Final: Bruins 5, Lightning 2 - B's hold off Bolts

The Bruins will be back in game action on Saturday night in a road matchup against the Lightning. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Following along for updates from Saturday’s game.

WHO: Bruins (17-11-2) vs. Lightning (23-8-5)
WHEN: 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Amalie Arena
TV:  NESN
RADIO: 98.5-FM The Sports Hub
LIVE BOX SCORE: NHL.com

PROJECTED LINEUP

BOSTON

Brad Marchand -- Patrice Bergeron -- Craig Smith
Taylor Hall -- Erik Haula -- David Pastrnak
Nick Foligno -- Charlie Coyle -- Oskar Steen
Anton Blidh -- Trent Frederic -- Curtis Lazar

Matt Grzelcyk -- Charlie McAvoy
Mike Reilly -- Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort -- Connor Clifton

Linus Ullmark
Jeremy Swayman

Scratched: John Moore, Karson Kuhlman
Injured: Jakob Zboril (torn ACL)
COVID-19 protocol: Jake DeBrusk, Tomas Nosek

TAMPA BAY 

Ondrej Palat -- Brayden Point -- Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn -- Steven Stamkos -- Anthony Cirelli
Pat Maroon -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Corey Perry
Boris Katchouk -- Mathieu Joseph -- Taylor Raddysh

Victor Hedman -- Jan Rutta
Ryan McDonagh -- Erik Cernak
Cal Foote -- Mikhail Sergachev

Andrei Vasilevskiy
Brian Elliott

Scratched: Gemel Smith
Injured: Zach Bogosian (lower body)
COVID-19 protocol: Ross Colton

PREGAME NOTES

Even though Charlie McAvoy took part in a pregame skate on Saturday morning, Bruce Cassidy did note that the B’s top defenseman is still regarded as a game-time decision for tonight’s game due to a lingering lower-body injury. McAvoy missed Thursday’s game against the Wild due to the same ailment. 

Linus Ullmark is expected to get the start in net on Saturday against the Bolts. 

Karson Kuhlman was removed from COVID protocols, but both Jake DeBrusk and Tomas Nosek remain on the shelf. DeBrusk, who has been sidelined since Tuesday, could return in time for Boston’s road matchup against the Capitals on Monday. 

"He may join us (Sunday),” Cassidy said of DeBrusk. “I think that will be a decision (team internist Dr. David) Finn will have to make with his symptoms. So I have not heard yet whether he'll be joining us. That might be a decision they make tomorrow morning. Kuhlman's back — he was feeling good. So I think with Jake, we'll will find out tomorrow once he gets evaluated by our medical staff.”

As for Tuukka Rask, the Bruins very well may have to just give him reps up in the NHL ranks next week. Rask was set to play a pair of games with Providence on Friday and Sunday, but those were scrapped when Providence’s opponent in Lehigh Valley did not make the trek up due to COVID issues. 

“I can't give you the definitive plan,” Cassidy said of Rask’s next steps. “He's practicing and we'll try to get him in some game action wherever we can. He might have to start playing here and miss some assignments in Providence. We'll have to come to that decision this week when we get back.”