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Bruins Recall Brandon Bussi, Patrick Brown, Jayson Megna

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The Boston Bruins have recalled three players ahead of Game 5 against the Florida Panthers, including forwards Patrick Brown and Jayson Megna, and goaltender Brandon Bussi. The team has also assigned goaltender Michael DiPietro to the AHL. These moves follow the Providence Bruins’ elimination from the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs, losing the Atlantic Division Semifinals to the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Both Brown and Megna stepped into Boston’s lineup during the regular season, playing in 11 games and one game respectively. Brown was the only one to score, posting one assist in his bottom-of-the-lineup role. It’s the first year in the Boston organization for either player, with much of their season spent in the AHL. Megna made the most of the minutes, ranking second on Providence in scoring with 19 goals and 56 points in 69 games. Meanwhile, Brown posted a tamer 32 points in 42 AHL games. The pair will add stout depth to a Bruins team that played Game 4 without captain Brad Marchand. Justin Brazeau stepped in in relief, recording a +1 in 12:26 of ice time.

And while Brown and Megna will give the Bruins more options at forward, Bussi will serve as the team’s emergency third-string goaltender.The 25-year-old netminder is coming off a strong season with Providence, where he recorded 23 wins and a .913 save percentage in 41 games. It was another strong year for Bussi, who has now posted a save percentage above .910 in all three AHL seasons he’s taken part in. His career totals are up to 48 wins and a .918 across 78 AHL games, tying Bussi for the seventh-most wins and 14th-highest save percentage of any AHL goalie since 2021. He’s as strong of a third-string goalie that a team could ask for, though it’s very unlikely he’s able to crack the lineup ahead of superstar goaltender Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.

Bruins’ Brad Marchand To Miss Game 4

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The Boston Bruins will be without captain Brad Marchand for Game 4, after sustaining an upper-body injury in Game 3, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link). Marchand left Game 3 early after awkwardly colliding with the boards following a hit from  Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett. There has been no indication of exactly what injury Marchand is bearing or how long it may hold him out. Game 4 will be Marchand’s first time missing a postseason game since 2019 when he missed four games of Boston’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

This is devastating news for a Bruins team currently down 2-1 against the Florida Panthers. Marchand has been Boston’s best forward this postseason, with 10 points through 10 games. He’s averaging over 18 minutes of ice time a game and playing on both the penalty kill and power-play, giving the Bruins a hole in nearly every system ahead of Game 4. Patching up special teams will be the top concern for coach Jim Montgomery, with Boston currently boasting the second-worst power-play and third-worst penalty-kill of any remaining teams. This could be a chance for Morgan Geekie to continue carving out a prominent role, after earning reps on the second line and second power-play unit. Geekie already has three goals and four points through 10 games this postseason.

Marchand’s absence will also make room for Danton Heinen, who’s been cleared to return after missing the team’s last five games with an undisclosed injury, per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti (Twitter link). Heinen served a third-line role during Boston’s first five postseason games, netting one assist. He’s coming off a 36-point season, the most he’s scored since his rookie year in 2017-18. If Heinen suffers any sort of set back, Jesper Boqvist would be next to step in. Boqvist has one assist through eight appearances of his own this postseason.

Bruins/Panthers Notes: Marchand, Heinen, Bennett, Cousins

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One of the big moments from Friday’s third game of the Panthers-Bruins series was the hit from Sam Bennett on Brad Marchand that caused the latter to leave the game in the second period and not return.  Marchand missed practice today with TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie noting (Twitter links) that the captain is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and that winger Danton Heinen could take his place in the lineup as it appears he could be ready to return.

Heinen has missed the last four games with an undisclosed injury sustained during the first round against Toronto.  He had 17 goals and 19 assists in 74 games during the regular season – great value for a league minimum contract – and provided the type of depth scoring that Boston has been lacking in recent games.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski adds that Bennett will not face any supplementary discipline for the hit.  Head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters that he didn’t see things the way the league did:

There’s a history there with Bennett. There’s clearly evidence of what went on. People can say it wasn’t intentional. We have our view of it.

Bennett had made his series debut after returning from an upper-body injury in the second game of their opening-round series against Tampa Bay and picked up an assist in a little under 13 minutes of action.  Montgomery clarified that the history he referenced with Bennett in his comment wasn’t solely with Marchand but rather with those types of hits in general.

Meanwhile, Bennett’s return resulted in Nick Cousins being dropped from the lineup.  Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters including Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald that the decision to scratch Cousins wasn’t performance-related but rather wanting some extra coverage at center if Bennett wasn’t able to make it through the game which helped keep Steven Lorentz – who can play down the middle when called upon – in the lineup on the fourth line, a group that has had some success in the series so far.

Marchand Injured In Game Three

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It was a tough night for the Bruins on Friday who lost to Florida to now trail two games to one in their second-round series.  They also lost one of their top players in the process with Brad Marchand exiting the game in the second period off a hit from Sam Bennett.  Speaking with reporters postgame including Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald, head coach Jim Montgomery didn’t have any immediate updates about the availability of his captain for Sunday’s contest.  Marchand leads Boston in scoring in the postseason with three goals and seven assists through ten games and with the Bruins struggling offensively the last couple of games, losing their top scorer would certainly be a significant blow.

Atlantic Notes: Peeke, Heinen, Bennett

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Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke is available to return to the lineup tonight after missing the last two and a half weeks with a finger injury (via Conor Ryan of Boston.com). The 26-year-old hasn’t played since Game 2 of the Bruins first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs and played just 38 games in the regular season. Peeke dressed in 15 games for the Bruins down the stretch tallying just two assists. He finished the regular season with a single goal and nine assists in 38 games and saw his average ice time for the season drop by almost five full minutes.

Boston acquired Peeke from the Columbus Blue Jackets at the trade deadline in exchange for defenseman Jakub Zboril and a 2027 third-round pick. Zboril was a former first-round pick of the Bruins who was selected during Boston’s disastrous 2015 draft.

No word yet on who Peeke could replace if he does dress for Game 3.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters that forward Danton Heinen remains day-to-day with an undisclosed injury (via Conor Ryan). Heinen has missed four consecutive games and hasn’t scored a goal since April 13th, a span of seven games. The 28-year-old bounced back this year in Boston after a down year with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Heinen posted 17 goals and 19 assists in 74 games after signing a one-year, $775K contract on October 30th. When Heinen is ready to return, his spot in the lineup may not be guaranteed after the emergence of young forward Justin Brazeau who has made an impression the past few weeks.
  • Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett will be a game-time decision tonight for Game 3 against the Bruins. The Holland Landing, Ontario native hasn’t played since April 23rd when he took a Brandon Montour shot off his left hand in the Panthers’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bennett would be a big boost for the Panthers after he posted 20 goals and 21 assists in 69 games during the regular season. Besides the boost to their depth scoring, Bennett would also add a physical element to the Panthers lineup should he return, something that Florida would certainly welcome after the theatrics of Game 2.

Patrick Brown Returned To The AHL

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The Boston Bruins have sent rugged forward Patrick Brown back to their American Hockey League affiliate the Providence Bruins (according to AHL Transactions report). The 31-year-old was recalled on an emergency basis back on May 5th after he hadn’t played in an NHL game since January 27th. Brown signed a two-year, $1.6MM deal with Boston on July 1st, 2023, and it was a return of sorts after he’d spent four years with Boston College during his NCAA career.

The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native did play during his call-up, dressing for Boston’s 5-1 victory in game 1 over the Florida Panthers on Monday. However, he was scratched last night and sent back to Providence this morning. Brown played 8:27 of game 1, registering a whopping nine hits, while winning 71.4% of his faceoffs and taking a minor penalty.

Despite throwing his weight around, Brown’s scratch last night wasn’t a big surprise as the Bruins were dominated while his line was on the ice. Brown’s Corsi For % in game 1 was just 27.3%, meaning that Florida controlled the puck for the majority of Brown’s shifts.

Boston will need to adjust after last night’s 6-1 loss to the Panthers. The Bruins registered just 15 shots on goal, their lowest in a playoff game in 35 years. With Brown being sent back to the AHL, Boston could be opting to incorporate more skill into their lineup, although, given the physicality of this series, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Brown called up in the next week.

Eastern Notes: Forbort, Devils, Maple Leafs

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort returned tonight for Boston taking Kevin Shattenkirk’s spot in the lineup. The 32-year-old Forbort was recalled two weeks ago from an LTI conditioning loan in which he played two AHL games and hasn’t played an NHL game since March 2nd due to an undisclosed injury.

The Duluth, Minnesota native posted four assists in 35 games with the Bruins this season, his third year with the team since signing a three-year deal as an unrestricted free agent in July 2021. The former first-round pick won’t put up much offense from the backend but will add a physical element for the Bruins, something that they are sure to need when they take on the Florida Panthers in the second round.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Jonathan Bailey of New Jersey Hockey Now is reporting that the New Jersey Devils had detailed talks with former Stanley Cup champion head coach Craig Berube regarding the Devil’s head coaching vacancy. The 58-year-old Berube won the Stanley Cup with the Blues during his first season behind the bench in 2019 and was fired this past December after a 13-14-1 to start the season. He previously coached the Philadelphia Flyers for two seasons before an extended run in the AHL. The Devils also reportedly engaged in conversations with former Kings bench boss Todd McLellan.
  • David Alter of The Hockey News is reporting that the Maple Leafs Sports And Entertainment President Keith Pelley, Toronto Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan, and general manager Brad Treliving will now speak with the media on Friday instead of Thursday. While the scheduling change is a minor time and date change, it is sure to create additional speculation about what the Maple Leafs will do this summer. The Maple Leafs have won just a single playoff series since Shanahan took over the team back in April 2014, and have had three different general managers and two head coaches during that time. There is no indication as to what will be said during Friday’s press conference, but speculation is sure to heat up over the next 72 hours.

Bruins Recall Patrick Brown On Emergency Basis

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The Bruins will kick off the second round on Monday against Florida and have made a roster move in advance of that game.  The team announced that they’ve recalled forward Patrick Brown from AHL Providence on an emergency basis.

The 31-year-old inked a two-year, $1.6MM deal with Boston over the summer with the expectation that he’d contend for a spot on their fourth line.  It didn’t quite work out that way, however, as he cleared waivers at the end of training camp and did so again a month later.

Overall, Brown played in just 11 regular season games for Boston this season, recording just one assist while logging less than nine minutes a night.  As a result, he spent most of the year in Providence where he was much more impactful, collecting 32 points in 42 regular season games plus three more in two playoff contests thus far.

Boston had 14 forwards on its roster before Brown’s recall so the emergency designation is notable.  Danton Heinen remains injured but since they had an extra healthy skater on the roster already (Jakub Lauko), it appears as if there’s at least one other forward whose availability for Monday night isn’t assured.

Meanwhile, while not announced by the team, the Bruins have also recalled goaltender Michael DiPietro, per the AHL’s transactions log.  The 24-year-old has been serving as Boston’s emergency goaltender in recent days and had a 2.51 GAA with a .918 SV% in 30 games with Providence during the regular season.

Atlantic Injury Notes: Bruins, Bennett, Nylander

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The Boston Bruins will get reinforcements in their upcoming series against the Florida Panthers, with general manager Don Sweeney sharing that he expects both Andrew Peeke and Danton Heinen to return from injury in the Second Round, per Conor Ryan of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). Peeke suffered a finger injury in Game 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, sitting out of the third period and earning a week-to-week designation. Heinen has been recovering from an undisclosed injury and was designated as a game-time decision in Game 7, ultimately sitting out. Sweeney shared that the team is still waiting to see each player’s exact timeline.

Injuries put Boston’s depth to the test in the First Round – and the fill-ins came up strong. Rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei was the most impressive addition, recording one assist and looking well-adjusted to playoff pace in the first five Stanley Cup appearances of his career. He won out Peeke’s role over Derek Forbort, who is himself recovering from injury. Lohrei should remain the team’s go-to replacement, though he’ll need a strong start in Game 1 if he wants to fight for a role when Peeke returns. Justin Brazeau has stepped in for Heinen, also recording one assist in his three postseason games so far.

Other injury notes from around the Atlantic Division:

  • Florida Panthers’ centerman Sam Bennett is progressing from injury, with head coach Paul Maruice upgrading him to a day-to-day designation per David Dwork of The Hockey News (Twitter link). Maurice added that Bennett is progressing better than he was expecting, though he’ll still be out for Game 1 of the Second Round. Bennett suffered an upper-body injury in Game 2 against the Maple Leafs, reportedly sustaining the injury on a blocked shot. He left the ice after just 7:42 in ice time, though he made sure to leave his mark on the series – recording two points in Game 2 prior to leaving. His absence opened the door for Steven Lorentz to step back into the lineup. Lorentz has recorded two points in four postseason games – enough for Florida to get by the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the Panthers will surely be excited to get back the strong depth scoring Bennett brings.
  • Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander has finally revealed the ailments that held him out of the first three games of Round One, saying that he was struggling with “head issues and eye migraines” and adding that he was struggling to see at times, per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox (Twitter link). Nylander returned for the final four games of Toronto’s season, recording three goals before being bounced by the Bruins. He had a career-year, scoring 40 goals and 98 points in 82 games. With the off-season now in front of him, Nylander will need to focus on nursing a migraine issue that’s followed him for the last two seasons.

Peeke Skates But Won't Play Tonight, Heinen Questionable

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  • While Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke skated today with the team, he has been ruled out for tonight, notes Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic (Twitter link). Earlier this week, it was suggested that he’d be out for multiple weeks yet but the fact he was on the ice today suggests that he could be back a little earlier than that should Boston advance to the second round.
  • Bruins winger Danton Heinen is uncertain to play in tonight’s contest, per a team announcement (Twitter link). The 28-year-old missed Thursday’s game with an undisclosed injury.  Heinen, who had 17 goals and 19 assists in 74 games this season, did see some time during power play drills during the morning skate.

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