It’s Backes to Boston
OTTAWA — The Bruins remained a skeleton crew yesterday as David Backes returned home with what are believed to be concussion-like symptoms, leaving the B’s with the requisite 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies for their game tonight against the Senators.
Charlie McAvoy and Kevan Miller (hand), both of whom returned to Boston over the weekend, continue to undergo testing back home and there was no prognosis yet on either of them.
McAvoy was sent home after not feeling right following the Bruins’ 3-2 overtime loss last Thursday in Edmonton. Coach Bruce Cassidy believes it stems from a hit he took almost two weeks ago and has nothing to do with the procedure he underwent last year to address an abnormal heart rhythm.
“I don’t believe it has anything to do with that,” Cassidy said. “But until I get back home and talk to the doctors and they give me some information ... but I don’t think it has anything to do with his heart. I think he’s fine in that regard.”
Asked how his spirits were, Cassidy said, “Not great. When you’re not able to play, especially at that age, hockey becomes your whole life. You’re not married, no kids. I imagine he’s a little bit down, but hopefully results come back, he’s fine and ready to go soon.”
Backes, meanwhile, was a late scratch for Saturday’s game in Vancouver after not feeling well following a high hit he took from the Oilers’ Matt Benning.
He went to the dressing room for much of the first period before returning, but he played only sparingly. Backes’ 2017-18 season was ended in Game 5 of the second round against Tampa Bay when he was hit by the Lightning’s J.T. Miller.
Cassidy said the question of call-ups was discussed Sunday, but it was decided that, for tonight’s game at least, the Bruins were going to stick with what they had.
“We liked our last 40 minutes (in Vancouver). Didn’t like the first 20, didn’t like overtime particularly. We’ve got some issues to clean up there,” Cassidy said. “But (the line of Joakim Nordstrom, Andres Bjork and Chris Wagner) did some good work for us. They scored a goal. They also defended hard.”
That leaves Ryan Donato on the fourth line with Sean Kuraly and Noel Acciari.
“Ryan down on the fourth line is probably not where we envisioned him to start but if he can chip in on the power-play and those guys are straight line players, maybe it will do him some good like it did for Danton (Heinen) last year,” Cassidy said.
Krug nears return
Torey Krug is inching closer to a return and was going to meet the team in Ottawa to practice yesterday, but travel issues blew up that plan. He’s been skating since last Wednesday, Cassidy said. There was no timetable given yet for Krug’s return, but Cassidy said the defenseman will have to get through some battle drills before he’s ready.
Krug has been missed on the power play, which has cost the B’s a possible win or two on this trip. Matt Grzelcyk has moved the puck fairly well, but he doesn’t possess Krug’s booming shot.
“There’s that, and he’s not as much of a threat to switch with ( Brad Marchand) down on the half wall and that’s where teams start stopping. When you start stopping and pointing, all of a sudden the puck’s going by you,” Cassidy said. “That’s where Krug adds an element, that he moves all over the ice and he makes our power play much less static. That’s the one area where Grizz doesn’t have the confidence maybe yet or doesn’t want to because he hasn’t played it much. And the shot, obviously. At some point, he’ll have to start ripping a few to keep everybody honest . ... We’re getting some of the looks, just not as consistently as we would with Torey, obviously.”
Swede earns time
Cassidy said he liked Nordstrom at center, though he and Wagner can be interchangeable there. Overall he’s been impressed by the versatile Swede.
“Pretty much every Swedish player I’ve come across is generally a good, 200-foot player, plays well away from the puck, good thinkers of the game and he’s no exception,” Cassidy said. “We’re real encouraged with how strong he is on puck battles. I didn’t see as much of that in China. He got concussed so you always worry it’s going to go the other way, but for him he’s been very hard in there in every aspect of the game.
“I think he’s had as many chances as anyone and one went in for him the other night. He’s worked hard to get his minutes right now and hopefully he can keep it going.”
Leaning Rask
Cassidy said he’s leaning toward going with Tuukka
Rask tonight but was still waiting to talk to the player and goalie coach Bob Essensa to see if he got enough work in and he’s feeling right.