Need to Know: Bruins vs. Canucks

BOSTON – It’s a showdown between the best.

The Bruins (31-10-9) will host the Vancouver Canucks (34-11-5) on Thursday night at TD Garden in a meeting between the top two teams in the National Hockey League. Vancouver enters the contest with 73 points, two clear of Boston, after a win on Tuesday night in Carolina and the Black & Gold’s loss to the Flames.

“We don’t get to see them too often, but just from afar, highly skilled team, and seems like with their new head coach they’re playing more intense and better at the other side of the puck,” said Matt Grzelcyk. “I think that’s a strength going the other way and playing in transition. It’s something that we like to do as well, they like to play fast. We’ve got to be ready for that and be ready to go the other way.”

Head coach Rick Tocchet, in his first full season with the Canucks, has made a substantial impact on a club that finished out of the playoffs a year ago. The influence he’s had in turning Vancouver into one of the league’s most impressive clubs is no surprise to Bruins coach Jim Montgomery.

“Among hockey coaches, Rick Tocchet has been extremely well thought of for a long time, the job he did in Pittsburgh, the job he did in Arizona, now I think this is probably the most talented team he’s had as a head coach,” said Montgomery. “Obviously, he’s doing a fantastic job, where they are in the standings, their goal differential, every player having what seems like career seasons is a tribute to his coaching.”

Vancouver, which had a league-high six All-Stars plus Tocchet at last weekend’s festivities, is paced by a dynamic offensive attack that includes scoring leader J.T. Miller (22-46—68 in 50 games) and goals leader Brock Boeser (30-24—54), both of whom were repping the Canucks in Toronto.

Centerman Elias Petterson (27-38—65) and blue liner Quinn Hughes (12-52—64) – both All-Stars themselves – also headline Vancouver’s firepower, which gained another boost over the break with the addition of All-Star pivot Elias Lindholm (11-23—34) via trade with Calgary.

“Fun team to watch in the sense that they play the right way offensively and defensively,” said Montgomery. “They protect the good areas of ice, they attack the good areas of ice, they’re very dangerous off the rush. They’ve got three, three and a half lines that are scoring 5-on-5 and they’ve got some really dynamic players, and obviously Quinn Hughes on the back end that’s having a fantastic season.”

The Canucks are also anchored by an All-Star between the pipes as Thatcher Demko mans the crease. The Boston College product is 27-8-1 with a 2.43 goals against average and .920 save percentage this season.

Poitras Sidelined

The Bruins issued some disappointing news on Wednesday evening when they announced that rookie centerman Matt Poitras would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing a shoulder surgery that will require a five-month rehabilitation.

The procedure – a successful right shoulder stabilization – was something that was discussed in depth by the team and Poitras’ family before both sides came to an agreement that it was in the best interest of the 19-year-old to have it done now as opposed to after the season.

“There was a lot of discussion about what was best for Matty Poitras,” said Montgomery. “I think in the end, [Bruins GM Don Sweeney] and I had talked with Matty and Donny and Matty talked with his family and the people that advise him. Everyone was on the same page that this is what would be best for him moving forward since he’s 19.

“Next year, he’s gonna have a full summer to get prepared for next year. If we waited, then the summer gets compromised.”

Montgomery added that having the surgery now will put Poitras in a much better position to strengthen his body and better prepare himself for the rigors of the NHL ahead of his second season.

“It would affect his ability to get stronger if we waited,” said Montgomery. “If we waited until the end of the playoffs and it’s a five-month procedure, then we’re looking at he’s coming back with no training, no strength development and power development, until the middle of November and then he’s playing catch-up. We just didn’t think that was very fair to him and the best thing for the Bruins moving forward as well.”

Boston’s bench boss said that Poitras was at TD Garden on Thursday morning and will remain in town throughout his rehab process.

“We’re gonna be hands on with him,” said Montgomery. “He’s gonna be starting his recovery right away.”

Overall, Montgomery said that Poitras – who finishes his first season with 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 33 games – gained a strong understanding of what is required to be a regular at the NHL level.

“I think just in his understanding of the demands of the league,” said Montgomery. “He knows he can play in the league, he knows he can have success in the league, he knows his brains, his skill level, all that; he knows the areas that he needs to grow in in order to get that man strength, to also get the stamina required to be a player that we don’t have to do the maintenance with so that he can play full time next year because he’s a big piece of what we’re gonna be doing moving forward.”

With Poitras on the shelf, the Bruins recalled forward Anthony Richard from Providence on Thursday.

Wotherspoon Remembers ‘11

For Parker Wotherspoon, the 2011 Stanley Cup Final doesn’t bring back the joy that it does for so many here in Boston. At that time, the Vancouver native was a diehard Canucks fan and was in the building for the B’s 4-0 victory in Game 7 that captured their first title in 39 years.

“I was at the game back in 2011…I just remember Game 7 - that was tough,” said Wotherspoon, who was 13 at the time. “I remember when Boston scored the first goal, the air went out of the building and we knew it was over at the time. It was a tough one. Obviously, it hurt a lot as a kid.”

Wotherspoon’s family still has season tickets at Rogers Arena.

“I’d probably go to 20 games a year minimum if not more. My dad’s been a long-time season ticket holder. Still have the same four seats, same as my grandparents. They have two beside each other,” said Wotherspoon, who named the Sedin brothers, Ed Jovanovski, Dan Hamhuis, and Kevin Bieksa as some of his favorite players.

Wotherspoon, a healthy scratch on Tuesday night, will sub back in for Kevin Shattenkirk on the B’s third pair alongside Derek Forbort against the Canucks.

Wait, There’s More

• Brad Marchand (maintenance) did not take part in the morning skate.
• The Bruins heard the boos two nights ago during their 4-1 loss to Calgary at TD Garden in their return from the All-Star break. It is not a sound they’d like to hear repeated on Thursday night. “Look at it like a challenge,” said Grzelcyk. “To get booed on your home ice, you’ve got to take that to heart. It was pretty deserved with our effort out there. Hopefully we have a little bit of a fire in our belly to start and take it from there.”
• Jeremy Swayman cleared the air regarding a viral video that made its way around social media during All-Star Weekend. The clip showed Swayman hugging his fellow goaltenders on their way out to the ice for the Skills Competition and Demko walking by without partaking in a hug. Swayman said on Thursday morning that it was just a misunderstanding. “He came up to me the next day and he said, ‘Sway, I’m so sorry about that.’ He just didn’t see, I guess. I was laughing, I was like, ’Totally cool.’ There’s still love,” said Swayman. “He’s a good guy. We had a good chat about it.”

Thursday’s Projected Lineup

FORWARDS

Brad Marchand – Charlie Coyle – Jake DeBrusk

James van Riemsdyk – Pavel Zacha – David Pastrnak

Danton Heinen – Morgan Geekie – Trent Frederic

Jakub Lauko – Jesper Boqvist – Oskar Steen

DEFENSEMEN

Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm – Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort – Parker Wotherspoon

GOALIES

Linus Ullmark

Jeremy Swayman