Krug out for series
Blue line takes hit
TAMPA — If the Bruins want to pull off a big series comeback from their 3-1 deficit, it will have to be without one of their top players.
Defenseman Torey Krug
will miss the remainder of the second-round series against Tampa Bay with a left ankle injury, according to a statement released by team doctor Peter Asnis.
Krug still is being evaluated, and the statement did not clarify the severity of the injury.
Krug got tangled up with Alex Killorn in Friday’s Game 4 loss and crashed feet-first into the boards. He was seen leaving the Garden on crutches and in a walking boot.
Krug’s absence will mean the return of Nick Holden to the lineup. Holden played one game in the Toronto series, picking up an assist and plus-1 rating in 12:25 of ice time in the B’s Game 3 loss.
He’ll most likely be paired with Adam McQuaid,
which would mean Matt Grzelcyk would go back with Kevan Miller, with whom he played most of the season.
“Nick’ll go in. He did a good job for us when he was in. We’re going to miss Torey. He was obviously a good player for us and really adds to our offensive side of things,” coach Bruce Cassidy said.
Krug was part of the first power-play unit that has been clicking very well. What hasn’t been going well is the Bruins’ 5-on-5 play. They haven’t scored an even-strength goal since Krug’s seeing-eye shot slipped past Andrei Vasilevskiy in the third period of Game 2.
Better even-strength play and having a better start are at the top of the B’s checklist if they want their season to continue beyond today. They’ve allowed the first goal in the last three games and given up the first two in the last two.
“If I had the easy answer, I think we’d get the message across,” said Cassidy. “I think maybe it’s become mental now, maybe it’s in our heads, like ‘Uh-oh, I need to be here,’ instead of just playing. I do think having the puck helps. Everyone has energy to start, so if you start with the puck and you get in on the forecheck, you’ve got plenty of energy to do that, so does your whole first rotation through the line, so that’s part of it. Win the pucks early and then manage it.”
To improve 5-on-5, the B’s have to get through the Bolts’ rather stout first line of defense with both pucks and bodies.
“I guess we have to funnel more pucks and get more bodies in there and get those second-chance opportunities. The rebounds are there and there are good goalies in this league, so you have to get those second chances,” said David Pastrnak.
Forward thinking
Cassidy hadn’t yet decided on his forward lines. In Game 4, he inserted both rookie Ryan Donato, which was somewhat expected, and veteran Brian Gionta,
which was not. Both were on the ice for Dan Girardi’s
game-winning overtime goal.
With Gionta going in, Riley Nash was a surprise scratch.
“A little bit of his performance,” said Cassidy of the decision to scratch him. “We thought if Donato was going to go in and if we were going to use Gionta to bring us some energy, obviously someone has to come out. We moved (David) Backes
down to a more physical (line). I thought he played very well down there. We just didn’t like the way it was going for the third line, so we blew it all up and tried to keep the rest of the lines fairly consistent.”
Nash has not been able to regain his high level of play since he returned after taking a puck off the ear late in the season. Does Cassidy think Nash has been right since then?
“He can only answer that,” said Cassidy. “I don’t want to beat him up, but he hasn’t performed at the level he did or he’d still be in there. And I’m not telling you something you don’t know. But neither is his left winger (Danton Heinen) or right winger (Backes). They were a really good line for us. … I don’t think we can get by without everybody going. That’s just where we are right now. Tampa’s a good team, so that line is having troubles. I don’t know if he’s right or not. If he’s in (today) then I’m hoping he’s back to being right and that whole line is there together. We’ve trusted them a lot this year. They’re a big part of our team. When we turned the corner, they were doing a lot of good things for us. I’m not saying you can just flip a switch, but we could use it.”
Stopping spit
From this point on, Brad Marchand has been banned from showing his sloppy affections for opponents.
Reaching a “Slap Shot” level of absurdity, the NHL released a statement detailing its official tsk-tsking of Marchand and his up-thesnout licking of the Lightning’s Ryan Callahan in Friday’s Game 4.
“NHL’s (VP of Hockey Operations) Colin Campbell spoke with Boston’s Brad Marchand and GM Don Sweeney today. The League put the player on notice that his actions (Friday) night are unacceptable and similar behavior in the future will be dealt with by way of supplemental discipline,” read the tweet.
Captured in great still photos, the act was fairly repulsive — arguably more so for the licker than the lickee. Cassidy said Marchand will put a stop to such hijinks, which started off as a smooch to Toronto’s Leo Komarov in the regular season to a nuzzle to Komarov in the first round to the full frontal wet willy to Callahan on Friday.
“I saw the statement (yesterday) so obviously, Brad has to stop licking. To me, that’s the end of he story. If that’s what the league says and they’re threatening discipline, then we need him on the ice and in the lineup. So to me, it’s that simple,” said Cassidy.
Meanwhile, the league was apparently all good with a two-minute minor covering Steven Stamkos’ elbow to the head of the recently concussed Rick Nash. And the two blown calls that directly affected the outcomes of two games in this series? Nothing to see here. Move along.