Bruins Reuniting Pastrnak, Bergeron And Marchand On Top Line For Game 3 Vs. Hurricanes
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Bruins will seemingly need to be perfect to get out of their 0-2 series hole against the Carolina Hurricanes. So Bruce Cassidy is reuniting his best trio on Boston's top line for Friday night's Game 3 at TD Garden.
Patrice Bergeron will center David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand on the top line to start Game 3, after the three skated together for the first time in months midway through Wednesday night's Game 2 loss. Cassidy is hoping that the reunion will not only get that trio going, but the Boston offense as a whole. The Bruins have scored just three goals to start the series.
Bergeron scored Boston's only two goals on Wednesday night, but Pastrnak has zero points while Marchand has tallied just one assist over the first two games of the series. After putting just five shots on net in Game 1, Pastrnak had eight shots in Game 2.
Those three amigos racked up goals and points for the Bruins for years, forming one of the most lethal lines in the NHL. Pastrnak seems pretty excited to once again be sharing a line with two of Boston's most dynamic players, and is eager to see what they can do against Carolina's stifling defense.
"Obviously, we need to be a little better. I think it's the perfect time," the winger said Friday morning. "Playing with those guys, we've been together for a while. So we know what to expect from each other and I'm excited. It's been a while so it's going to be fun tonight."
With Pastrnak moving up, Jake DeBrusk will now move to the second line and play with Taylor Hall and Erik Haula. Tomas Nosek is moving up from the fourth line to take Trent Frederic's spot on the third line, with Cassidy hoping that a change on that line will lead to good things for Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith.
Chris Wagner is also making his return after spending the season in Providence, set to skate on Boston's fourth line with Curtis Lazar and Nick Foligno.
The odds are against the Bruins as the series shifts to Boston, but they can help their cause in a big way by getting their first win of the series on Friday night.