BOSTON -- Although it has been a long wait for the Boston Bruins to begin the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings, the extra time off until Game 1 of their Eastern Conference First Round series Friday at TD Garden (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN, FS-D, NESN) has allowed the Bruins to get healthier.
Injuries and a flu bug had ravaged the Bruins' roster earlier cheap jordan shoes in the week. Boston got healthier on Thursday with the return of rookie defenseman Kevan Miller for practice at the Garden. However, defenseman Matt Bartkowski (undisclosed), and forwards Chris Kelly (back) and Daniel Paille (head), remained off the ice.
Bruins coach Claude Julien revealed little about the missing players' status or availability for Game 1.
"I don't know that it's official yet on any of that stuff. Again, [Thursday] was another day where we had another player [back], so we'll see what [Friday] brings," Julien said. "It's hard for me to start giving you my lineup cheap football jerseys when I don't know what's going to happen day to day. So hopefully it continues to improve, which it has this week, and then we'll go from there."
Earlier in the week, the Bruins were without seven players for practice. A few players returned Wednesday and then Miller came back Thursday. Despite the disruptions to his roster, Julien said he and his staff were able to get the Bruins prepared for the Red Wings.
"It's created a bit of a challenge, there's no doubt.cheap oakley sunglasses You know we could've started certain things a little earlier, but we had to wait for players to get back, and so on and so forth," Julien said. "But we got everything accomplished. We just had to kind of move things around a little bit. And as you saw, the first practice with three lines, five Ds, didn't give us a chance to work on too much.
"I thought [Wednesday] we did a lot. And again [Thursday], we just wanted to touch up certain things of our game. And right now it's about really getting ready for Game 1. You know as much as it was a challenge, in my mind we've managed to do what we wanted to. So hopefully it doesn't set us back for Game 1."
The Bruins-Red Wings series will be the last to get underway.
"Sometimes it's a negative just sitting around waiting too much," cheap nike shoes free shipping forward Milan Lucic said. "But on the other hand, sometimes it gives you the opportunity to get a little extra rest. Obviously we know how the schedule was, especially after the Olympic break and having some guys that went to the Olympics, it gives them a little extra time to get that little bit of extra break that they need in order to recover for this playoff series. So you know what, in the end I know we're all excited and that's the main thing."
Friday, April 18, 2014
Penguins prepared to adjust lines to create matchups
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins lines could remain flexible throughout their Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round will take place at cheap football jerseys Consol Energy Center on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS, FS-O, ROOT).
Pittsburgh made several line adjustments during its 4-3 win in Game 1 on Wednesday, primarily to the wings on three of its lines. The Penguins swapped forwards Tanner Glass, who began the game as the third-line left wing, and Brian Gibbons under certain circumstances.
Entering the game, Pittsburgh planned to use Glass on the third line to match up against Blue Jackets forward Ryan Johansen's line and create a checking line. Gibbons was used to provide more speed to the line in an attempt to boost its offensive production.
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said forwards Brandon Sutter and Lee Stempniak can be expected to play at third-line center and right wing, respectively.
Forward Beau Bennett, who played first-line right wing to begin the game, cheap nike shoes for sale also played left wing on the third line. Sutter's game-winning goal was assisted by Bennett and defenseman Paul Martin.
With Bennett on the third line, Gibbons played with forwards Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz in a role he filled leading to the 2014 NHL Trade Deadline. Bylsma said similarities between Gibbons and forward Pascal Dupuis, who had season-ending ACL surgery, have led to Gibbons' opportunities with the first line.
"Flat-out, straight-away speed, I don't know where Brian would rank in the League, but I think he's the fastest guy on our team," Bylsma said. "Sid's a player that likes and needs his line and his linemates cheap nike shoes free shipping to force the other team with their speed and with getting on defensemen and being able to read off of that and read where the puck is going to go because of that speed.
"You see that with Pascal, and you certainly see that with Brian Gibbons as well."
Despite their Game 1 win, the Penguins were not satisfied with their performance. Defenseman Kris Letang had a disappointing outing after playing well in three games since returning from a stroke suffered in late January.
Letang committed two turnovers, one that led to a shorthanded goal by forward Derek MacKenzie, and two penalties, including a retaliatory slash against forward Boone Jenner in the second period and an interference call that cut a Pittsburgh power play short 11:33 into the third period.
"Kris is a guy that's targeted. I think going into a series, there are certain guys on the opposition that you're looking to put a dent on and go after and get a forecheck on and be physical, cheap nike shoes and Kris is one of those," Bylsma said. "I didn't like the response from Kris on the penalty he took on Jenner there and I think he got a message. Whether it was a voice, or not playing or a talk, he got a message.
"That's something he's got to be better at, and that's something we have to be better at, as a group."
After taking Thursday off, the Penguins will return to practice Friday morning cheap jordan shoes. The Blue Jackets returned to Columbus for an optional practice Thursday, in which injured forward Nick Foligno participated.
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round will take place at cheap football jerseys Consol Energy Center on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS, FS-O, ROOT).
Pittsburgh made several line adjustments during its 4-3 win in Game 1 on Wednesday, primarily to the wings on three of its lines. The Penguins swapped forwards Tanner Glass, who began the game as the third-line left wing, and Brian Gibbons under certain circumstances.
Entering the game, Pittsburgh planned to use Glass on the third line to match up against Blue Jackets forward Ryan Johansen's line and create a checking line. Gibbons was used to provide more speed to the line in an attempt to boost its offensive production.
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said forwards Brandon Sutter and Lee Stempniak can be expected to play at third-line center and right wing, respectively.
Forward Beau Bennett, who played first-line right wing to begin the game, cheap nike shoes for sale also played left wing on the third line. Sutter's game-winning goal was assisted by Bennett and defenseman Paul Martin.
With Bennett on the third line, Gibbons played with forwards Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz in a role he filled leading to the 2014 NHL Trade Deadline. Bylsma said similarities between Gibbons and forward Pascal Dupuis, who had season-ending ACL surgery, have led to Gibbons' opportunities with the first line.
"Flat-out, straight-away speed, I don't know where Brian would rank in the League, but I think he's the fastest guy on our team," Bylsma said. "Sid's a player that likes and needs his line and his linemates cheap nike shoes free shipping to force the other team with their speed and with getting on defensemen and being able to read off of that and read where the puck is going to go because of that speed.
"You see that with Pascal, and you certainly see that with Brian Gibbons as well."
Despite their Game 1 win, the Penguins were not satisfied with their performance. Defenseman Kris Letang had a disappointing outing after playing well in three games since returning from a stroke suffered in late January.
Letang committed two turnovers, one that led to a shorthanded goal by forward Derek MacKenzie, and two penalties, including a retaliatory slash against forward Boone Jenner in the second period and an interference call that cut a Pittsburgh power play short 11:33 into the third period.
"Kris is a guy that's targeted. I think going into a series, there are certain guys on the opposition that you're looking to put a dent on and go after and get a forecheck on and be physical, cheap nike shoes and Kris is one of those," Bylsma said. "I didn't like the response from Kris on the penalty he took on Jenner there and I think he got a message. Whether it was a voice, or not playing or a talk, he got a message.
"That's something he's got to be better at, and that's something we have to be better at, as a group."
After taking Thursday off, the Penguins will return to practice Friday morning cheap jordan shoes. The Blue Jackets returned to Columbus for an optional practice Thursday, in which injured forward Nick Foligno participated.
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