Bruins Chiarelli: We Just Want Seguin 'To Compete'
BOSTON (CBS) -Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin will make his playoff debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Finals, so the Bruins and GM Peter Chiarelli as expecting a few butterflies from the 19-year old.
"He's a young player who hasn't played in the playoffs yet. It will be an experience for him," Chiarelli told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher and Rich on Wednesday. "It's such a higher level of play, so you'll probably get a nervous player to start the first couple of shifts."
"He can break a game with his skill and speed, but we just want him to compete and make plays," said Chiarelli.
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Seguin is getting his shot because Patrice Bergeron is currently recovering from a mild concussion he suffered in Game 4 against the Flyers. Bergeron was at the TD Garden Tuesday as the Bruins practiced, a good sign towards his recovery, but it is still uncertain how the Bruins assistant captain will bounce back from his third concussion in four years.
"It doesn't surprise me based on how he was when I saw him after the hit," said Chiarelli on Bergeron's visit. "It's tough to gauge when you're into multiple concussions. I can't read too much into it. He was more despondent about being injured than suffering from the injury itself."
"I've spoken with him a couple times since it's happen. From what I'm told from yesterday he's in good spirits, he's very lucid. He's excited we're in the conference finals. He's doing quiet well."
"But again, its tough to read into it when it's multiple concussions," Chiarelli added.
So in comes the rookie Seguin. Chiarelli said it is possible he may on the Bruins' Power Play, depending on how he plays early on and the lines match up. They will also rely on the speed he brings to the game, something the Bruins will count on from everyone against the Lightning.
Read: Bruins-Lightning Eastern Conference Finals Schedule
"We just have to maintain our speed in the neutral zone, and support the puck in the neutral zone," he said. "To get through that 4-5 man line, you have to have support on the puck if you're going to chip it behind them or do a hard dump."
"Basically at some points they line up four-stride right across the blue line. It becomes a frustrating exercise if you don't have speed and you're not there."
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While the Bruins have one of the best goaltenders in the game, their offense will have the task of putting the puck by Dwayne Roloson. The 41-year-old netminder has been rejuvenated since being traded to the Lightning mid-season from the New York Islanders. He is 8-3 with a 2.01 goals-against-average in the postseason.
"You can see his experience," Chiarelli said of Roloson. "He's both technical and athletic as a goalie. We haven't faced him all year. We haven't faced him with the Islanders, or with the Lightning. He'll be tough."
"He doesn't get out of control, he's square to the puck," he continued. "He's not overly big but you can tell the way he handles the puck, the way he handles the rebound, he has experience."
The Bruins-Lighting Eastern Conference Finals get underway Saturday night at the TD Garden.
Every game of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Bruins and Lightning can be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub's with pregame coverage beginning one hour before each game with the Dunkin Donuts Bruins Pregame show
