Bergeron Ruled Out for B's Matchup vs. Hurricanes

BOSTON - The Bruins could be significantly shorthanded on Thursday night when they host the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Garden. Patrice Bergeron has already been ruled out for the contest after suffering an upper-body injury during Tuesday's loss to the Penguins, while Brad Marchand is awaiting an in-person hearing with the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety.
Bergeron, who did not practice on Wednesday, tumbled awkwardly into the boards with just under nine minutes left in the third period on Tuesday night after a collision with Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby. Bergeron lost his balance and his head whacked off the boards, causing him to stay down on the ice for a few moments as he was tended to by Bruins assistant athletic trainer Dustin Stuck. He did not return to the game.

"He won't be available [on Thursday]. We'll see after that," said Cassidy. "It's involving his head, so we have to be careful. This is a guy that's had a head injury in the past. We want to make sure everything checks out. He wants to make sure everything checks out. In the immediate term here, he won't play. He didn't skate today, won't play [on Thursday].
"Hopefully he's in good shape in the next few days. We're gonna take as much time as we need with this one."
Marchand, meanwhile, could miss time after being offered an in-person meeting (via Zoom) by NHL Player Safety for an incident that occurred in the closing seconds of the Bruins' loss to Pittsburgh. The winger appeared to land a punch on Pittsburgh goalie Tristan Jarry before waving his stick in the netminder's face as he skated away from the scrum. Marchand was assessed two-minute minor for roughing and a five-minute major, match penalty that triggers an automatic suspension and review by the NHL.
"I don't know if surprised is the right word, you never know how they're gonna deal with it," Cassidy said of Marchand' in-person hearing. "Obviously, I do believe you have to protect goaltenders in that situation. We'd want our protected. Didn't look like there was any sort of injury. Hopefully that's factored in as well.
"You shouldn't go after the goaltender in that situation unless you're pushed into the crease or he sticks you first, which I did not see. Could've happened. I don't think it did…Marchy just has to have control of his emotions in that situation. Live to fight another day and get ready for the next game. Unfortunately, got the best of him."

Cassidy added that he is likely to have a conversation about the incident at some point with Marchand, who was also suspended three games earlier this season for slew-footing Vancouver's Oliver-Ekman Larsson. Overall, Marchand has been suspended seven times in his career.
"I think the first one, I didn't agree with it, to be honest with you," said Cassidy. "I think a similar play happens a lot…this one, he lost his discipline, there's no doubt. We'll sit down. We'll let the league address it first and I'll sit down with Brad. We've had a few shares of our sit downs over the years, and I think Brad's been doing a pretty good job for the most part with controlling his emotions.
"The Ekman Larsson, that's heat of the battle. It's hard to go to a player…you see it a lot with [P.K.] Subban in those situations, other players have gotten into those puck battles. This one, we'll have to talk."
Should the Bruins be without their top two players for an extended period of time, the Bruins will need meaningful contributions from elsewhere throughout the lineup, most notably from Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak, who have already been producing at a high level for over a month.
"Not to give you the cliché, but everyone needs to add little bit more," said Hall. "I think that's true in a sense. But replacing your captain and then a player like Marchand is not just as simple as everyone doing a bit more. We're going to miss those guys, there's no doubt.
"So, we have to find a way to all be the best version of ourselves and play collectively as a team. Not to say that we're going to have to play perfect hockey or anything like that, but we're going to have to be dialed in, especially with the team we're playing [on Thursday]."

Staying Hot

Hall connected with Pastrnak twice on Tuesday night, picking up the primary assists on both of his linemate's goals, and since Jan. 1, the duo has combined for 21 goals and 41 points in 18 games.
"It's awesome. I mean, sometimes I over overpass to him," admitted Hall. "I just think with Pasta, he wants the puck. He wants to feel the puck a lot. And our job as linemates, not that we cater to him, but you've got to look for him. And when he's hot, there's plays to be made.
"And I just think that playing with a creative player like him, it's been a learning process for me because he's so creative and sometimes unexpected with what he's going to do. And I think his passing game is underrated as well.
"Right now, he's feeling it. I think that he's having fun out there and hopefully we can keep that going."
Hall, however, feel that even with all the success the tandem has had since being paired together following the Christmas break, there remains room for growth in his game.
"Obviously going into Christmas, I didn't love my season at the time," said Hall. "There were some good things, for sure, but since then, since playing with David, added a little bit more creativity, a little bit more mash to my game. And I think going forward for me, I can be more of a shooter and maybe that'll open up some more things for David."
While Hall and Pastrnak have garnered most of the attention of late, Erik Haula has also impressed as the duo's centerman, picking up 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 16 games since January 1.
"I think that that's an underrated part of the line when we've been successful is Erik does the 200-foot game where David and I aren't usually playing low in the D-zone," said Hall. "Erik's going to make it all the way back and he's got the wheels to do so. It's been a good combination and I still think we have another level to get to."

Wait, There's More

• Brandon Carlo (maintenance day) did not practice on Wednesday but is expected to be in the lineup on Thursday vs. Carolina. "I suspect he'll be ready to go tomorrow," said Cassidy.
• Cassidy said that Urho Vaakanainen, who did not play on Tuesday as he deals with the aftereffects of taking a hit from behind in the B's final game before the All-Star break against Seattle, skated on his own before Wednesday's practice.
• Addressing a report published by The Athletic on Tuesday night that Tuukka Rask "is not expected to continue his comeback" with the Bruins, Cassidy said: "I know this about Tuukka, he wants to play at a certain level. If he doesn't feel he can get there, he's going to have a decision to make. That's what he's going through right now. That's the best I can say."

Wednesday's Practice Lineup

FORWARDS
Taylor Hall - Erik Haula - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - Charlie Coyle - Craig Smith
Nick Foligno - Trent Frederic - Oskar Steen
Anton Blidh - Tomas Nosek - Curtis Lazar
DEFENSEMEN
Matt Grzelcyk - Charlie McAvoy
Mike Reilly/Brad Marchand
Derek Forbort - Connor Clifton
GOALIES
Linus Ullmark
Jeremy Swayman