Bergeron to Miss Second Straight Game
The Boston Bruins will be without forward Patrice Bergeron for the second straight game, according to New England Sports Network’s Jack Edwards on Saturday.
David Backes had three points in his debut with the Bruins. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Bergeron has a minor lower-body injury and is day-to-day based on comments by head coach Claude Julien. The 31-year-old center missed the team’s opening game of the season against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
Bergeron is a major offensive contributor for the Bruins, but other players stepped up in his absence as the team beat the Blue Jackets 6-3. Brad Marchand paced the bruins with five points on two goals and three assists. David Backes added as a free agent this offseason, contributed three points and David Patrnak had two goals and two assists. The Bruins will look to carry over that productive offense against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
The team’s injury issues have not stopped with Bergeron. They opened the season without Adam McQuaid and Kevan Miller. McQuaid is considered day-to-day and Miller is out six weeks after undergoing successful surgery earlier this week to repair a hand fracture.
Flames Sign McCollum to Two-Year Deal
The Calgary Flames signed goaltender Tom McCollum to a two-year, two-way contract, the team announced on Saturday.
McCollum's two-way deal:
2016-17: $575k NHL/175k AHL
2017-18: $650k NHL/$200k AHL https://t.co/t39j2pel3k— NHLNumbers (@NHLnumbers) October 15, 2016
McCollum, 26, attended training camp with the Los Angeles Kings on a professional tryout (PTO), but did not make the team.
Since being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings 30th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, McCollum has played primarily in the American Hockey League with the Grand Rapid Griffins, while also having stints in the ECHL. In 2015-16 with the Griffins, the New York native had 15 wins and 13 losses in 30 games. He also posted a win in one game with the Toledo Walleye in the ECHL.
McCollum last saw NHL action in 2014-15 when he posted a 1-0 record in two games with a 0.91 goals against average and a .960 save percentage. He has three games of NHL experience, all with the Red Wings.
The Flames made news this offseason when they acquired Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues. Elliott instantly became the team’s number one goaltender but has struggled out of the gate in two games to start the season. Chad Jonhson will reportedly get the nod in goal when the Flames travel to Vancouver to play the Canucks on Saturday.
#Flames coach Glen Gulutzan confirms Chad Johnson starts in goal + D Brett Kulak takes spot of veteran Dennis Wideman vs. #Canucks tonight
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) October 15, 2016
Odds and Ends
— Mathew Barzal will make his NHL debut for the New York Islanders against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. Barzal was chosen by the Islanders 16th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Ready and waiting for @Barzal_97's debut. #Isles pic.twitter.com/0A0rsBUb5Y
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 15, 2016
— The Nashville Predators defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in front of the home crowd on Friday. While the game received a lot of publicity for being the first game for P.K. Subban as a member of the Predators, a lesser known fact was that it was also a first for someone else! Annie, a service dog, was sitting in the front row for her first NHL game.
Service dogs love the @PredsNHL as much as we do. Awesome to see Annie enjoy the game in our #hometown #FeedtheGood https://t.co/eATW65D6YW
— Pedigree (@PedigreeUS) October 15, 2016
— With defenseman Jeff Petry healthy and able to return to game play, the Montreal Canadiens will scratch Mikhail Sergachev for Saturday’s contest against the Ottawa Senators. Sergachev made his NHL debut in the team’s season opener against the Buffalo Sabres.
— Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou will play on the team’s first line with Frans Nielsen and Henrik Zetterberg against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, according to The Detroit News’ Ted Kulfan. Athanasiou was a healthy scratch against the Tampa Bay Lightning to open 2016-17.
