Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand, who has missed games four and five after an incident involving Florida Panthers Sam Bennet where he was sucker punched during game three, is set to return this evening just in time for game 6. While Marchand and the Bruins were mum on the circumstances of his absence, it is likely he sustained a concussion and has been held out due to this.
The return of Marchand will give the Bruins an added presence that they had missed while he was sidelined and the hope is that with his return, they can get back on track to tie the series and force a game seven back in Florida Sunday.
Without him in the lineup, the Bruins have at times seemed very lost. Even though at times Marchand's play seems a bit dirty, he fills a role the Bruins require to be successful, and the captain excels at it.
While their captain is likely nowhere near 100%, Marchand and the Bruins are going to have to have their best game of the series tonight, or it will be a very long offseason once again. Not to mention, with the changes that are likely to occur this summer, the Bruins could look vastly different next fall.
