Before Saturday’s shorthanded goal, Bruins winger Noel Acciari had scored all seven of his goals, as well as his lone assist, in road games.
BOSTON -- Noel Acciari completed a week of firsts on Saturday.
The second first was much better than the first first.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, who began the week with a surplus of forwards that included recently-acquired depth players he wanted to see in different roles, replaced Acciari with Tommy Wingels for Tuesday’s 6-5, overtime win over the Red Wings. It was 22nd game Acciari missed this season, but the first time he was a healthy scratch.
David Backes’ three-game NHL suspension created room for Acciari to return on Thursday against the Flyers, and Acciari scored a goal in Saturday’s 7-4 decision over the Blackhawks. It was his eighth goal this season, but the first one he’d scored at TD Garden.
“Actually, I did know that, yeah,” said Acciari, whose lone assist this season also came in a road game. “I can’t really explain why I haven’t scored here before now, but it was good to get one at home. Hopefully, they continue.”
Acciari, a third-year pro who has became a fourth-line fixture and penalty-killer in his first full NHL season, scored the goal while the B’s were shorthanded, punching home the rebound of Sean Kuraly’s unsuccessful breakaway bid 11:47 into the first period to give the B’s a 1-0 lead. Acciari, Kuraly and left wing Tim Schaller were also involved in the game’s final goal, an empty-netter for Kuraly with 22 seconds to play.
“I think we played a lot better than we have for the past five games,” said Acciari, who had been goal-less over his previous six games. “Our best guys aren’t going to be able to score every night, so it’s good, in games like these, when we can chip in and help the team out.”
Holding pattern: Patrice Bergeron, a day or so away from a scheduled re-evaluation of his fractured right foot, didn’t travel with the team to Chicago, where a four-game road trip begins on Sunday.
“I don’t anticipate he’d be playing on this trip at all,” Cassidy said. “He’s not skating with the team, he’s not skating on his own just yet. He’ll have to go through that part before he even thinks about joining us.”
Bergeron was hurt on Feb. 24 at Toronto, but the fracture wasn’t detected until after he played the following day at Buffalo. On Tuesday, Feb. 27, the team announced that Bergeron would be re-evaluated in two weeks.
“I think he’s on target, but that’s all I know,” Cassidy said. “We’re (away) for a week (Chicago, Carolina, Florida and Tampa Bay), and if it changed mid-week and he can skate, he may join us later. If it’s just daily (rehab), it’s almost easier to do it here.
“That’s probably between him and the medical staff to sort out -- but Florida is warm this time of year.”
Bergeron is still wearing a protective boot, but he has been off crutches since Friday.
Around the boards: Defenseman Nick Holden returned to the lineup on Saturday after sitting out Thursday’s victory over the Flyers as a healthy scratch. Adam McQuaid, who played in Holden’s place on Thursday after sitting out four consecutive games, was scratched again on Saturday. … Because they’re carrying an extra defenseman and will have Backes available following Sunday’s game, the Bruins didn’t recall anyone from AHL Providence for this week’s trip. Cassidy said that if one of the Bruins’ forwards became unavailable on Sunday, he’d dress his extra defenseman and use 11 forwards. … The Bruins signed forward Cameron Hughes, a sixth-round draft choice in 2015 (No. 165 overall), to a three-year entry level contract that takes effect next season. Hughes, who just completed his four-year career at the University of Wisconsin as the Badgers’ captain, will spend the remainder of the season at Providence on an Amateur Tryout Agreement.