Need to Know: Bruins at Lightning

TAMPA - The Bruins will be looking to start their two-game road trip off right against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Sunshine State on Saturday night. Boston will remain without
Jake DeBrusk
and Tomas Nosek, who both remain in COVID-19 protocol, while Karson Kuhlman has been removed from protocol and cleared to return to the team.
Here's everything else you need to know ahead of the 7 p.m. puck drop on NESN and 98.5 The Sports Hub:

McAvoy Questionable

Charlie McAvoy skated this morning but will be a game time decision as he nurses a lower body injury.
"You know, he's still not 100% per-se," said Cassidy. "He'll go for a warm up tonight and hopefully be a good to go, but I don't want to say for certain."
If McAvoy was to sit out, John Moore would take his place and skate along side Matt Grzelcyk.

Frederic's Penalty Minutes

Trent Frederic is coming off an aggressive game vs the Wild, an effort Cassidy appreciates.
"I liked his his assertiveness," said Cassidy. "I mean, he can bring certain elements to the lineup; his offensive game was coming around a little bit lately. Again, we've discussed the hit. I felt he just followed through on a hit."
Being one of the younger players in the league, Cassidy believes Frederic could be targeted when it comes to those types of scrums.
"You're probably the one getting targeted in those scrums as a younger guy seems to happen," said Cassidy. "That's just the way it is in the league."

Jake DeBrusk Return Timeline

Jake Debrusk was placed on COVID-19 protocol this past Thursday and could return as soon as Monday just in time for the Bruins to take on the Capitals. "He may join us [on Sunday]. I think that will be a decision [team internist Dr. David Finn] will have to make with his symptoms, said Cassidy. "So I have not heard yet whether he'll be joining us."

Opposing View

The Lightning enter tonight's matchup at the top of the division and coming off a 4-1 win vs. the Flames on Thursday night. Like most teams, the Lightning have faced their COVID-19 issues and currently have centerman Ross Colton in protocol.
The Lightning have winger
Nikita Kucherov
playing his second game back since being out with a month's long lower-body injury, along with Brayden Point, who will also be playing his second game back after being out with a shoulder injury since November.
The last time the Lightning played the Bruins was at TD Garden on December 4th, a game that ended in a Bruins' 3-2 overtime loss.
The Lightning currently stand at 23-8-5, having played six more games than the Bruins who are 17-11-2.