Bergy almost game for action
Having missed parts of training camp in each of the past two seasons, Patrice Bergeron hopes to see some exhibition action this month.
The center, who has been dealing with back spasms, skated on his own before the Bruins practiced yesterday morning at Warrior Ice Arena.
It wasn’t his first time on the ice, but it was the first time he intensified his workout.
“It feels great to be back on the ice,” Bergeron said. “Just slowly ramping it up. It’s always good to be on the ice for sure.”
Bergeron was on the ice for 15 minutes a little more than a half hour before the rest of the team headed out for practice.
He skated for the first time on Tuesday before taking a day off.
“It was my first real practice that I actually increased the tempo,” he said. “I went two days ago, but this was my first real practice.”
With four preseason games left, the goal is to get him in action before the regular season.
“Hopefully he’s responding well,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He started last year like that. Hopefully he gets a few exhibition games in too.”
Bergeron didn’t travel to China while recovering from groin surgery before the back spasms occurred.
As soon as that heals, however, he has no restrictions.
“The goal is to be ready for Game 1,” he said. “Hopefully we get an exhibition game in there at the end. We’ll play it by ear at that point, but I’d like to get one, but we’re not going to push for it. The timeline hasn’t changed, we’re still hoping for the Washington game (season opener on Oct. 3).
“Time’s on our side, that’s not always the case during the season, so we’re trying to use that to our advantage.”
DeBrusk better
Jake DeBrusk is likely to be ready to go when the China group returns to action. The winger missed the end of the second game against Calgary with gastrointestinal issues, and defenseman Charlie McAvoy was dealing with something similar.
“I assume that’s just a 24-hour job,” Cassidy said. “Charlie I have not seen so I don’t know how he’s doing. He wasn’t feeling well either last game.” . . .
Torey Krug has started to amp up his pace and was close to being a full-go for the first time yesterday.
“It feels good,” he said. “It feels nice to get out there and have some live situations, some game-like situations. Obviously I have to react physically as well in the corners. It feels good to be back, so just keep progressing.”
It’s been a long road back for the defenseman, who was injured in the playoffs against Tampa Bay, but he said he felt better skating than he expected to at this point.
“In terms of playing and situations, I haven’t done too much with that,” Krug said. “So I have to get up to speed with the read-react part of the game.”
Krug hasn’t played in a game yet, but has been busy getting caught up on the ice.
“I think I’ve skated more than the guys who went to China,” he said.
Lauko will sit
After making a splash in the two wins over Washington, 18-year old winger Jakub Lauko was injured in Thursday’s practice and didn’t return to the ice yesterday.
He will not play tonight in Detroit.
“They held him off today, so that’s the only update I had,” Cassidy said. “He’s another guy I’d like to see live.” . . .
Ryan Fitzgerald (lower body) and Sean Kuraly (lower body) were also absent.