Brad Marchand was back on the ice when the Boston Bruins practiced at Warrior Ice Arena on Thursday, one day before Game 6 against the Florida Panthers.
And while that doesn't mean Marchand will definitely play in the do-or-die contest, head coach Jim Montgomery confirmed it was a step toward his return.
"I will say he looked good," Montgomery told reporters, per the Bruins. "But he's got boxes to check.
"We'll know more (Friday)."
Story continues below advertisement
Marchand has missed the last two games for the Black and Gold, including Boston's season-extending Game 5 win in Sunrise, Fla. The Bruins captain missed time due to the upper-body injury he suffered in Game 3 as Panthers forward Sam Bennett put a borderline dirty hit on Marchand.
Marchand on Thursday spoke for the first time since that hit and said he felt Bennett got away with one. However, Marchand did not stretch as far as to call it a dirty hit or say he would be seeking redemption on Bennett. It's part of playoff hockey, Marchand said.
Montgomery was happy with how Boston looked in the session and is hoping it will translate to Game 6 the same way previous practices have. The Bruins have been playing every other night throughout much of the postseason, save for one day off during the series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Panthers lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 entering Friday night. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET, and you can watch pregame and postgame coverage on NESN.
Story continues below advertisement
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
