The Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs are getting ready to face off in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive year. The Bruins won the season series versus the Maple Leafs 3-1 and outscored them 16-10 over the course of the four games.
Ahead of the first game on Thursday night, the Bruins made some important decisions regarding their lineup. The most critical was making long-time NHL player, David Backes, a healthy scratch while letting rookie Karson Kuhlman hold down a spot in the lineup.
Kuhlman's inclusion on the second line ensures that the Bruins will be able to suit up their top unit of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak and play all of them together. Pastrnak had played some on the second line in recent weeks, but he will go back to his role as the right winger on the top unit. And this line is one that the team is "confident" in.
Elsewhere, Tuukka Rask will play in just his second game of the season against the Leafs. He logged a victory and allowed two goals in his lone appearance against them this season.
Here are the projected line combinations, defensive pairings, and goalies for both the Bruins and the Maple Leafs ahead of tonight's Game 1 matchup.
BOSTON BRUINS
Boston Bruins
Forwards
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Jake DeBrusk - David Krejci - Karson Kuhlman
Marcus Johansson - Charlie Coyle - Danton Heinen
Joakim Nordstrom - Noel Acciari - Chris Wagner
Defensemen
Zdeno Chara - Charlie McAvoy
Torey Krug - Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk - Connor Clifton
Goalie
Tuukka Rask
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Forwards
Zach Hyman - John Tavares - Mitch Marner
Andreas Johnsson - Auston Matthews - Kasperi Kapanen
Patrick Marleau - Nazem Kadri - William Nylander
Trevor Moore - Frederik Gauthier - Connor Brown
Defensemen
Morgan Rielly - Ron Hainsey
Jake Muzzin - Nikita Zaitsev
Jake Gardiner - Travis Dermott
Goalie
Frederik Andersen
X-Factors for Bruins' series with the Maple Leafs>>>
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