Pavel Zacha had big shoes to fill in Game 1 on Monday, but he was up to the task against the Panthers.
The 26-year-old tallied one assist in the Boston Bruins’ 3-1 win over Florida at TD Garden. Zacha filled in as the first-line center for Patrice Bergeron, who was ruled out due to illness.
It’s not the first time Zacha has shifted spots in Jim Montgomery’s lineup, and that versatility is part of what’s made him so valuable for the Bruins.
Monday marked the first playoff game for Zacha since the 2017-18 season with the New Jersey Devils, but it was a moment Bergeron helped prepare the eighth-year forward for.
“He’s one of the best in the league. It’s great he can give you tips even if he wasn’t playing last game,” Zacha told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena on Tuesday, per Bruins video. “He was there. He was talking to me. I was asking questions. It was great to have him there.”
Jake DeBrusk echoed a similar sentiment regarding Bergeron’s impact on the Bruins off the ice. Zacha specifically got tips on face-offs. Getting advice from a future Hall of Famer would be a treat for any NHL player, but it’s a gesture the Boston captain has never been afraid to offer.
“I think he’s pretty good talking to players about it,” Zacha said. “I don’t think he wants himself to do great. I think he wants to the whole team doing great. When you ask a question about certain things, he answers it right away. Those little things about face-offs is just one of the things he talks about.”
On the advice given by Bergeron being the tip of the iceberg, Zacha added: “He has so much knowledge. It’s nice he likes to share it and wants to make everyone else around him better. It’s good to have a player like that on the team.”
Bergeron was ruled questionable for Game 2 by Montgomery, though the Bruins certainly hope to have their captain back Wednesday night.
