BOSTON - Almost before Bruins coach Claude Julien had taken his seat for his news conference at TD Garden on Sunday, the question came.
"Claude, any update at all on Patrice (Bergeron)?"
The Bruins' top two-way player left a 3-1 loss in Game 5 in Chicago with an undisclosed "body" injury, and later exited the United Center altogether in an ambulance for observation at an area hospital.
"(Bergeron's) day-to-day," responded Julien, whose team trails in the best-of-seven series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Monday in Boston.
"Day-to-day is really good news to me, anyways. Should be to you guys (too)," continued Julien, who did not rule out the possibility of the Bruins' second-line center participating in Monday's morning skate.
Bergeron, who was discharged from the hospital on Saturday night and allowed to fly back to Boston with the team Sunday morning, initially left Game 5 after looking uncomfortable during his first shift of the second period.
After sitting in the bench until the 9:20 mark in the period, Bergeron went back out on to the ice, but lasted 16 seconds before returning to the bench and subsequently entering the Bruins' locker room.
Asked how Bergeron was doing, Bruins forward Brad Marchand replied, "He's good. He came back with us, and everything, so hopefully he can play tomorrow."
Marchand's follow-up question concerned any conversations the Bruins' forward might have had with Bergeron on the flight home.
Being a bit too personal in nature, the question received a slightly less serious response.
"Yeah, I said he looked really good today," Marchand said. "He had a nice suit on, very dashing."
In 21 postseason games, Bergeron has nine goals and six assists.
All jokes aside, this Stanley Cup Final has been as physical as any in recent memory. The Blackhawks and Bruins have combined for 413 hits, or roughly 83 a game, and 176 blocked shots.
Of the Bruins' 53 hits on Saturday, none made more of a mark than Johnny Boychuk's two-handed blow to Chicago captain Jonathan Toews midway through the second period.
Toews was met head-on by the Bruins' defenseman as he attempted to slice across the middle of the offensive zone, with Boychuk's hands and shoulder coming dangerously close to the 25-year-old's head.
After the hit, Toews made his way to the Blackhawks bench, where he stayed for the remainder of the game.
In 22 postseason games, Toews has two goals and 10 assists.
Despite the rough nature of the hit, Chicago coach Joel Quenneville seemed optimistic that Toews would play on Monday.
"Johnny is doing much better (Sunday)," he said. "He's progressed. We're optimistic."
VIDEO: Boychuk hit on Toews
The NHL has reviewed the hit and has decided not to suspend Boychuk.
Asked his thoughts on the ruling, Quenneville said that he "wasn't going there."
However, Quenneville's counterpart felt the league had come to the right decision.
"I agree with them," said Julien. "I'm not going to hide from that. If it wasn't a clean hit, I've been a guy that's supported those kinds of things that we need to get out of the game, but, you know, it was a clean hit."
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