Will Patrice Bergeron play Game 5? Whats bothering David Pastrnak? Bruins notes

BRIGHTON, Mass. — Patrice Bergeron will practice with the Bruins on Tuesday at Warrior Ice Arena. Based on how he feels and what the team’s doctors recommend regarding his upper-body injury, he could make his series debut in Game 5 on Wednesday at TD Garden.

That the Bruins control the series, 3-1, does not matter.

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“You don’t take chances in the playoffs,” coach Jim Montgomery said after the Bruins’ combative 6-2 win in Game 4. “You don’t wait, ‘Oh, he’s going to get another eight days of rest.’ If he’s healthy — we know what the situation is — and if he gets the green light, he’s playing on Wednesday.”

Bergeron, injured in the regular-season finale, was with his teammates for the first two home games. The medical staff determined he would not be available for Games 3 and 4 at FLA Live Arena.

So instead of accompanying his teammates, Bergeron stayed in Boston for solo work in Brighton. He had been skating under the watch of skills coach John McLean prior to the team’s departure. By keeping him at home, Bergeron could focus on his recovery instead of undergoing unnecessary travel wear and tear. During Game 3, Bergeron kept himself occupied with occasional texts to assistant coach Chris Kelly to relay his observations.

“Really goes on the medical advice as far as what’s best for him,” GM Don Sweeney said of parking Bergeron in Boston. “They ruled him out and just didn’t think it was in his best interest to be available for either one of those games. They took the necessary time. He’s been working hard. We’ll see how that progression translates tomorrow and go from there.”

A Game 5 return for Bergeron would offset the unlikelihood of a David Krejci appearance. Sweeney did not project Krejci to participate in Tuesday’s practice. According to Sweeney, Krejci was undergoing tests on his upper-body injury Monday. The No. 2 center missed Games 3 and 4, although he was well enough to be with the team in Sunrise.

If Bergeron gets the green light, it would bring the Game 5 lineup closer to optimization. He would go back with Brad Marchand on the No. 1 line. Jake DeBrusk would likely be their right wing.

Possible Game 5 lines

Bergeron’s return would push Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle down the depth chart against more favorable matchups. Both centers have elevated their games while Bergeron and Krejci have been missing. Coyle was a monster in Game 3. In the third period of Game 4, Zacha ripped a between-the-dots shot that produced a rebound for DeBrusk to push past Sergei Bobrovsky to give the Bruins a 4-2 lead.

“Down the stretch, we had a taste of what Pavel’s capable of doing in the middle of the ice. It’s translated in the playoffs,” Sweeney said. “That’s really good to see. That’s the first time he’s played that position in the playoffs against really good players. He’s really been hard on pucks, closing well and still contributing offensively. That says a lot about Pav and how comfortable he is with his own game and what he can provide for us.”

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Panthers quieting Pastrnak

David Pastrnak has two goals and no assists in four games. He went scoreless in Game 4 with six shot attempts: three on net, three others the Panthers blocked.

The 61-goal scorer has yet to announce his offensive presence.

The Panthers have made it their priority to make life uncomfortable for No. 88. In Game 4, coach Paul Maurice as often as possible deployed Marc Staal and Brandon Montour against Pastrnak in conjunction with Aleksander Barkov, the 2020-21 Selke Trophy winner. Pastrnak has not been able to manufacture the openings in which he usually composes his offensive music.

In the third period of Game 4, Montgomery put Pastrnak with Marchand and Coyle to soften Florida’s hard match. The line shuffle also allowed Montgomery to give Taylor Hall more action with Zacha and DeBrusk.

“I thought Taylor Hall was playing exceptionally well,” Montgomery explained. “I wanted to get him more minutes, move him up with Zacha. Taylor Hall and DeBrusk, when they play together, seems like really good things happen offensively for us. I don’t have to worry about juggling my lines. The matchup they wanted was against Pastrnak. So I put Coyle and Marchand with him to get the guys I want out against that line.”

In previous postseasons, the top-heavy Bruins struggled to generate secondary offense when opponents keyed on Pastrnak. So far, it hasn’t been as much of a problem for the 2022-23 Bruins. Hall leads the team with four goals and three assists. Tyler Bertuzzi is No. 2 with two goals and four assists.

“It’s trying to have the most balanced group you can have,” Sweeney said. “The other team, you don’t control — you’re on the road — what their matchup is and what their intentions are. You have to counter it and move some pieces around to do that. And David needs to adjust if that’s the case. Sometimes it’s simplification. You look at Brad, he’s a really good example of that, accepting that matchup without what would normally be his own center and doing a good job.”

(Photo of David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron: Brad Penner / USA Today)

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