A familiar face will return to the lineup tonight to face a familiar foe, as Yanic Perreault, who not long ago was flying high on the team’s top line, will make his way onto a line with Jimmy Dowd and Alex Kovalev. Perreault is to play the left wing in place of Niklas Sundstrom, as a nagging ankle injury will see Sundstrom sit this one out.
The 6’0, 191 pound Sundstrom missed the team’s final regular season game, a 6-3 win against the Sabres, too. The slick defensive winger would have been a welcomed acquisition on the Dowd line, but instead, it will be Perreault suiting up.
It is an interesting scenario. Sundstrom is a very defensive minded player, who perhaps is thinking just a wee bit too much on the ice, as he often takes the safe — very safe — play over something a bit more risky. Regardless, he is a talented, smooth-skating forward who would help greatly.
In Perreault, we’re adding a guy who can score a lot of goals. And, seeing as he will dress as a winger, we’ll be counting on him to do just that. He’s been successful against Boston before in his career, and his addition gives us a very nice third scoring line, one that could potentially sneak right under the Bruins’ radar.
And so, what about the big man? Big ego, big words, big frame; that’s Joe Thornton for you. Will he play? Of course, lips are shut and there is no word as of yet, leaving those who called it a game-time decision earlier in the week right on the mark.
Obviously, he has the ability to punish our boys, but he can also hurt his own team through bad penalties. He wasn’t exactly a great player in last year’s playoffs, but for what it’s worth, he’s very dangerous. Should he play, expect him to be getting a fresh load of Steve Begin.
GO HABS!