David Krejci to travel with Bruins to Florida ahead of Game 6; no starter in net named for Friday
"He's got a couple of more boxes to check before we can say he's a player."
Just a day removed from getting their captain back on the ice, the Bruins might have another top-six pivot available ahead of their Game 6 bout with the Panthers at FLA Live Arena.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday ahead of the team flight to South Florida, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery acknowledged that David Krejci will travel with the rest of the roster. The playmaking pivot has missed the last three games against the Panthers due to an upper-body injury.
“Krejci is traveling with us,” Montgomery said. “And he’s got a couple of more boxes to check before we can say he’s a player.
The 36-year-old forward has not practiced with the Bruins since his latest injury. But he has skated at Warrior Ice Arena for the last few days as part of scheduled conditioning work.
It’s been a tough series for Krejci so far, even before getting scratched just ahead of puck drop in Game 3 down in Sunrise.
In Krejci’s 28:40 of 5v5 ice time against the Panthers, Florida has outshot Boston, 24-9, and outscored the Bruins, 2-0.
But Krejci’s potential return would stabilize a Bruins lineup that has been thrown in a blender over the last few games.
In Boston’s overtime loss to the Panthers in Game 5 on Wednesday, Montgomery rolled out nine different forward lines that logged at least 1:30 of 5v5 reps.
If Krejci gets the green light for Friday, Boston can opt for its usual top-six configuration of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and Jake DeBrusk on the top line, with Pavel Zacha, Krejci, and David Pastrnak following suit on the second line.
Such a move would give Boston additional depth further down the depth chart, with Taylor Hall (eight points) and Tyler Bertuzzi (six points) pushed down to the third line with Charlie Coyle.
Montgomery has yet to determine what other lineup reshuffles will be carried out ahead of Game 6. Boston’s head coach did note that Trent Frederic is a “definite candidate” to draw back into the lineup after getting scratched on Wednesday, per Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub.
“I haven’t had enough time,” Montgomery said of lineup tweaks. “Like I reviewed the game this morning at Warrior and haven’t sat down with the staff yet. And we’ll do that on the plane.”
One looming lineup decision for Montgomery and his staff is who gets the call in net for Game 6.
Linus Ullmark has started all five games for Boston against Florida, posting a .912 save percentage. But the Vezina Trophy frontrunner relinquished four goals on 25 total shots in Game 5, including a costly turnover in overtime that led to an easy backhand winner for Matthew Tkachuk.
Postgame, Patrice Bergeron expressed his support for Ullmark, who is also reportedly battling a nagging physical issue.
“He’s been a rock for us all year,” Bergeron said of Ullmark on Wednesday night. “He’s given us a chance to win every time he’s stepped out there. He can’t be too hard on himself. We’re a team. It’s about what we do together on the ice as a unit of six and go from there.
“To me, I feel you win and you lose as a team. It is what it is. He’s a tremendous goalie, he’s probably the best goalie in the NHL and probably going to win the Vezina this year. We’re all there for each other and we’ve always said that, so chins up for him.”
Still, if Ullmark’s high standard of play is being hindered by whatever is ailing him between the pipes, Jeremy Swayman stands as a stout backup option on Friday night.
“We’re gonna evaluate everything again,” Montgomery said of the goaltender position. “I have complete confidence in Ullmark. And if we decide to go with Sway, I have complete confidence in him. Like the luck we have is that in every position, we have players who can go in and get the job done.”
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