Full practice for Bruins in first skate of 2018

BRIGHTON, Mass – The Bruins christened the New Year of 2018 with a morning practice at Warrior Ice Arena on Monday morning, and there were no changes to a group that came out of last weekend with a blowout win over the Ottawa Senators.

Instead it looks like both Anders Bjork and Adam McQuaid are trending toward being healthy scratches again on Tuesday night in Brooklyn vs. the New York Islanders, and the Bruins will go again with a group that looked good with the return of David Krejci. In the other good news, Peter Cehlarik continues to make strides in practice with the Bruins and could be pushing for a return, or at least a conditioning assignment in Providence, as Boston decides what to do with their forward group.

Bruce Cassidy confirmed after practice that it will be Tuukka Rask getting the start on Tuesday night against the Islanders in Brooklyn, and it will be the same group of 12 forwards with Bjork scratched for the second straight game.

Here are the line combos and D-pairings based on Monday’s practice with everybody healthy and accounted for, and David Backes named the NHL’s No. 3 Star for last week after collecting three goals and six points in three games for Boston:

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak

DeBrusk-Krejci-Spooner