"He] skated this morning, so that's a positive," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Friday. "Said that all along, when guys are skating they're closer to playing. So we'll make a decision [Saturday] on that. We won't rule him out but we won't say he's definitely in."
***[RELATED: [Complete Bruins vs. Maple Leafs series coverage]*
Bergeron skated with forward Brian Gionta, third-string goaltender Kyle Keyser and skating consultant Kim Brandvold at Warrior Ice Arena. The rest of the Bruins stayed off the ice.
A finalist for the Selke Trophy, given to the player voted to be the best defensive forward in the NHL, Bergeron combined with linemates Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak for 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in the first two games, won by the Bruins. The line did not have any points in a 4-2 Game 3 loss Monday, when Bergeron played 21:44.
The Bruins were 11-5-2 without Bergeron during the regular season, including 9-2-2 when he was sidelined with a fractured right foot from Feb. 27-March 23.
"It speaks to the character of the team, but it's also about the depth and the next guy coming in and doing their job," Cassidy said. "It sounds simple, but I think that's what we've been able to accomplish for most of the year."
Riley Nash played center between Marchand and Pastrnak in Game 4 and was on the ice when Pastrnak assisted on Marchand's goal on a 2-on-1 that gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead at 16:55 of the second period.
"We've seen Riley Nash fill that spot a lot of the year, and as a team we've got a lot of confidence in him to fill that spot," Bruins center Sean Kuraly said. "And he's been great for us when he's been in that position."
