BOSTON - Zdeno Chara was back on the ice with his teammates on Monday morning at Warrior Ice Arena for his first full practice since sitting out Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final with an undisclosed injury.

"It was nice to be out there again, skated [on Sunday] then skated with the team," said Chara. "It was a good practice, good pace. I'm taking it one day at a time. [Tuesday's] an off day, but get back at it on Wednesday."

BOSTON - As the Bruins celebrated their Eastern Conference championship last Thursday night inside PNC Arena, there was one player getting the lion's share of attention.

After 13 seasons in the National Hockey League, David Backes was headed to his first Stanley Cup Final. And his teammates could not have been happier.

BOSTON - After two days off following their Eastern Conference championship, the Bruins got back to work on Sunday morning at Warrior Ice Arena with their first practice ahead of the Stanley Cup Final.

Boston hit the ice for nearly an hour and will be back at it on Monday for another practice, before another likely day off on Tuesday.

"They are a group that likes to work, so I think they were happy to get back out there," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "We have a plan, how we're gonna go through the week, balancing practice with days off. We are gonna meet with the veteran guys that have been through it, see how that jives."

BOSTON - The Stanley Cup Final is so close, yet so far away.

It will be a long nine days before the Bruins take the ice on Memorial Day for Game 1 against either the St. Louis Blues or San Jose Sharks.

But Don Sweeney, for one, is not concerned about his team's extended hiatus.

BOSTON - The NHL has announced the schedule for the 2019 Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and either the San Jose Sharks or St. Louis Blues.

Stanley Cup Final Media Day will be held either Saturday, May 25 or Sunday, May 26 in Boston.

Game 1: Monday, May 27 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) - NBC, SN, CBC, TVA

Game 2: Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) - NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA

Game 3: Saturday, June 1 at 8 p.m. (San Jose, CA or St. Louis, MO) - NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA

Game 4: Monday, June 3 at 8 p.m. (San Jose, CA or St. Louis, MO) - NBC, SN, CBC, TVA

Game 5: Thursday, June 6 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) - NBC, SN, CBC, TVA

Game 6: Sunday, June 9 at 8 p.m. (San Jose, CA or St. Louis, MO) - NBC, SN, CBC, TVA

Game 7: Wednesday, June 12 at 8 p.m. (TD Garden, Boston, MA) - NBC, SN, CBC, TVA

All Bruins' playoff games can be heard on the Bruins flagship radio station, 98.5 The Sports Hub.

BostonBruins.com - While the Bruins prepare for their third Stanley Cup Final apperance in nine years after sweeping the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, Bruins prospect Jakub Lauko is having success of his own this postseason. His Rouyn-Noranda Huskies defeated the Halifax Mooseheads in six games to capture the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's President's Cup.

"I think it was a pretty tough playoffs," said Lauko. "We had a couple of tough series. I think every series was pretty hard, but I think especially the first one and the finals were pretty hard, pretty tough to play."

STAT OF THE WEEK: The Bruins have recorded a 34.0% power play proficiency through the first three rounds of the 2019 playoffs. That is the second-best power play percentage of any team who has advanced through three post-season rounds in NHL history (1980-81 NY Islanders, 37.8% in 18 games played).

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "I've thought about this moment for a long time, of playing for that ultimate prize you dream of when you're a kid. Now it's reality. It's us against one other team, and one of us is going home with that Stanley Cup." - David Backes following the team's Eastern Conference Final sweep.

TWEET OF THE WEEK (WEEK 37): @AmalieBenjamin (Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com): "This season started in China. It will end in the Stanley Cup Final. It's been a long one, and it's not over yet. One more best-of-7 to go."

HONORABLE MENTION: @_TyAnderson (Ty Anderson, 98.5 The Sports Hub): "Stormy tried fist bumping me. I denied that. Set the tone early. ‪#ontimestart"

RALEIGH, N.C. - For the third time in the last nine years and the 20th time in team history, the Boston Bruins are headed to the Stanley Cup Final.

Patrice Bergeron notched two goals and an assist, David Pastrnak picked up a goal and two helpers, and Tuukka Rask made 24 saves for another shutout as the Bruins closed out a sweep of the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday night with a 4-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.

"It's been a special group since Day 1," said Bergeron. "You need everybody to be a part of it and contribute. It's been that way, that's the only way you can really advance. There's a lot of work in front of us, but it's a special feeling tonight."

BOSTON - Single Game Tickets for the Stanley Cup Final of the 2019 Boston Bruins Playoffs presented by Beth Israel Lahey Health at TD Garden are available now. The Bruins also announced that suites for the Stanley Cup Final will go on sale on Friday, May 17 at 11:00 a.m.

BOSTON - The National Hockey League announced today, May 16, that Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney has been named a finalist for the 2019 NHL General Manager of the Year Award. Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Don Waddell and St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong are the other two finalists for the award. The winner is selected in a poll of NHL General Managers at the end of the regular season and will be announced at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on June 19.