Brad Marchand is still day to day with an upper-body injury, but participated in Thursday’s practice and is ‘hopeful’ to play in Game 6.
Brad Marchand is still day to day with an upper-body injury, but participated in Thursday’s practice and is ‘hopeful’ to play in Game 6.
Brad Marchand is not going to complain about his circumstances.
The Boston Bruins’ captain has missed the last two games due to an upper-body injury after taking a hit – and an apparent punch to the head – from Florida Panther Sam Bennett on Friday in Game 3.
Marchand fully participated in Thursday’s practice and, while he’s still listed as day to day, is hopeful to make a return in Game 6 at TD Garden Friday night.
“It’s very tough to watch this time of year. You want to be part of it. It was great to be back out there and be around the energy and emotion,” Marchand said Thursday. “Just going through the steps and we will see how tomorrow goes.”
There has been much controversy over the play that sidelined Marchand and the lack of supplementary discipline to Bennett. However, Marchand isn’t bogged down by the politics of the hit and has accepted it as the nature of the postseason.
“I think [Bennett] got away with one, but that’s part of the game and definitely part of playoff hockey. It sucks to be on the other side of it, but that stuff happens. I’m not going to sit here and complain about it,” Marchand said.
“People don’t want to say it, but part of playoffs is trying to hurt every player on the other team. The more guys you take out, the more advantage your team has. People don’t say that, but that’s just a fact of the game.”
Marchand traveled with the Bruins to Florida for Game 5 and was as involved as he could be off the ice. His teammates put together a 2-1 victory Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena to force a Game 6 as Boston now trails 3-2 in the second-round series. The prospect of Marchand reentering the lineup could be the boost the Bruins need to tie things up.
“He’s our leader, he’s our captain, he’s our heart and soul,” Boston coach Jim Montgomery said Thursday. “How do you put a number on that?”
Assistant captain Charlie McAvoy is one of the players that had to step up in Marchand’s absence. McAvoy had a two point (1g, 1a) showing in Game 5, logging his first points of the series and first goal of the postseason to supplement his vocal leadership on the bench.
“I think we are only getting better and we have that belief, certainly the confidence in our group, in each other and in ourselves to do the job,” McAvoy said Thursday. “I think you can feel our team getting better as the series goes.”
Marchand skated with McAvoy on the first power play unit during Thursday’s practice as well as Charlie Coyle, Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak. In line rushes, Marchand was with Coyle and Trent Frederic. The forward has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) through 10 games this season, and would be an obvious lift to the Bruins’ top six.
“[Marchand] looked good. He’s got boxes to check. Day to day,” Montgomery said. “We have the extra day which is beneficial for all of our players with bumps and bruises that they have. We’ll know more tomorrow.”
Game 6 is set for 7 p.m. Friday at TD Garden. The Bruins will be fighting for their playoff lives with or without their captain.
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