Need to Know: Bruins vs. Hurricanes | Game 4

BOSTON - The Bruins are back in their opening-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, but they are keeping things in perspective as they gear up for Sunday afternoon's Game 4. While they hope that momentum is now on their side after a 4-2 victory in Game 3 on Friday night, they still trail their first-round matchup, 2-1.
"We're still behind. So, we're still facing adversity," Cassidy said after Saturday's practice at TD Garden. "We need to know we need to continue to get better to get a win [Sunday]. That's the way I look at it."
Cassidy said that he intends to dress the same 18 skaters on Sunday afternoon. Jeremy Swayman is expected to get his second straight start between the pipes.
Here's everything else you need to know ahead of Sunday's 12:30 p.m. ET puck drop on NESN, ESPN, and 98.5 The Sports Hub:

Creating Chemistry

While Cassidy does not plan on subbing anybody into the lineup on Sunday, he could be shifting some pieces around as he did during the B's Game 3 victory on Friday night. Several players sat out Saturday's practice for maintenance - Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, and Charlie McAvoy did not take part in the session - but Jake DeBrusk was playing the left side with Charlie Coyle in the middle and Tomas Nosek on the other wing. Craig Smith was on the right side with Taylor Hall and Erik Haula.
"I think Charlie and Smitty haven't generated a lot lately, so it's just moving a few guys around, maybe some new linemates," said Cassidy. "We've done that in the past and we try to get back to what we think will work best long term. But, I mean, it's in the playoffs, right? So, it's stay in the moment…that was the thinking."
DeBrusk and Coyle have played together in previous seasons and this year have formed a formidable tandem on the penalty kill - as evidenced by their connection on Coyle's shorthanded tally on Friday night - and during 3-on-3 overtime in the regular season.
"They do have a little chemistry," said Cassidy. "It's something we always knew we could go to and hopefully they would continue 5-on-5…now, whether Jake goes to the left or the right, it'll be his call. He's been on the right most of the year.
"When you go back and forth, I think most guys can handle it if they've done both like he has. But that is up to him because Nosek, quite honestly, he's been center all year so for him right or left won't matter."

DeBrusk said that the duo feels comfortable together and with the Bruins searching for more offense as they climb their way back into the series, he is embracing the chance to skate with Coyle, a move that could include him shifting back to his natural left side.
"I think I got used to the right side there, it's been almost two months," said DeBrusk, who had been playing with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron since mid-February. "But I think I've said this before, being versatile is a big part of being a pro in this league, especially for a long time.
"If that's where I can help the team the most then that's where I'll play. It doesn't really matter - if anything, it gives me confidence if I have to go back to the right side or play the right side."

On the Block

Derek Forbort said he wasn't feeling "too bad" a day after his nine-block performance, noting that "a couple of them got me in the stick" and diminished the effect of taking that many shots to the body across a team-high 23:07. The blue liner credited an old bantam coach of his growing up in Minnesota and former NHLer Matt Greene, his teammate with the Kings from 2015-17, as his influences when it comes to embracing shot blocking.
"Growing up in Duluth, we had a bantam coach who was kind of a nut job and I remember him shooting real pucks at us in practice, working on fronting shots. From there, it just became second nature I guess," said Forbort. "Everyone on our team is willing to block shots, especially at this time of the year. That's not a question.
"Someone I watched was Matt Greene. I don't know if you guys remember him. He was just an animal and blocked shots. He was someone I tried to model my game after, especially on the PK."
Cassidy added that some players know they must make their way in the NHL by "eating pucks" despite it not being a "glorious part of the game" - but one that is necessary, especially at this time of the year.
"You have to have a certain amount of fearlessness to play that role," said Cassidy. "You have padding, obviously, but the puck hurts when it hits you in certain spots…I think guys just learn to shake it off and know that that's an asset they can bring that maybe other guys can't.
"Carlo's like that. Kevin Miller was like that. The guys that can stay healthy doing that - that to me is the fortunate part of it because getting hit in the wrong spot a lot of times as it happened…[Chris] Wagner in the playoffs a couple of years ago in the hand."

Moving Fourth

With Trent Frederic's healthy scratch in Game 3 leading to a number of tweaks to the forward group, Curtis Lazar moved from right wing to his natural center position between Nick Foligno and Chris Wagner. Lazar finished with six hits and two blocks, while drawing two penalties.
"I think last year when we brought him in, we used him there," said Cassidy. "And there's a little more creativity in this game when he goes to the middle. I think any guy would tell you that. I think Freddy in the short time he's been in the middle would tell you he prefers it, you get a little more room to handle parks and maybe make some plays.
"I mean, we're aware of that…we have our top three and the fourth is Nosek has a little more experience. So, someone had to move, and we just chose Lazar."
Wagner, meanwhile, landed two hits and a shot on goal in 9:32 of ice time in his return to the lineup. It marked the Walpole native's second NHL game of the season - he also played in the regular season finale in Toronto - after he spent the 2021-22 campaign in Providence.
"Chris just showed a willingness to get involved and play to his strengths," Cassidy said of Wagner's 11-hit output against the Maple Leafs. "If someone gets hurt or we need a boost, can you go in and do what you your resume says you can do? And Chris showed that for sure. We didn't expect him to go in and score a hat trick…it would be awesome, but it's not what we're expecting of him. So, he played to his strengths better than most.
"He wasn't bitter because he didn't get called up all year and say, 'Well, I'm here just as a fill in, I'm not going to play.' Because that happens from time to time. We'd like to think it wouldn't - guys are of high character in our organization - but it happened and he didn't have that attitude at all.
"He's like, 'I'm going to earn my spot if there is one.' And sure enough, Game 3, there was one. Now, we also had seen him play the playoffs for the Bruins for a few years, so we knew that as well that he's going to give it his all."

On the Mend

Hampus Lindholm will miss his second straight game on Sunday, but Cassidy said that the blue liner was at TD Garden on Saturday and is "feeling better."