The Boston Bruins notched an exhilarating win on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday, one that came with a milestone achievement for captain Patrice Bergeron.
But it wasn’t all good news for the Bruins as they stretched their winning streak to seven straight games.
Bruins forward Trent Frederic suffered an apparent shoulder injury in the contest as he notched an assist during his 5:14 of ice time before exiting. It seems unlikely he’ll play Wednesday night when the Bruins take on the Florida Panthers, but the good news is first-year Bruins coach Jim Montgomery already knows who he will call upon if Frederic can’t suit up.
“He’s day-to-day,” Montgomery told reporters, per team-provided video. “With the great depth we have, I’m leaning toward playing (Craig Smith) anyways. So, we’ll see what he feels like tomorrow, though.”
Smith hasn’t played in over week as he has been a healthy scratch for the Bruins in each of the past four games. Smith last saw game action on Nov. 12 in a road win over the Buffalo Sabres.
The veteran forward, who is in his third season with Boston, has only tallied one goal and two assists in 10 games played this season, but Montgomery still has confidence that Smith will be prepared as one of the team’s bottom six forwards when re-inserted into the lineup.
“Actually, him and I had breakfast together this morning, and he’s ready,” Montgomery said. “He’s a pro, his attitude has been great and he’s extremely well liked by all of his teammates. And he’s a big part of the culture we have here.”
The Bruins and Panthers square off FLA Live Arena at 7 p.m. ET. You can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, with NESN 360.
