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For the second consecutive game, the Boston Bruins will be without captain Brad Marchand, who is dealing with an upper-body injury. This time, the Bruins will be facing elimination in Game 5 against the Florida Panthers.
Marchand was injured during Game 3, when he took a controversial hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett. Marchand didn’t play the third period of that game, and he missed all of Game 4 — a third consecutive loss for Boston.
During his press conference on Tuesday, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said that Marchand is “not an option tonight.” With Marchand out, Montgomery thinks the chance to extend the season and give their captain a shot to return will give the players some added juice.
“I think our focus is on our structure, our execution and getting ready to win Game 5,” Montgomery said. “Now, giving him an opportunity is extra motivation, yes.”
Without Marchand, Game 4 didn’t go well for Boston. Despite taking a 2-0 lead in the first period, the Bruins’ offense was anemic for most of the game. Boston managed just 18 shots on goal, and only two of those came in the third period as Florida surged from behind for a 3-2 win and a 3-1 series lead.
In the regular season, Marchand tallied 29 goals and 38 assists in 82 games, and he has 10 points in 10 games this postseason. That production will be sorely missed again in Game 5, and staving off elimination just got much harder.