BOSTON -- Morgan Geekie will be back in the lineup for the Boston Bruins against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT, NESN) following the birth of his son.
The forward left after the first period of a 10-2 win against the New York Rangers on Saturday, when his wife, Emma, gave birth to a boy, Max. Geekie then missed a 1-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
Geekie’s wife was in attendance for the game Saturday before going into labor. The couple also has a daughter.
“We kind of snuck out of here,” Geekie said after the morning skate Tuesday. “Just a long couple days, but it’s good to be back here and be back with the guys.
“Obviously it’s been on my mind for a while, just because it’s very unpredictable, but my wife’s a champ and she was great. “It’s tough to get that out of your mind, especially when things are at the forefront, but it’s good. Everybody’s healthy and just looking to get back to it.”
Geekie, who leads the Bruins with 25 goals in 45 games, played seven shifts and had one shot on goal in 6:14 before heading to the hospital.
“When he left the game the other day after the first period, I could hear the guys all clapping,” coach Marco Sturm said. “It was sad to see him leave, but we know the importance of family.”
Geekie has obviously been productive this season, but he’s gone nine games without a goal for Boston (25-19-2), which has won three in a row and is 5-1-1 in its past seven.
Asked if he was hoping for the new dad bump, he said, “I mean, I hope so. Would have liked that like 10 games ago, but we’ll take what we can get.
“But we’re finding ways to win games, even the last two that I haven’t been a part of, the team has played great. That’s what’s important right now, especially coming into the [Olympic] break here. So, just trying to go out on the right foot and continue that tonight.”
