The Bruins could have a very different-looking lineup for Game 5 based on how banged up they are after four games against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Fourth line banger Chris Wagner has already been ruled out for Monday night’s do-or-die game with the Bruins down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, and fellow bottom-6 forwards Sean Kuraly and Nick Ritchie will be game-time decisions.
Kuraly has missed the last couple of games with an undisclosed injury suffered in the Game 2 overtime loss to Tampa Bay, and his loss has been a key one for a fourth line that has struggled without him. Ritchie had an event-filled game vs. the Bolts in Game 4 when he dropped his gloves with Cedric Paquette and later earned himself a five-minute boarding major after drilling Yanni Gourde into the side boards.
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If both Kuraly and Ritchie can’t play, then Bruce Cassidy said the Bruins will go with Anders Bjork and Jack Studnicka instead, and that would give the B’s a very different, speed-and-skill oriented lineup against a Tampa team that’s played heavy hockey during the series.
“Kuraly and Ritchie both skated [on Monday morning], varying results. We’ll see tonight, they’ll be game-time decisions. If they’re not able to play, obviously [Par] Lindholm stays in. [Joakim Nordstrom], put [Karson Kuhlman] on that line and go Coyle, Bjork and Studnicka [on the third line],” said Cassidy. “The top two lines will stay the same. We’re not completely ruling them out but that is the practice lines we had yesterday and on D would be the same. Halak was out this morning getting some work so we’re all good there.”
Haggerty: Bruins know they 'need to bring it' in Game 5
Here are the projected line combos for the Bruins for Game 5 with their collective backs up against the wall:
Boston Bruins
PROJECTED LINES
| Brad Marchand | Patrice Bergeron | David Pastrnak |
| Jake DeBrusk | David Krejci | Ondrej Kase |
| Anders Bjork | Charlie Coyle | Jack Studnicka |
| Joakim Nordstrom | Par Lindholm | Karson Kuhlman |
DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
| Zdeno Chara | Charlie McAvoy |
| Torey Krug | Brandon Carlo |
| Matt Grzelcyk | Connor Clifton |
STARTING GOALTENDER
| Jaroslav Halak |