B's finally ready to drop the puck in round 2

After more than a week off after sweeping the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, the Bruins will return to The Garden ice tonight to face the Carolina Hurricanes in game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Projected Lines:

Projected Starting Goaltenders:

Tim Thomas

#30 / Goalie / Boston Bruins

Height: 5-11

Weight: 201

Born: Apr 15, 1974

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Cam Ward

#30 / Goalie / Carolina Hurricanes

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Feb 29, 1984

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Injury Report

Boston
LW Marco Sturm: Out for Season (knee)
D Andrew Ference: Probable (undisclosed injury, by most accounts a groin injury)
D Matt Hunwick: Out for Series (Spleen)

Carolina
No Injuries to Report

Notes:

- The Bruins had an optional skate this morning, while the Hurricanes decided not to hold a morning skate.

- Manny Fernandez was the first goalie off the ice this morning, but I would be very surprised to see him get the start tonight.

- Claude Julien said that Andrew Ference is a "game-time decision". I would expect Ference to be in the lineup tonight.

- A 7:30 start time and a Friday night home game seems very strange. When the Bruins hosted the Florida Panthers on November 21, 2008, it was the first Friday night home game since 1977.

- Public Skate (open thread) starts at 6:30 PM ET

"I've had success against Boston in the past. I like playing in their building."
- Eric Staal

That quote might end up on the bulletin board in the Bruins dressing room

Eyes on the Storms

Canes Country (SBN): Bubba and Cory do some great work over there. Their daily Hurricanes Newsstand will point you in the right direction for news and stories on this series from both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Canes Now: The News & Observer's Hurricanes blog (think Boston.com's Bruins Blog).

Tracking the Storm: Blog from Carolina Hurricanes official website. Think of it as Carolina's version of Bish's Blog.