WILMINGTON, Mass. — One day after the birth of his first child, Patrice Bergeron was given a much-needed morning off.
The Boston Bruins center, who tallied a goal and an assist in Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers despite logging just an hour of sleep the night before, was not present at practice Thursday as his team prepared for its upcoming matchup with the New York Islanders.
“We’re giving him some time,” head coach Claude Julien said after practice. “Obviously, he had an eventful day the night before, and obviously (Wednesday) having to come in and play. So, a little bit of rest for him. But he should be with us there in New York.”
Winger Matt Beleskey and defenseman Tommy Cross also were not on the ice for the morning session. Beleskey continues to recover from an upper body injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s loss, and Cross was sent back down to Providence, per the AHL’s transactions page.
The Boston College product appeared in three games during his first NHL call-up, averaging 13:05 of ice time and recording one assist.
Cross’ reassignment bodes well for Joe Morrow, who’s missed the last three games as he recovers from the flu. Morrow was a full participant at practice Thursday and can be activated from injured reserve at any time.
“He hasn’t been cleared yet,” Julien said. “We’ve still got (Zach) Trotman as the other defenseman, as well.”
Beleskey, meanwhile, will travel with the team to Brooklyn and has not been ruled out for Friday’s meeting with the Metropolitan Division-leading Islanders.
“We said day to day,” Julien said. “Making the trip with us means he’s heading in the right direction here. I think we’ll know more, again, (Friday). I’m not writing him off. We’ll see how he is.”
Some additional notes from Thursday:
— While the Bruins skated up in Wilmington, team president Cam Neely and CEO Charlie Jacobs were in Brighton to attend the topping-off ceremony for the new Warrior Ice Arena.
Bruins President Cam Neely and Mayor @Marty_Walsh signing the final beams before they are raised pic.twitter.com/8dvNkVQ0vw
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 22, 2015
Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs' signature on the final beam for Warrior Ice Arena, with a special message pic.twitter.com/akSW5ww4xN
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 22, 2015
Neely w/Mayor @Marty_Walsh, NB Development Group's Jim Halliday, New Balance's Jim Davis & other Boston Landing reps pic.twitter.com/spCwNJkD6D
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 22, 2015
The B’s, who have practiced at Ristuccia Arena since the late 1980s, are scheduled to move into the new facility in Fall 2016.
— The Islanders enter Friday’s tilt as one of the NHL’s hottest teams. Since being swept by the Chicago Blackhawks in a season-opening home-and-home, Jack Capuano’s club has reeled off four consecutive wins, scoring four goals or more in each.
“I think it’s the same team you saw last year with more experience,” Julien said of the Isles, who fell to Washington Capitals in the first round of last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs. “They keep getting better, because they were a young team that just has more and more confidence. They’ve solidified their back end. Those guys up front — (John) Tavares keeps getting better year after year. I like their fourth line.
“… They’ve got some depth. (Former Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk) is on the back end for them. (Travis) Hamonic is a good defenseman for them, as well. So, they’ve got a good balance.”
Tavares ranked second in the NHL in scoring last season — finishing just one point behind league leader Jamie Benn — and currently sits tied for fourth with nine points through his first six games.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
