Ritchie returns to Bruins lineup after encouraging signs vs. Nashville

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – With the moms' visit is over for the Bruins, they'll look to continue to win with a lineup at the Barclays Center on Saturday night against the New York Islanders that will be exactly the same as the one that played so well in Nashville on Tuesday.

That means Zdeno Chara (jaw infection) will return after a one-game absence against the Winnipeg Jets and Brett Ritchie will replace David Backes. Backes was slotted back in against Winnipeg ostensibly to get some ice time while the entire roster’s moms were with the team the past few days, but his most recent games against the Devils and Jets (zero points, two shots on net and about eight minutes of ice time in each game) have not screamed out for more opportunities.

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“The mothers were here and our plan was to use everybody for obvious reasons. I think it’s a good team-building exercise and we try to use everybody on our roster anyway, so it was as good a time as any,” said Bruce Cassidy. “[Brett Ritchie] just happened to come after one of his better games [against Nashville]. He’s fighting for consistency, but that’s the way it worked out. I told him he would go back in and that’s what he’s doing [against Brooklyn].”

For Ritchie, in particular, it’s a key period of time in his stint with the Black and Gold as he showed something in a physical, engaged effort against Nashville while other forwards are on the mend that might challenge him for a roster spot such as Karson Kuhlman.

It’s important for Ritchie to show more after a quiet, lack-of-impact first half that included two goals, six points and a minus-3 in 24 games to this point in the year.

“I think he was good at creating separation. It’s not just going in and banging the glass and getting your hit and then they break out. It’s getting in there at the right time and separating the man from the puck. He was good at that,” said Cassidy. “I thought he held onto some pucks better.

“He’s a big man and he needs to learn how to separate without exposing the puck and move it when he does get flooded [with defenders]. I don’t think he’s done a good enough job of that on some nights, and that’s just part of the job description no matter what size you are. He got there [to the net] to create some anxiety for the goalie and forced the D to occupy him. It’s very simple. Create some looks pucks on the fore-check, go to the net or [be] the shooter or [be] the playmaker. Whatever your part is play it on your line and he did a good job of it.”

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The third line of Danton Heinen, Charlie Coyle and Ritchie definitely has a different look with the size and strength of two out of the three players. They focused on that and helped turn it into offense against the Predators. Now, they will look to build on that against the Isles and continue to create secondary scoring that’s finally reappeared in the past couple of wins for the Black and Gold.