3 Keys: Lightning vs. Bruins, round-robin Cup Qualifiers

Rask to return in net for Boston; Stamkos remains out for Tampa Bay

By Adam Kimelman

@NHLAdamK NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

August 05, 2020

Lightning vs. Bruins

4 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV, SN, TVAS, NESN, FS-F

Tampa Bay 1-0-0, Boston 0-1-0

Tuukka Rask will be in goal for the Boston Bruins against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the round-robin portion of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Wednesday.

Rask was unfit to play in the Bruins' 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday in Toronto, the hub city for the Eastern Conference, but felt good after practicing Monday and Tuesday.

Jaroslav Halak allowed four goals on 29 shots against the Flyers.

Forward Patrice Bergeron will also play Wednesday after missing practice Monday for a maintenance day.

Lightning forward Steven Stamkos skated Tuesday but will miss his second straight round-robin game. Stamkos sustained a lower-body injury before the start of training camp July 13.

The round-robin, which includes the Washington Capitals, will set the top four seeds in the East for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Here are 3 keys for the game:

1. Lightning's physical play

The Lightning had 45 hits in their 3-2 shootout win against the Capitals on Monday and are preparing for a grinding game against the Bruins.

"That's the driving force of our team, being physically engaged and emotionally engaged in the game," Tampa Bay defenseman Zach Bogosian said. "We've had a lot of time to sit around and practice and think about everything. Now it's time to go out and perform. There are guys that have been waiting three, four, five months for this. I don't see a lack of intensity happening, especially tomorrow."

2. Bruins bouncing back

The Bruins have scored two goals in two games since arriving in Toronto, including a 4-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in an exhibition game July 30. Coach Bruce Cassidy plans on changing things up Wednesday, with Nick Ritchie returning to the lineup and playing left wing on the second line with center David Krejci and right wing Karson Kuhlman, and Jake DeBrusk going to right wing on the third line with left wing Anders Bjork and center Charlie Coyle.

Ritchie will play after missing the exhibition game and the first round-robin game.

"I don't need to think about it too much," he said. "Hopefully I can complement [Krejci] with the style I play and let his creativity combine with me, driving straight lines, driving the net, and hopefully that works out for us."

3. Handling Bruins top line

The Lightning won three of four games against the Bruins this season, but Boston's top line of Patrice Bergeron (two goals, one assist), Brad Marchand (one goal, four assists), and David Pastrnak (three goals, two assists) combined for 13 points in the four games.

Bogosian likely will play with Victor Hedman on Tampa Bay's top defense pair, which will be tasked with playing against them. Bogosian said he's feeling more like himself after having hip surgery in April 2019.

"Anytime you get a surgery they'll give you a timeline, 4-6 weeks, 3-6 months, or whatever," he said. "But it really takes a full year to feel like yourself again. I'm a year post-op and I haven't felt this good in probably four or five years. My body is feeling good. ... To finally have it all come together and feel good physically and mentally, it's a good feeling for sure."