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Bruins’ Brad Marchand ruled out for Game 5 vs. Panthers


The Boston Bruins won’t have captain Brad Marchand in the lineup while trying to avoid elimination in Game 5 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against Florida on Tuesday.

“[Marchand] is not an option,” Bruins’ coach Jim Montgomery said following Boston’s morning skate.

This will be the second straight postseason contest Marchand has missed after he suffered an upper-body injury taking a hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett in Game 3. He is considered day-to-day with the ailment.

Marchand appeared to be making an effort to get back in for Game 5 as the Bruins trail the Panthers, 3-1. He did participate in the Bruins’ skate but wasn’t part of any special teams work, a late indication he wouldn’t be suiting up.

It’s a tough blow for the Bruins to have Marchand unavailable again. He leads Boston in playoff scoring with three goals and 10 points. Now the Bruins will have to keep their season alive without him.

The Bruins were poised to even the series in Game 4, holding a two-goal lead after the first period. But the Panthers tied the game on a goal from Bennett during a third period power play and then got the game-winner later in that frame from captain Aleksander Barkov.

Boston has never in its history come back from a 3-1 series deficit (0-for-25).

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