The Boston Bruins won Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 last night and did so without arguably their best player. Centre Patrice Bergeron was a surprising last-minute scratch for the Bruins. Looking ahead to Game 5 in Boston on Saturday night, the Bruins got some good news. Bergeron skated this morning, and head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated that it was possible that he could play on Saturday.
Bruce Cassidy on Patrice Bergeron: “Skated this morning, that’s a positive. Not ruling him out” for Game 5. Will see how he is tomorrow. #NHLBruins
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 20, 2018
Patrice Bergeron Back on the Ice, Could Return to Boston Bruins Lineup for Game 5
This year Bergeron had 30 goals and 33 assists for 63 points in 64 games. He also added 26 penalty minutes. His possession numbers were 57.3 percent Corsi with a relative Corsi of 5.6 percent. He has five assists in three games so far this year during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bergeron has spent his entire 11-year NHL career with the Boston Bruins. He has 289 goals and 445 assists for 734 points in 963 career games. He was originally drafted in the 2nd round, 45th overall of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Bruins.
The Bruins hold a three-games-to-one series lead and look to close things out against the Leafs on Saturday. The Leafs will see Nazem Kadri make his return to their lineup after he missed the last three games of the series due to suspension. If the Bruins get Bergeron back, it will help them to maintain the advantage they have held in this series. The Bruins are a much better team with Bergeron on the ice.
The Bruins-Leafs series has been dramatically different depending on if Patrice Bergeron is on the ice or not. That’s both good and bad news for Toronto in Game 4: https://t.co/nDK4imBIx8 pic.twitter.com/booh8VveJp
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) April 18, 2018
If Bergeron can’t go, expect Riley Nash to once again be promoted to the top line and play with David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Nash saw key minutes against the
