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BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Bruins enjoyed a 5-1-and-2 preseason, including a pair of wins in China, but, tonight, it's real.
B's in Washington to drop the puck on the regular season at 7:30 against Alex Ovechkin and the defending-champion Capitals.
Torey Krug's out at least three weeks with an ankle injury--he's a huge loss--but Boston's otherwise healthy. Fellow defenseman Matt Grzelcyk shed his non-contact jersey at yesterday's skate and is in line to play in the nationally televised contest.
Coach Bruce Cassidy admits this one's important.
"It means a little more than you know, maybe a game in November, because it's also you're opener," he said. "Most guys are excited to get going."
Patrice Bergeron knows facing the champs and a banner-raising delays the puck-drop, but he's eager for the B's to jump out fast.
"Maybe sometimes those long ceremonies can go either way," he said. "There'll be a lot of energy in the building for them, hopefully we can feed off of it and realize that we should enjoy it, it's our first game as well, go out there and have a good start."
Bergeron skipped the preseason because of back spasms after offseason groin surgery, but he's ready to go.
Bruins have dropped 12 straight regular season meetings with the Caps.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports