The Boston Bruins are whole again as they take their big test against the Florida Panthers.
Hampus Lindholm, David Pastrnak and Linus Ullmark return to the Bruins’ lineup for Tuesday night’s matchup at TD Garden. Each of the three returned from injury Saturday, but the Bruins held them out of the second game of a back-to-back Sunday in order to prime them for the big final week of the regular season, which includes games against Florida, the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Pastrnak slots back into his second-line right wing position, moving Tomas Nosek back to the fourth-line center role he normally performs. Curtis Lazar moves from center back to right wing on the fourth line, and Marc McLaughlin is a healthy scratch.
Lindholm joins Charlie McAvoy on Boston’s top defensive pairing. Matt Grzelcyk moves down to the second unit, where he joins Brandon Carlo. Bruce Cassidy opts to keep Derek Forbort and Connor Clifton together on the third pairing, making Mike Reilly a healthy scratch.
Ullmark returns to the Bruins’ net as starting goaltender, and Jeremy Swayman is his backup.
The Panthers can clinch the Presidents’ Trophy and secure home-ice advantage throughout the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win over the Bruins and if the St. Louis Blues beat the Colorado Avalanche. If Boston limits Florida to one point, the Panthers can win the Presidents’ Trophy if the Blues top the Avalanche in regulation.
NESN+ will air Bruins-Panthers in full, with pregame coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. with “Bruins Face-Off Live.” Puck drop from TD Garden is scheduled for 7 p.m. on NESN+, and postgame coverage immediately will follow the final horn.
Remember, if you’re on the go you can catch Bruins-Panthers online at Watch NESN Live.
Here are the teams’ projected lines and pairings.
BOSTON BRUINS (49-25-5)
Brad Marchand–Patrice Bergeron–Jake DeBrusk
Taylor Hall–Erik Haula–David Pastrnak
Trent Frederic–Charlie Coyle–Craig Smith
Nick Foligno–Tomas Nosek–Curtis Lazar
Hampus Lindholm–Charlie McAvoy
Matt Grzelcyk–Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort–Connor Clifton
Linus Ullmark
FLORIDA PANTHERS (57-16-6)
Carter Verhaeghe–Aleksander Barkov–Claude Giroux
Jonathan Huberdeau–Sam Bennett–Anthony Duclair
Maxim Mamin–Anton Lundell–Sam Reinhart
Noel Acciari–Eetu Luostarinen–Joe Thornton
Ben Chiarot–MacKenzie Weegar
Gustav Forsling–Brandon Montour
Robert Hagg–Radko Gudas
Sergei Bobrovsky
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