Putting a damper on good times
Carlo, Nash injured
Just as the team’s defense corps was nearing full health, with Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy
close to returning to game action, the Bruins suffered a serious blow in the third period of yesterday’s 5-1 win against Florida at the Garden.
Brandon Carlo took an ugly fall in the corner while in the defensive zone and was taken from the ice on a stretcher with an apparent lower-body injury.
Carlo’s status and availability for the rest of the regular season as well as the playoffs was unclear during the postgame press conference of coach Bruce Cassidy.
“I don’t have an update yet. Didn’t look good when you go off on a stretcher, obviously,” Cassidy said. “So, we’ll keep our fingers crossed on that one.”
Center Riley Nash also exited the game and did not return after taking a Torey Krug slapshot to the side of the head. According to Cassidy, Nash required stitches and his availability was uncertain for today’s game against Philadelphia.
“Obviously, (Brian) Gionta was a healthy scratch tonight, so we have an extra forward if Nash is unavailable to play,” Cassidy said. “Z and Charlie (McAvoy) have been skating; we’ll see where they’re at. Otherwise, we go to Providence. They happen to be in Pennsylvania right now; might be handy. It’s tough luck for Nash and Carlo obviously. Not what you want right now, but we’ll see how they are.”
Numbers crunch
Due to injuries and a numbers crunch of quality players after recent trades and signings to add depth, Cassidy frequently has changed his lineup in the final third of the regular season. Different players are going in and out with each game.
Forward Tommy Wingels is one who faces uncertainty about his number being called on a game-to-game basis. But he doesn’t think the musical chairs has had much negative influence on the players going in and out of the lineup.
They are focused on the bigger picture, Wingels said.
“I think we all play this game for one reason, and that’s at the end of the day to win a Stanley Cup,” Wingels said before playing against the Panthers.
He talked more about the battle for playing time.
“Everybody wants to play as much as they can,” Wingels continued. “This is an incredibly deep group. So yeah, some guys might be playing or not be playing, but we all have the same mentality of wanting to win, and we know that’s best for the team and best for the organization.”
Playing time disputes between a player and coaching staff can occasionally turn ugly, especially with younger players, but Wingels credited Cassidy for being straightforward with the Bruins about their roles and playing time in the context of the ever-changing lineup.
“That’s a tough balance. Certainly it’s difficult for a coach to do, to incorporate a handful of new guys when your team has arguably been one of the best in the entire league the whole season,” Wingels said. “I think he’s done a good job. He’s been very up front with players, me especially, being one of the new guys.”
Playoff preview?
The pool of potential first-round playoff opponents for the B’s is narrowing with just five games left in the regular season. The B’s get a close look at one candidate today.
The Flyers, along with the Maple Leafs and the Devils, could be matched up with the Bruins in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Florida still has a slim chance of stealing a wild card berth.
The Bruins would play Toronto if they slip to second in the Atlantic Division. If the playoffs began today, the division-leading B’s would face New Jersey, which is the second wild card team. But the Devils are just three points behind the Flyers with a game in hand, easily within range of leapfrogging Philly and setting up a B’s-Flyers firstround series.
The last time the Bruins played Philadelphia in the postseason was a four game sweep in 2011 on the way to a Stanley Cup championship. The Flyers stunned the B’s the previous postseason by winning four straight games after the Bruins had taken a 3-0 series lead.