Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron will miss a second straight playoff game with an upper body injury after an illness kept him out of Game 1 against the Florida Panthers
- The Bruins team leader missed Game 1 of the playoffs on Monday due to illness
- Now Bergeron is injured from the regular season finale vs. Montreal
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The Boston Bruins will once again be without captain Patrice Bergeron for Game 2 of their first-round game against the visiting Florida Panthers on Wednesday-evening.
The star center missed Boston’s 3-1 win in Game 1 on Monday with an illness and will sit out Game 2 with an upper body injury he sustained last Thursday during the regular season finale.
Bergeron, 37, was on the ice for the morning skate of the top-seeded Bruins on Wednesday, but was later ruled out by coach Jim Montgomery.
“He’s making good progress, so he’s day-to-day, but he’s a ‘no’ for tonight,” Montgomery told reporters.
“He’s such a competitor. Obviously everyone knows he wants to be there,” Montgomery added. “But the great thing about him is his ability to put aside his own personal feelings and still lead our group as he does.
Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron will not be in the lineup for Game 2 of the playoffs
Bergeron missed Game 1 on Monday against the Florida Panthers due to an illness
Now the Quebec native is recovering from an injury sustained during Boston’s regular season finale – a 5-4 win against the Montreal Canadiens last Thursday night
‘That says a lot about his leadership model. Bergeron is the head of the serpent. But there are also many pythons below him who do the work.’
The five-time Selke Trophy winner scored 58 points (27 goals, 31 assists) in 78 games this season, his 19th with the Bruins. Bergeron ranks third in franchise history in points (1,040), goals (427), and games (1,294).
Pavel Zacha, 26, moved into Boston’s center spot and recorded an assist in Game 1. Zacha recorded 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists) in 82 games during the regular season.
While Zacha may have taken Bergeron’s spot in the lineup, no one has really been able to replicate the leadership No. 37 has brought to the team.
The player closest to getting the captain’s vote within the team was Deputy Captain Brad Marchand.
“It falls on our shoulders,” Marchand said. “We try to help each other and communicate during the playoffs. Emotions are high and there are many momentum swings. The more we can check that on the bench and help each other, the better it is on the ice.’
Bergeron will look to return to the team for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round series when games shift Friday night to Sunrise, FL.