After a thrilling Winter Classic victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at Fenway Park, the Bruins have set off for a three-game west coast road trip.
Boston will take on the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday in hopes to avenge a shootout loss to the Kings at TD Garden on Dec. 15.
The Bruins will try to do so without forward Jake DeBrusk, who scored two goals at the Winter Classic on Monday. DeBrusk was placed on long-term injured reserve prior to Thursday’s game due to a hand and lower-body injury. The 26-year-old is expected to miss four weeks, and Boston recalled veteran winger Chris Wagner from Providence.
David Pastrnak will move up to reunite the “perfection line,” and Taylor Hall moves up to the second line, shifting Pavel Zacha to the right wing. Nick Foligno will replace Hall on the third line, and A.J. Greer will fill in for Foligno.
Chris Wagner and Jakub Zboril have been scratched from Thursday’s game, and Jim Montgomery has not confirmed the starting goaltender against the Kings, but it is expected to be Jeremy Swayman between the pipes.
The “Ultimate Bruins Show” will precede NESN’s pregame coverage starting at 10 p.m. ET. Puck drop at crytpo.com Arena is scheduled at 10:30 p.m.
Here are the projected lines and defensive pairings for Thursday’s game:
BOSTON BRUINS (29-4-4)
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall — David Krejci — Pavel Zacha
Nick Foligno — Charlie Coyle — Trent Frederic
A.J. Greer — Tomas Nosek — Craig Smith
Matt Grzelcyk — Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm — Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort — Connor Clifton
Jeremy Swayman
LOS ANGELES KINGS (22-13-6)
Quinton Byfield — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe
Alex Iafallo — Phillip Danault — Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala — Blake Lizotte — Gabriel Vilardi
Jaret Anderson-Dolan — Rasmus Kupari — Carl Grundstrom
Mikey Anderson — Drew Doughty
Sean Durzi — Matt Roy
Alexander Edler — Sean Walker
Pheonix Copley
