Boston Bruins Open at Home Tonight vs. New Jersey Devils

For the first time in over six months, the Boston Bruins will play a regular season home game at the TD Garden when they host the New Jersey Devils tonight. Another first occurs tonight when Patrice Bergeron plays his first game of the year after missing the three game road-trip due to an undisclosed injury.

Bergeron’s return is not the only change to the Bruins line-up. Center Austin Czarnik has been sent down to Providence of the American Hockey League, and winger Ryan Spooner is a scratch tonight. There will be changes on the blueline as well. Joe Morrow will be in tonight and rookie Rob O’Gara will watch from the ninth floor. The lines and defense should look like this:

Brad Marchand—Patrice Bergeron—David Pastrnak

Danton Heinen—David Krejci—David Backes

Matt Beleskey—Riley Nash—Jimmy Hayes

Tim Schaller—Dominic Moore—Noel Acciari

Zdeno Chara—Brandon Carlo,

Joe Morrow—Torey Krug

John Michael-Liles—Colin Miller

Tuukka Rask will get the start in goal tonight. This follows his two assist performance in the win over Winnipeg on Monday. It was the first time in Bruins history that a goalie had a multiple-point game. Rask is 2-0 so far, with a 2.02 goals against average and a .939 save percentage, which is the fifth best percentage in the league.

Tonight’s game would be a good time for the Bruins to set the pace with establishing a winning record at home. Last year they had a dismal home record of 17-18-6, and a couple of extra wins at home could have put them into the playoffs.

NESN has the action on TV at 7:00 with Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley on the call, while 98.5FM has the radio call with the stellar Dave Goucher and Bob Beers on the call. The Greatest Hockey Player of All-Time, Bobby Orr, will drop the puck, along with legend Milt Schmidt. Noted tenor Rene Rancourt will sing the anthem.