Bruins Set for Tilt With Canucks

BOSTON - The Bruins will wrap up their quick two-game season series with the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night at TD Garden. Vancouver took the first matchup with a 2-1 overtime victory on Oct. 20 at Rogers Arena.
"They were very tough to play against when we were in Vancouver," said Brad Marchand. "They play fast, they play hard, they have some skill. It will be a good game. They're gonna compete and we have to be ready."

Here are some other pregame notes:

Preventing Pettersson

The Bruins will be trying to slow down rookie standout Elias Pettersson, who has 10 goals in 10 games and leads the Canucks with 16 points this season. It will be the first time Boston sees the Sweden native, who missed the first matchup between the teams with an injury.
"For us, I think as hockey fans it's nice to see good young talent in the league," said Cassidy. "Obviously we've got to do what we need to do to shut them down. It's good for the city of Vancouver, good for hockey, when young guys come in and get people excited.
"Last time he didn't play and [Bo] Horvat was very good against us…we'll certainly circle his number in terms of his ability to score, but there's some good young talent there, going in the right direction."
Brock Boeser, who has four goals and seven assists in 13 games this season, will not play because of a groin injury.

McAvoy Not Ready

Charlie McAvoy, out since Oct. 18 with an upper-body injury, has not skated, but is working out in the gym. Cassidy did not have a further update on the second-year blue liner.
"I wish I had great answers for you on that," said Cassidy. "If there's any news, I'd hope that we'd provide an update, but there really is nothing changed. He's not skating, he's around, he's doing off-ice workouts and that's kind of where it's been at.
"He hasn't been shutdown specifically - we didn't say, 'OK, he's out for three weeks off the ice.' It's a matter of him feeling up to the next stage which would be hopefully getting on the ice and skating. He is in the gym.
"That's a bit between the medical staff and him to make that determination…I hope he's on the ice tomorrow, but I don't have much for you there."

Experimental Treatment

Cassidy switched up the second and third lines ahead of Monday's win over Dallas and is sticking with those combinations - for now. Joakim Nordstrom will remain on the left wing with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk, with David Backes in the middle of Danton Heinen and Anders Bjork.
"The second and third line, we're still experimenting," said Cassidy. "At home, we have a little more control of your matchups. That's part of it. Until it's consistently consistent, we'll mess around with it until we get a little more scoring.
"We probably will move some people around. I think the other night was step in the right direction."

Classic Outift

The Bruins' sweaters for the upcoming 2019 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic against the Chicago Blackhawks at Notre Dame Stadium were unveiled on Thursday. The jersey pays homage to the B's 1930s era uniforms that featured gold and brown stripes with a blocked B.
"They're cool," said Marchand. "It's a nice design. It will be fun to rock it in the outdoor game. It's nice."
Related: B's Winter Classic Sweater Invokes History, Tradition
Cassidy said he has not yet decided what kind of outfit he'll go with for the outdoor game on New Year's Day, but donning a hat is a possibility.
"That would be awesome, [a] fedora…I'm not a hat guy," Cassidy quipped. "Maybe I should be. I saw a picture from up top the other night."
The B's bench boss did say he wouldn't be wearing any kind of Bill Belichick-inspired hoodie.
"There's only one in town that should wear that. He's earned that," said Cassidy.

Thursday's Projected Lineup

Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Joakim Nordstrom - David Krejci - Jake DeBrusk
Danton Heinen - David Backes - Anders Bjork
Chris Wagner - Sean Kuraly - Noel Acciari
Zdeno Chara - Brandon Carlo
Torey Krug - John Moore
Matt Grzelcyk - Steven Kampfer
Jaroslav Halak
Tuukka Rask