The Bruins notched a significant victory Sunday night, and they did so without a trio of stalwarts.
Boston managed to secure a 4-3 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes despite playing without Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Hampus Lindholm. It marked the Bruins’ first win at PNC Arena in nearly four years and also tied the franchise’s record for victories in a single season.
Asked after the game about the Bruins winning without three of their best players, Charlie McAvoy couldn’t help but playfully roast his teammates who stayed back home.
“We just have to trim the fat, man,” McAvoy told reporters, per the team. “No, I don’t know. This kind of had the makings of that, I felt, coming in. We didn’t have those guys, kind of a no-pressure game, really, because we’re not fielding our normal lineup. And to still get a result was great. I thought we really were just playing for each other. It was a lot of fun.”
It certainly was deserved rest for Bergeron, Marchand and Lindholm, all of whom are a big reason why the Bruins are amid a historic season. They also will go a long way in determining how long Boston plays in the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Bruins have nine regular-season games to go before the postseason begins. The next up is Tuesday night when Boston hosts the Nashville Predators.
