilling 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, but the Black and Gold will need to refocus for the tough task that lies ahead of them Thursday night.
Boston will begin a four-game homestand by welcoming the Pacific Division-leading Calgary Flames to TD Garden. Calgary capped 2018 by beating the San Jose Sharks 8-5 on New Year’s Eve, and backed that up with a 5-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
Boston College product Johnny Gaudreau has been on a tear of late, posting back-to-back four-point games for the Flames. The New Jersey native totaled 26 points in 14 games in December and has recorded 20 points in his last 10 contests.
The B’s lineup will look a little different Thursday, as head coach Bruce Cassidy announced winger Joakim Nordstrom suffered a fractured fibula in the Winter Classic and will be re-evaluated in three weeks. Ryan Donato will take the right-winger position on David Krejci’s second line, while Jake DeBrusk will flip back to the left side.
Here are the projected lines for Thursday’s Bruins-Flames game:
BOSTON BRUINS (22-14-4)
Brad Marchand–Patrice Bergeron–David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk–David Krejci–Ryan Donato
Danton Heinen–Colby Cave–Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson
Sean Kuraly–Noel Acciari–Chris Wagner
Zdeno Chara–Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug–John Moore
Matt Grzelcyk–Kevan Miller
Jaroslav Halak
CALGARY FLAMES (25-12-4)
Johnny Gaudreau–Sean Monahan–Elias Lindholm
Matthew Tkachuk–Mikael Backlund–Michael Frolik
Sam Bennett–Mark Jankowski–James Neal
Dillon Dube–Derek Ryan–Garnet Hathaway
Mark Giordano–TJ Brodie
Noah Hanifin–Travis Hamonic
Oliver Kylington–Rasmus Andersson
Mike Smith
