DeBrusk Excited to Play in Hometown

EDMONTON, Alberta - Jake DeBrusk was just nine years old when the Oilers surged to the Stanley Cup Final in the spring of 2006. But the Edmonton native remembers well watching his favorite team fall a game short of championship lore.
"I was here for a couple tough years, but I was also here for their Cup run," DeBrusk recalled. "My favorite player was Ryan Smyth. I think that he was just the ultimate Oiler. There was a game in the playoffs that he got stitches and was bleeding and came back and scored in overtime.
"I remember going to those games, one against Detroit when they won in Game 6. [Smith], [Ales] Hemsky, [Sergei] Samsonov. I remember that whole team."

On Tuesday night, DeBrusk will return to his hometown to play in his first National Hockey League game in his hometown. The now 21-year-old rookie will have plenty of family and friends on hand - and, of course, his father, Louie, who has followed the Bruins throughout the road trip through Western Canada and called Boston's game with Vancouver for Hockey Night in Canada from between the benches on Saturday night.
"Playing Edmonton is always special," said DeBrusk. "He's been at the last two games. Third go around, hopefully it's another good game. It's pretty exciting and it's nice to be back."

DeBrusk, along with linemates David Krejci and Ryan Spooner, have performed well during the trip, with the trio combining for 16 shots - without a goal - over the last two games. The line is hoping to cash in on those opportunities against the Oilers.
"It would be nice, that's for sure. It would be nice to see one go in," said DeBrusk. "When you get that many chances, it's a good sign that things are coming. You'd be worried if you weren't getting any looks.
"I think we've generated a lot the last two games and it's just a matter of finishing on some puck luck and certain plays. For a stretch there we were and I have no doubt that we'll find it. Hopefully that we'll find it tonight."

Miller Still Out

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy had hinted at a possible return for Kevan Miller on Tuesday night, but the defenseman - who has missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury - will remain out of the lineup.
"We're going to wait….we're playing the same six D," said Cassidy. "He is ready to go. We're just going to play the same six and look at Saturday to give him a few more days of practice and stick with the guys that have been going for us right now."

Donato Shining

Bruins prospect Ryan Donato has been, perhaps, Team USA's best player through four games at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, pacing the Americans to the quarterfinals with four goals, two of which came in the team's win over Slovakia on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old Harvard junior was Boston's second-round selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
"Very impressive," Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said of Donato's performance at the Games. "Offensively, I don't think we had much doubt that he could shoot the puck and be put in offensive situations and likely score, which he has done.
"It's been great for him, watching [his parents] Teddy and Jeannine on TV and celebrating that…it's great to see. It's great for our hockey club and the plans we have for him going forward, but he has some business he is trying to take care of as he goes through. It's a [heck] of an experience for him."
When asked if Donato may see time in Boston this season, Sweeney said any of those decisions would have to wait.
"Ryan is in a moment of playing in the Olympics, so I think that's where we'll leave that," Sweeney said. "We're excited about the future of him being a Boston Bruin, and hopefully he feels the exact same way."

Iginla in Providence

Sweeney confirmed that former Bruin Jarome Iginla was skating with Providence on Tuesday morning. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer, who scored 30 goals for Boston in 2013-14, has not played in the NHL this season.
"Jarome had reached out. He had some stuff this summer that he was coming back from and wanted to see where he was, to skate with the team," said Sweeney. "[Providence coach] Jay [Leach] and [general manger John Ferguson] felt OK with him jumping on the ice with the guys, so that's where that's at. That's really just for Iggy."

Tuesday's Projected Lineup

Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - David Krejci - Ryan Spooner
Danton Heinen - Riley Nash - David Backes
Tim Schaller - Sean Kuraly - Noel Acciari
Zdeno Chara - Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug - Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk - Adam McQuaid
Anton Khudobin
Tuukka Rask