The Bruins are expected to have their full roster available as they try to keep their season alive.
Bruce Cassidy said he anticipated defenseman Hampus Lindholm to be back on the Boston blue line for Game 6, Thursday at 7 p.m. at TD Garden.
The Bruins trail Carolina, 3-2 in their best-of-seven first-round series.
“I anticipate he’ll play,” Cassidy said. “We’ll have a decision to make tomorrow.”
Mike Reilly replaced Lindholm in the lineup for Game 3, 4 and 5. The decision Cassidy is referring to is whether to sit Reilly or someone else when Lindholm comes back.
Lindholm returned to practice before Game 5, but didn’t make the trip to Raleigh.
Lindholm, who the Bruins acquired at the trade deadline, suffered a head injury late in the second period of Game 2. He was circling clockwise behind the Bruins’ net and didn’t see Andrei Svechnikov bearing down on him. The Hurricanes forward’s shoulder hit Lindholm in the chin at close to full speed leaving the defenseman crumpled behind the net with 2:49 left in the second.
Lindholm tried to get up, but stumbled back down and needed help from Jake DeBrusk, Taylor Hall and a trainer to get off the ice to go to the Bruins’ dressing room. He missed Games 3 and 4.
Ad Choices