Written By The Boston Bruins will have a tough test ahead of them as they face the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning without their captain and top scorer, Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron has been sidelined with an upper-body injury and is expected to miss at least a week, leaving the Bruins without their top faceoff specialist and one of the league’s best two-way forwards.
Bergeron’s absence will be felt on both ends of the ice. He is not only the team’s leading scorer with 48 points in 59 games this season, but he also plays a key role in the Bruins’ penalty kill unit, which is currently ranked second in the league. In addition, Bergeron has won four Selke Trophies as the NHL’s top defensive forward, so his presence on the ice is crucial to the team’s success.
The Bruins will need to find a way to compensate for Bergeron’s absence, both in terms of offense and defense. David Krejci, who has been centering the second line, will likely be moved up to the top line to fill Bergeron’s spot. While Krejci is a skilled playmaker and has contributed 35 points this season, he does not have the same defensive prowess as Bergeron and may struggle to fill that role.
The Bruins’ power play, which has struggled this season, will also be affected by Bergeron’s absence. Bergeron is a key component of the power play unit and has scored seven goals with the man advantage this season. The team will need to find a way to generate offense without him and improve their power play efficiency if they hope to have success against the Panthers and Lightning.
The Bruins will also need to rely on their depth players to step up in Bergeron’s absence. Charlie Coyle, who has been centering the third line, will likely move up to the second line, and players like Nick Ritchie and Craig Smith will need to contribute offensively. The team may also call up a player from their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, to provide additional depth.
The Bruins are currently in fourth place in the East Division with a record of 28-14-6, but they are just four points ahead of the New York Rangers, who hold the fifth and final playoff spot. The Panthers and Lightning are both ahead of the Bruins in the standings and are two of the top teams in the league, so these games will be crucial for the Bruins’ playoff hopes.
The Bruins have faced adversity before and have shown that they can overcome it. They lost defenseman Zdeno Chara to free agency before the start of the season and have dealt with injuries to key players like Tuukka Rask and Charlie McAvoy throughout the year. However, Bergeron’s absence will be a significant challenge for the team, and they will need to find a way to come together and play as a cohesive unit if they hope to succeed without him.
In conclusion, the Boston Bruins will face a tough challenge without Patrice Bergeron as they take on the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Bergeron’s absence will be felt on both ends of the ice, and the Bruins will need to find a way to compensate for his loss. The team will need to rely on their depth players and improve their power play efficiency if they hope to have success against these top teams and secure a spot in the playoffs.
