Patrice Bergeron feeling better, considered questionable for Game 2 vs. Panthers

BOSTON -- The Bruins played their playoff opener without captain Patrice Bergeron, who sat out Monday night's win over the Panthers due to an illness/lingering upper-body injury. But the B's may be whole again for Wednesday night's Game 2 at TD Garden.

Bergeron did not participate in the team's optional skate on Tuesday, but head coach Jim Montgomery said that Boston's top-line center is feeling better. Montgomery deemed Bergeron "questionable" for Wednesday night's Game 2.

While Bergeron didn't play in Game 1, he addressed the team before they took on the Panthers to deliver an important message before the puck dropped on the postseason. No one would say what that message was after Monday's 3-1 win over Florida, but it certainly resonated.

"He was around all day and kind of talked to us before the game. He was watching here in the room. Obviously, such a presence," forward Jake DeBrusk said of Bergeron. "You can tell how bad he wants to be out there, and he can't wait to get back in the mix. It's one of those things where you can tell he's itching to get back, and it's one of those things that we take as a team, and it kind of gives you a boost seeing him around. 

"We want to do it for him," added DeBrusk.

The Bruins are currently dealing with a stomach bug that has been making its way through the dressing room. Bergeron also suffered an upper-body injury in the team's regular-season finale in Montreal, and missed practice on Saturday and Sunday leading up to Monday's Game 1.

In 78 games during the regular season, the 37-year-old Bergeron scored 27 goals and dished out 31 assists for Boston. He ranked second in the NHL with a 61.1 percent win rate at the faceoff dot.