Bruins Ready To Step Up Facing Potential Brad Marchand Absence

It’s looking pretty likely that the Boston Bruins will be without captain Brad Marchand entering a pivotal Game 4 matchup with the Florida Panthers at TD Garden on Sunday.

Boston’s other leaders are prepared to step up, though they know it won’t be easy.

“You can’t replace Marchy’s leadership. He’s 1-of-1 in that term,” Charlie McAvoy said Saturday, per team-provided transcript. “He knows what to say. He’s experienced… There was no quit in our team, and I thought (Game 3) was good. There were some good things we can work on moving forward.”

Marchand left Game 3 with an upper-body injury, taking a questionable hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett that may or may not have included a fist to the jaw. It was enough to sideline the Bruins captain for the entire third period, and though everyone has their thoughts on the situation, the end result was a day-to-day designation for the freshly turned 36-year-old.

If he’s unable to return Sunday, it will be up to the Bruins’ remaining leaders to help them get back in the series.

“You never want to see someone go down and not be able to come back, especially a guy who’s your leader and your best player,” Charlie Coyle said Saturday, per transcript. “You want everyone to be healthy and everyone chip in, but it’s an opportunity to step up and we can do that. You see Toronto did that against us earlier with (Auston) Matthews out, they come together and throw together a couple good games without him.

“It’s just an opportunity for us. I think you’ll see guys take on more responsibility and opportunity and rise to that occasion. We do it together, and we want to play for guys who are out of the lineup and can’t be in there or wish they could be in there. That’s why we play out there, we play for each other, and that’s something we’re gonna do (Sunday).”

The B’s and Panthers will take the ice at 6:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden. NESN will have you covered with pregame and postgame coverage.