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Ference's return brings stability to Bruins' top-four

Monday, 06.03.2013 / 2:48 PM

By Arpon Basu - Managing Editor LNH.com / Penguins-Bruins series blog

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Penguins-Bruins series blog
Ference's return brings stability to Bruins' top-four

PITTSBURGH -- Defenseman Andrew Ference's presence in the Boston Bruins lineup for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final was akin to a child reaching for a favorite blanket -- it created comfort.

The Bruins' top-four on defense of Zdeno Chara with Dennis Seidenberg and Ference with Johnny Boychuk has remained intact over the last three years, including Boston's Stanley Cup win in 2011. That familiarity is especially important when facing a team with two dangerous top lines like the Pittsburgh Penguins have, and it should serve the Bruins well again in Game 2 on Monday night (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS).

"It's just that we've played together for a while and it's just being comfortable with each other," Boychuk said Monday. "Not that I'm not comfortable with Matt [Bartkowski], because we played well together as well. But we've played together, me and [Ference], for the last three or four playoffs, so we kind of know what to expect from each other."

The Bruins were able to shut out the Penguins in Game 1 largely because this group was so strong, but they know they will need to be even better in Game 2.

"We're sure of them coming out a little harder than they did last game, and better," Seidenberg said. "We just need to try to step it up just as much and answer that push they're going to have. It will be interesting to see if we're going to be ready tonight."

The Bruins shouldn't have any lineup changes in Game 2, though right wing Jaromir Jagr did not take part in the morning skate. He is not expected to sit out the game.

Milan Lucic – David Krejci – Nathan Horton

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – Jaromir Jagr

Rich Peverley – Chris Kelly – Tyler Seguin

Daniel Paille – Gregory Campbell – Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara – Dennis Seidenberg

Andrew Ference – Johnny Boychuk

Adam McQuaid – Torey Krug

Tuukka Rask

Anton Khudobin

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