Coach Bruce Cassidy still isn’t blaming Linus Ullmark for the Bruins being down two games to none in their first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes. But he hopes inserting Jeremy Swayman, a former UMaine goalie, into the lineup might energize Boston.
At the other end of the ice, injured goalie Antti Raanta’s status for the Hurricanes is still undetermined.
Cassidy admitted his team needed a spark.
“Swayman will go tomorrow. Linus has been fine. We have to do a better job at the other end. But we may need a performance where we need that timely save that gives the guys some life,” he said. “That’s where we’re at right now. (Carolina is) scoring goals and not giving many up.
“I’m not saying Ullmark is the reason, he’s not. Swayman will be in there. Hopefully, he’s up for the task.”
It will be Swayman’s first career playoff start. He played one game in relief of Tuukka Rask last year.
Raanta skated for the Hurricanes on Thursday after leaving Wednesday’s game. He was bleeding from his mouth after an early collision with David Pastrnak.
“We put him on the ice today and that was a good sign, but he’s still not 100%, so I’m not sure on where we’ll be tomorrow,” Hurricanes Coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Hopefully he’ll be OK to get in there, but I’m not sure at this point.”
BRAD MARCHAND and Derek Forbort will both write checks to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund for actions in the Bruins’ loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2.
Each player was fined $10,000.
Neither Pastrnak nor Andrei Svechnikov, whose respective hits on Raanta and Hampus Lindholm led to injuries, received supplemental discipline.
It’s Marchand’s fifth fine to go with eight suspensions.
The Marchand incident occurred at 17:52 of the second period. He was assessed a minor penalty for slashing.
The Forbort incident occurred at 2:53 of the third period. He was assessed a double-minor penalty for high-sticking.
The fine money, both the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.”
LINDHOLM, WHO suffered a head injury late in Game 2, won’t play in Game 3 Friday at TD Garden.
Mike Reilly will replace Lindholm in the lineup.
Lindholm was circling clockwise behind the Bruins’ net and didn’t see 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 on his way to the Bruins’ dressing room.
After the game, Cassidy wasn’t sure if Lindholm, would fly back from North Carolina with the team, but confirmed Thursday that he did.
“He traveled back. He’s not available tomorrow,” Cassidy said. “We’ll go from there.”
Reilly, who was a key part of the Bruins’ defense in the playoffs last year, struggled this season but will get a chance to contribute in a big spot.
“Mike Reilly is a left shot. He’s played a lot of games for us. He’d be the obvious choice to go in,” Cassidy said. “He’s played with Charlie McAvoy. He’s played with Carlo. There shouldn’t be any adjustment period for him in terms of who he’s playing with. The adjustment is he’s being injected into a very intense playoff series. He’s got to be prepared for that type of hockey.”
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