The Boston Bruins will have their full complement of stars against the second-best team in hockey.
David Pastrnak will make his season debut Saturday night against the Washington Capitals, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed before the game.
Pastrnak underwent offseason hip surgery and wasn't expected to return until mid-February, but the Bruins forward has been ahead of schedule in his rehab and only has missed the team's first seven games.
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Pastrnak should provide a huge boost to a Boston offense that's been red-hot lately with 18 goals in its last four contests. The 24-year-old tied Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin for the NHL's goal-scoring title last season with 48 and has topped 30 goals in four consecutive seasons.
The seventh-year winger will reunite with center Patrice Bergeron and left winger Brad Marchand on the Bruins' "Perfection Line," which will battle against old friend Zdeno Chara in the Capitals defenseman's first game against his former club.
Forward Karson Kuhlman also is set to play his first game of the season after beginning the year in COVID-19 protocols, per Cassidy.
Boston Bruins
Here's what the Bruins' and Capitals' lines should look like for Saturday's marquee matchup, which is set for 7 p.m. ET:
Bruins (5-1-1)
Brad Marchand | Patrice Bergeron | David Pastrnak |
Nick Ritchie | David Krejci | Karson Kuhlman |
Trent Frederic | Charlie Coyle | Craig Smith |
Anders Bjork | Sean Kuraly | Chris Wagner |
Jeremy Lauzon | Charlie McAvoy | |
Connor Clifton | Brandon Carlo | |
Jakub Zboril | Matt Grzelcyk | |
Tuukka Rask |
Capitals (5-0-3)
Jakub Vrana | Nicklas Backstrom | Tom Wilson |
Alexander Ovechkin | T.J. Oshie | Richard Panik |
Carl Hagelin | Nic Dowd | Garnet Hathaway |
Conor Sheary | Michael Sgarbossa | Daniel Sprong |
Zdeno Chara | John Carlson | |
Brendan Dillon | Trevor van Riemsdyk | |
Jonas Siegenthaler | Nick Jensen | |
Vitek Vanecek |