Bruins might use Soderberg, reconfigure fourth line

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien used his team's practice at TD Garden on Friday to test out a new fourth line.

Rookie Carl Soderberg wore a merlot-colored sweater along with Shawn Thornton and Rich Peverley during the 35-minute session in preparation for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday at United Center (8 p.m. EST, NBC, CBC, RDS). The rest of the Bruins lines remained the same from Game 4.

The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2.

"Just trying something else here," Julien said before boarding the bus in front of a throng of fans outside the Garden. "Again, I'll make that decision [Saturday]. But just get a different look at what that would look like, that's all."

Ever since forward Gregory Campbell was injured in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, the Bruins have been searching for a successful combination for their fourth line. Campbell broke his leg blocking a shot in that game.

Kaspars Daugavins has been part of the lineup mix since Game 4 of that series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The recent success of the combination of Chris Kelly centering Tyler Seguin and Daniel Paille as a reconfigured third line left Daugavins, Thornton and Peverley to try to find chemistry. Friday, Daugavins wore a green practice sweater with the rest of the regularly scratched forwards.

Soderberg, 27, signed with the Bruins in early April after his season ended in his native Sweden. He appeared in six regular-season games and recorded two assists. He hasn't played in the postseason, so he hasn't played in a game since April 28. He led the Swedish Elite League in goals (31) and was second in points (60).

"I think I have a lot of experience from before. I've played hockey for 10 years, so I know the game," Soderberg said. "But if I play tomorrow, I have to keep it simple. Just get the puck out and get the puck in, and that'll work for me."

Soderberg has taken the pregame warm-up almost every night during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has practiced with the team on the rare practice days, and he's skated with the other healthy scratches when the game players have taken a day off.

"That helped me a lot to be here and to be practicing with the team and getting into warm-ups," Soderberg said. "So you get a little game feeling. You don't play but, still you're there. So I like the atmosphere, and like I said, it would be amazing to play tomorrow, but I don't know."