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MONTREAL — Besides the fact that the Boston Bruins couldn't beat the Montreal Canadiens in any of the eight regular-season meetings, the big story preceding the series has been about who will play and who will not play in the opener at the Bell Centre tonight.
The Bruins did not skate this morning. But head coach Claude Julien said that Patrice Bergeron, who has been out with a grade 3 concussion since Oct. 27 and was cleared for contact on Monday, will not play. Whether Boston's highest scorer, Marc Savard, will play won't be determined until game time.
Savard missed the final seven games of the regular season after breaking a bone in his back because of a cross-check from Canadiens forward Steve Begin in a match on Mar. 22. He began skating again last Friday in the hopes he could ready himself in time for his NHL playoff debut after 659 regular season games.
"He has to be 100 per cent," Julien said. "Otherwise, we would rather have a healthy player in there."
Montreal Canadiens' Andrei Kostitsyn stretches during their first post-season practice Monday. (Paul Chiasson/CP)
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On the Canadiens side, captain Saku Koivu (fractured left foot) will remain on the sideline and defenceman Francis Bouillon (ankle) isn't ready for action. Hard-hitting blueliner Mike Komisarek (hip) is fit and will play. Also in the Montreal lineup will be veteran Patrice Brisebois instead of rookie Ryan O'Byrne.
The reason for the move is that the Canadiens expect Boston to come after them physically tonight and Carbonneau desired a puck-moving defenceman like Brisebois rather than a more physical O'Byrne.
"If they want to come hard and hit, we'll move the puck quickly," Carbonneau said. "What they can't see, they can't hit."
Of the 20 players the Canadiens will dress, seven will be playing in their first Stanley Cup playoff game, including goaltenders Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak. Defenceman Also on the inexperienced side are Mark Streit, who has played in only one post-season game, and centre Tomas Plekanec, who has six games of playoff experience.
The Bruins could have as many as 11 first-time playoff participants, including Savard.
Will the young Canadiens like Price, who won a Calder Cup championship with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, benefit from their successful run last spring?
"It's a different level, but the experience of going four rounds and winning will help," Carbonneau said.
The one must-do for the Bruins will be to keep the Canadiens top-ranked power play off the ice.
"It's is absolutely a priority," Julien said. "If you're not disciplined against the best power play in the league you may as well as give them the series."
