The Latest: Chara takes warmups for Bruins, Grzelcyk out
BOSTON (AP) — The Latest from Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues (all times local):
10:40 p.m.
The St. Louis Blues have taken a 2-0 lead in Boston late in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Bruins fans littered the ice with debris and chanted obscenities after what they felt was a missed penalty call just before the goal from David Perron. Blues forward Tyler Bozak upended Boston’s Noel Acciari from behind second before Perron scored with 9:24 left in the third period.
TD Garden public address announcer Jim Martin asked fans not to throw anything on the ice to no avail. The Philadelphia Flyers famously were called for a minor penalty for delay of game in a 2016 playoff series against the Washington Capitals when fans continued to throw light-up wristbands on the ice during a blowout loss.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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10 p.m.
Jordan Binnington has stopped all 25 shots and the St. Louis Blues lead Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against Boston 1-0 going into the third period.
Binnington has been a rock for St. Louis, which is getting outshot 25-14 but leads on a goal by Ryan O’Reilly. Boston forward David Krejci saved a goal by sliding in front of an Alex Pietrangelo shot that would’ve sailed into a wide-open net late in the second period.
Bruins captain Zdeno Chara has played 12:10 through two periods, far below his 22-plus-minute pace from the rest of the playoffs. He is wearing a full face shield after taking a puck to the jaw in Game 4.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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9:20 p.m.
Ryan O’Reilly’s goal has given St. Louis a 1-0 lead on Boston early in the second period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Zach Sanford shoveled the puck backward between his legs from behind the net and O’Reilly lifted a backhander past Tuukka Rask 55 seconds into the second. It was O’Reilly’s third goal in the past five periods of hockey in this series.
The Bruins had outshot the Blues 17-9 before O’Reilly’s goal.
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9 p.m.
The Boston Bruins absolutely dominated the first period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. They have nothing to show for it and the game is scoreless going to the second period.
The Bruins outshot the Blues 17-8 through the opening 20 minutes and the play was lopsided until a late St. Louis power play. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington was up to the task with several difficult saves. There were a number of big hits, as there has been in every game so far in this rugged series.
Boston captain Zdeno Chara took 11 shifts and played 5:55 in a full face shield just 48 hours after taking a puck to his jaw.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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8:30 p.m.
Zdeno Chara wasted no time making an impact on Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
In the lineup 48 hours after a puck to the face gave him a significant facial injury, the Boston captain hit St. Louis forward Brayden Schenn 15 seconds into his first shift.
Fans chanted “Chara! Chara!” a few minutes later. He wasn’t even on the ice at the time.
Boston registered six of the game’s first eight shots. St. Louis goaltender Jordan Binnington has been up to the task, including a succession of back-to-back saves where he denied Brad Marchand with his blocker and Sean Kuraly with his right pad after sliding from post to post.
Bruins legends Bobby Orr and Derek Sanderson waved team banners in the stands before the game. The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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8:05 p.m.
Captain Zdeno Chara is in the Boston Bruins’ starting lineup for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against St. Louis 48 hours after taking a puck to the jaw that inflicted a serious facial injury.
The big defenseman had a full shield over his face. With no certainty about how much Chara can play, coach Bruce Cassidy opted to dress Steven Kampfer as the seventh defenseman. Forward David Backes is out.
The Blues made one lineup change: Rugged Robert Bortuzzo is on defense in place of Joel Edmundson.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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7:45 p.m.
Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara is on the ice for pregame warmups. Matt Grzelcyk is not and will miss Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues.
Chara took a puck to the face in Game 4 on Monday night and he was a game-time decision. Chara is wearing a full face shield.
Grzelcyk will miss his third game in a row after suffering a concussion in Game 2.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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12:45 p.m.
Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara says he is no different than any other player gutting it out in pain during the playoffs and isn’t thinking about risking further damage to his face.
Chara took a puck to the face in Game 4 on Monday night against St. Louis and did not return to the ice. It wasn’t known if he will play in Game 5 on Thursday night.
Chara answered two questions and the Bruins’ media relations staff transcribed them and sent them to reporters.
In one answer, Chara said: “At this time of the playoffs, everyone has injuries and there are challenges that you have to overcome to play. I’m no different than any player on either team.”
Asked how he weighs the risk of further injury when deciding whether to play, Chara said: “You don’t think about that. You think about playing. You don’t go into a game thinking you might get hurt.”
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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11:55 a.m.
Bruins defensemen Zdeno Chara and Matt Grzelcyk are being called game-time decisions to play against the St. Louis Blues in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Boston coach Bruce Cassidy would not confirm Chara and Grzelcyk will take warmups ahead of Thursday night’s game. Each player was on the ice for the morning skate. Chara sported a full face shield, and Grzelcyk was in a regular visor.
Chara took a puck to the face in Game 4 on Monday and did not return to the ice. Grzelcyk is eight days removed from being concussed on a hit from Oskar Sundqvist that led to the Blues forward being suspended for Game 3. Team doctors must clear him to play.
Cassidy says the team doctor also must give Chara approval to play.
The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.
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Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.
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