Backes Returns Versus Tampa Bay

7 p.m. ET
TD Garden – Boston, MA
TV: NESN
Radio: 98.5 FM The Sports Hub

11/29     TBL 2 @ BOS 3                   Torey Krug
3/17       BOS 3 @ TBL 0                   David Pastrnak
3/29       TBL @ BOS         
4/3         BOS @ TBL

Team Leaders
Bruins                                                                                   Lightning
Brad Marchand, 82                          Points                   Nikita Kucherov, 96
Brad Marchand, 33                          Goals                    Nikita Kucherov, 38
Brad Marchand, 49                          Assists                  Steven Stamkos, 59

The Boston Bruins will be back at the TD Garden tonight after a four-game road trip and playing eight of their last nine games away from home.

Tonight's game will have a playoff feel to it because of the Bruins can score a regulation win, they jump over the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in both the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.

David Backes will return to the lineup tonight.  This will be his first game since suffering a knee laceration in Tampa Bay back on March 17.  

Head coach Bruce Cassidy said that Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy and Jake DeBrusk are all progressing and could make their return over the weekend. 

The update on Rick Nash, who was also hurt in that March 17 game at Tampa Bay, was not as positive today. Cassidy said Nash is improving and working out off the ice but has not skated yet.

Speaking of injuries, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos has been bothered by a lower-body injury and is officially listed as day-to-day.  Stamkos was a full participant in Tampa's morning skate today and told reporters afterwards that he is good to go for tonight's game.

Probable Bruins Lineup
FORWARDS
Brad Marchand - Patrice Bergeron - David Pastrnak
Ryan Donato - David Krejci - Brian Gionta
Danton Heinen - Riley Nash – David Backes
Tim Schaller - Noel Acciari - Tommy Wingels

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
Torey Krug – Brandon Carlo
Matt Grzelcyk – Kevan Miller
Nick Holden - Adam McQuaid

GOALTENDER
Tuukka Rask (32-11-5, 2.32 GAA, .918 save %, 3 SO)

INJURY REPORT
LW-Anders Bjork (shoulder) out, D-Charlie McAvoy (knee) out, LW-Jake DeBrusk (upper-body) out, RW-Rick Nash (upper-body) out

Probable Lightning Lineup
FORWARDS
J.T. Miller – Steven Stamkos– Nikita Kucherov
Yanni Gourde – Brayden Point – Tyler Johnson
Ondrej Palat– Anthony Cirelli – Alex Killorn
Chris Kunitz – Cedric Paquette – Cory Conacher

DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS
Victor Hedman – Anton Stralman
Ryan McDonagh – Dan Girardi
Braydon Coburn – Mikhail Sergachev

GOALTENDER
Andrei Vasilevskiy (42-15-3, 2.59 GAA, .921 save %, 7 SO)

INJURY REPORT
RW-Ryan Callahan (upper-body) day-to-day, LW-Adam Erne (lower-body) day-to-day