Scrimmage set for Garden ice
B’s host intrasquad battle tomorrow
The Bruins are taking the idea of “the only team that can beat us is ourselves” seriously this week.
As they deal with the 11day layoff leading up to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, the B’s will host an intrasquad scrimmage tomorrow night at the Garden.
Instead of their usual morning practice, the Bruins will treat tomorrow as a game day and suit up on home ice with a Black team and White team, each one sporting three forward lines and five defenders full of Bruins players and the Black Aces from Providence.
“We’re trying to simulate a game situation, going to the rink, preparing for a game day,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said yesterday. “I don’t know at the end of the day how it’s going to play out until Game 1 happens. There’s some ideas we’ve bandied around, came up with this one. It will be live, to a certain extent.”
While there’s an injury risk Cassidy admitted is inherent to the concept, they will try to make sure it’s not an overly physical environment as they tune up for the games ahead.
“We’ll talk to the players about the physicality part,” he said. “We’re looking for compete and we’re looking for pace, not looking for guys to blow each other up. … We’ve had good practices, this will just be a little bit different.”
Cassidy also noted they will control some situations, like having a power play at some point and a 6-on-5 at the end of the game regardless of the score.
There will be two on-ice officials, and the plan is to have two 25-minute halves.
“We’re going to try to simulate a checking line vs. a top line, so we’ll sort through the final (rosters),” Cassidy said.
Cassidy also noted Zdeno Chara should be healthy if he participates and has no restrictions after missing Game 4 with the Hurricanes.
The scrimmage is open to the public (tickets are $20), similar to how the Blue Jackets hosted a scrimmage while waiting for the Bruins to finish their series with Toronto.
Black Aces get shot
It’s unique for the AHL players to get much attention from a squad in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but the Black Aces will have a rare opportunity to show Cassidy and the Bruins coaching brass what they can provide.
“I haven’t seen some of them in a while,” Cassidy said. “…. Right now (Karson) Kuhlman and ( Chris) Wagner are our extras, and Wagner is out with an injury, so you have Kuhlman as a right shot and right wing, but what if a center goes down? It’s a chance to look at (Trent) Frederic again, Jack (Studnicka)’s here, I haven’t seen him since China. A tough environment for him to come into, but it could be a one-game thing where you need the best elite player, if he’s the best fit.”
Cassidy also referenced Paul Carey, who spent some time with the Bruins after being acquired from Ottawa midseason.
JFK to Sweden
After playing 28 games with the Bruins this season, Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson never stuck at the NHL level. At least for now, he’ll take his talents elsewhere.
The Bruins announced the Boston University alum would head back to his home country of Sweden and play for for Vaxjo of the Swedish Hockey League next season.
“Jakob will continue his professional hockey career and development in the SHL and we support his decision to be closer to his family at this time in his life,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said in a statement. “Over the past few weeks, Jakob has also communicated that he fully intends to resume playing for the Bruins, but for right now he feels playing at home in Sweden is what is best for him.”
Forsbacka Karlsson notched three goals and six assists in 29 games with the Bruins over the past three seasons.