BOSTON — The Bruins will look to even their first-round series with Montreal Saturday night at the Garden.
They aren’t any lineup changes expected for that attempt. Normally that isn’t big news, but after it was revealed that captain Zdeno Chara was hospitalized for dehydration on Friday night, just maintaining the status quo for Game 2 will be noteworthy.
Chara is expected to get medical clearance to play. Barring a change in his status, there aren’t likely to be any other changes for the Bruins as they try to rebound from Thursday’s 2-0 loss.
Tim Thomas is expected to remain in net and Tyler Seguin, Shane Hnidy and Matt Bartkowski are expected to be the healthy scratches again. Hnidy would be first in line to play on the blue line if Chara did have to miss the game.
“That’s why I’m here,” Hnidy said. “You have to have that kind of mindset that everyday regardless of the situation you’re coming in preparing to play until told otherwise. On game days, that’s my routine. Like anyone sitting out here, we’re trying to get the mindset that you’re going to play that day and prepare that way. … Chances are you’re not, but you don’t think like that.”
Montreal will have some questions of its own. Jeff Halpern, who missed Game 1 with a lower-body injury, skated in the morning, but Andrei Kostitsyn, who was hurt blocking a Chara shot on Thursday, did not participate in the morning skate. Canadiens coach Jacques Martin said both forwards would be game-time decisions on Saturday night.
If both are able to play, Tom Pyatt would likely be the healthy scratch up front. Yannick Weber and former Bruin Paul Mara are expected to remain out on defense, while Carey Price will get the start in goal after posting a 31-save shutout on Thursday.
Projected Bruins lines
Forwards
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Mark Recchi
Chris Kelly-Rich Peverley-Michael Ryder
Daniel Paille-Greg Campbell-Shawn Thornton
Defense
Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk
Tomas Kaberle- Dennis Seidenberg
Andrew Ference-Adam McQuaid
Goalies
Tim Thomas
Tuukka Rask
Scratches: Tyler Seguin, Shane Hnidy, Matt Bartkowski
Projected Canadiens lines
Forwards
Michael Cammalleri-Tomas Plekanec-Andrei Kostitsyn
Mathieu Darche-Scott Gomez-Brian Gionta
Travis Moen-Lars Eller-Tom Pyatt
Benoit Pouliot-David Desharnais- Ryan White
Defense
Romas Hamrlik-James Wisniewski
Hal Gill-P.K. Subban
Jaroslav Spacek-Brent Sopel
Goalies
Carey Price
Alex Auld
Scratches: Paul Mara, Yannick Weber, Jeff Halpern (lower body), Alexandre Picard (lower body)
