Noel Acciari will return to TD Garden Tuesday night as a member of the Florida Panthers, and the Johnston, R.I. native is pretty excited.
"I'm excited to be here. A different side, but still excited to be back. Expecting a really good game," Acciari said, according to BostonBruins.com's Eric Russo. "We'll see what happens. There's still a couple more things for me to go over to see if I can play, but if I can, it's gonna be very exciting. It will be fun for me. It will be different, that's for sure.
"Boston and New England is what I knew, but I had a great opportunity here in Florida. I thought it was the best opportunity for me and my family. I thought it was the next step in my career and I'm happy with my choice."
The grinder has missed the past three games for the Panthers with a lower-body injury, and head coach Joel Quenneville is looking forward to getting the gritty 27-year-old back in the lineup.
"He's been a real good fit for us right from the outset," Quenneville said, according to FloridaPanthers.com's Jameson Olive. "He's a real good pro. He does everything you'd expect or want. He came from a real good organization, as far as doing things the right way."
And what exactly does Acciari do right? Quenneville detailed why the fourth-liner has been so reliable for his squad.
Boston Bruins
"He's technically sound and has that responsibility and takes pride in being a defensive-type of guy," Quenneville said. "He takes a lot of D-zone faceoffs, kills penalties and blocks shots. He has scored some key goals for us as well. I think the priority for him and for us is to get those [tough] assignments."
Acciari isn't the only former Bruin returning to Boston Tuesday. Frank Vatrano, also a New England native, will take the ice in his third season with the Panthers. Brett Connolly, who spent 2014-16 with Boston, also will suit up.
The B's will be looking to snap a three-game skid by grabbing two points at the Garden against a new-look Panthers squad.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.
