There was some uncertainty hovering over the main reason why Patrice Bergeron did not play in the Bruins’ Stanley Cup playoffs opener.
On Wednesday, Jim Montgomery provided some clarity to the situation.
Bergeron was dealing with both an illness and an injury leading up to the start of Boston’s first-round series with the Florida Panthers. So when the Bruins captain was ruled out for Monday night’s Game 1, it was unclear which detriment factored more heavily into Bergeron’s DNP. But when Montgomery on Wednesday morning revealed Bergeron won’t play in Game 2, Boston’s head coach also noted the Selke Trophy frontrunner is no longer sick.
Montgomery added that Bergeron is “progressing well” from the injury that has delayed his 2023 playoff debut. The 37-year-old skated on his own at Warrior Ice Area on Wednesday morning, but he exited the ice before the rest of the Bruins convened for their tune-up before Game 2.
Boston on Wednesday is slated to roll with the same lineup used in the series-opening win over the Panthers. That means Pavel Zacha will remain as the Bruins’ first-line center in Bergeron’s sted. Zacha was productive in his new role Monday night, highlighted by an assist on Jake DeBrusk’s third-period goal that proved to be the final nail in Florida’s coffin.
The Bergeron-less Bruins will try to take a 2-0 lead before the best-of-seven set shifts to the Sunshine State. NESN’s full coverage of Game 2 begins at 6:30 p.m. ET.
