Matthew Poitras is back on the Bruins bench tonight, according to Gino Hard, after the hit that sent him to the room bleeding.
The Bruins and Golden Knights are in the middle of a game right now, with Boston and Vegas heading into the third period. The score isn't something to guess at here, but the headline is Poitras's presence.
Hard noted that Poitras is back on the bench wearing a bubble with some gauze up his nose.
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That's a quick turnaround. Earlier in the night, Braeden Bowman's elbow on Matthew Poitras had Vegas's forward in the spotlight, with the Bruins center bleeding right away and the hit calling for a look from NHL Player Safety.
Nobody should be surprised to see him return, and yet it still lands. Hockey players are built differently. A visor-less bubble, some gauze and a bloody nose, and he's heading back to the bench.
Why Poitras matters to Boston right now
Poitras has been a real contributor this season. The 22-year-old has 4 goals and 3 assists in 11 games, and he's a +3 on a team that sits first in the Atlantic Division.
The Bruins are 10-4-1 and fourth in the NHL, with a +19 goal differential. They won their last game 5-4 in overtime against Chicago on Saturday, so they're carrying some momentum into this one.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | DIFF | |
| 1. Boston Bruins | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 21 | +19 |
| 2. Montreal Canadiens | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 20 | +6 |
| 3. Ottawa Senators | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 19 | +1 |
| 4. Tampa Bay Lightning | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 18 | +5 |
| 5. Florida Panthers | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 18 | +5 |
| 6. Toronto Maple Leafs | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 18 | +7 |
| 7. Buffalo Sabres | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 17 | -6 |
| 8. Detroit Red Wings | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 15 | -2 |
Poitras was picked 54th overall by Boston in 2022, and the former second-round pick has 34 points over 80 NHL games. This year looks like his best chance to lock down a real role under Marco Sturm.
Whether he actually plays more shifts tonight is unknown, and nothing in what we have says how he's feeling. The injury report lists nothing for him as of now, which is a good sign but not the whole picture.
The bigger question is whether the league does anything about the hit. Player Safety hasn't said a word that we know of, and Bowman's elbow is going to get scrutiny once the game ends.
Boston is back in action Thursday, November 5, at Pittsburgh, and a decision from the league could land before then.
Should Braeden Bowman be suspended for his elbow on Matthew Poitras?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Braeden Bowman's elbow on Matthew Poitras demands a look from NHL Player Safety
