The Boston Bruins, whose injury list has been growing game by game, are hoping to get some players back when they battle the Ottawa Senators on Monday night as their Stanley Cup playoff series moves to TD Garden.
The teams split the first two games of their first-round series in Ottawa.
It appears the first to return could be Colin Miller, who left Game 1 of the series with a lower-body injury. He took part in an optional skate on Sunday and coach Bruce Cassidy indicated Miller had the best chance of returning for Game 3.
Brandon Carlo (upper body) also took part in Sunday's skate, but Cassidy said Carlo was doubtful for Monday's Game 3. Neither Torey Krug (knee) nor Adam McQuaid, who sustained an upper-body injury in Saturday's Game 2, skated on Sunday.
Center David Krejci, who has missed the first two games of the playoffs with an upper-body injury, remains day-to-day. But Noel Acciari (upper body), who got hurt on the last weekend of the regular season, looks ready to return.
"Noel was playing good hockey when he got hurt, so there's a good chance he'll draw back into the lineup," Cassidy said.
The Bruins lost one of their regular defensemen in each of the past four games, two at the end of the regular season and two more in the playoffs.
If none of the defensemen return, the Bruins will need to call up a defender from Providence, with Matt Grzelcyk or Tommy Cross the most likely candidates.