BOSTON — The Bruins will try to stave off elimination again Friday night against the Florida Panthers, and this time, Boston will have Brad Marchand back in trying to do so.
Marchand took part in warmups prior to Game 6 at TD Garden and officially returned to Boston’s lineup with the Bruins season on the line. It was expected that Marchand would return after he practiced Thursday. Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery had said he was a game time decision.
Marchand had been out since the middle of Game 3 due to an upper-body injury after taking a controversial hit early in the contest from Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett. The 36-year-old was wobbly getting back to the bench after the run-in with Bennett and continued playing, but did not come out for the third period.
The hit from Bennett drew outrage from Marchand’s teammates and the veteran winger offered his own response Thursday.
The return of the Bruins captain should give an emotional lift to his team and send what should be an already charged up home crowd into a frenzy.
Marchand is expected to be on the left wing of Boston’s second line along with Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic. Marchand had two assists in the first three games of the series against the Panthers, but hasn’t scored a goal since Game 4 of Boston’s matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
