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Ryan Donato can give Bruins the spark they’re missing in Game 4

By Michelle Bruton

ST. PAUL, MN - MARCH 25: Ryan Donato #17 of the Boston Bruins skates with the puck against the Minnesota Wild during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on March 25, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - MARCH 25: Ryan Donato #17 of the Boston Bruins skates with the puck against the Minnesota Wild during the game at the Xcel Energy Center on March 25, 2018 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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After providing a spark for the Boston Bruins in the regular season, Ryan Donato hasn’t dressed for any of the games in their second-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That changes in Game 4.

You know it’s time for Ryan Donato to dress for the Boston Bruins against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

I know it’s time for Ryan Donato to dress for the Boston Bruins against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The cashier at Stop & Shop you talked to this morning knows it’s time for Ryan Donato to dress for the Boston Bruins against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Thankfully, so does Bruce Cassidy.

Cassidy confirmed Friday morning that Donato will enter the lineup tonight as the Bruins head into Game 4 against the Lightning down 2-1 in the series, their last home game until Game 6 and their best chance to regain a foothold despite a recent slip.

The Bruins looked lethargic and out of sorts in a 4-1 Game 3 loss, never even so much as threatening the Lightning’s win.

Not to point fingers, but it’s more than apparent a huge part of the problem has been the Bruins’ third line of Danton Heinen, Riley Nash and David Backes. On Wednesday, the trio combined for just two shots on goal. It was also on their shift that the Lightning scored their first of four.

Cassidy knows this as well as you or I do, and as fans grew ever-more frustrated that Donato and Brian Gionta remained afterthoughts in the lineup, the Bruins coach suggested that a shakeup was on the way after Wednesday’s game.

“We’ve got some guys that weren’t dressed that have played well for this team,” he said. “So we’ll have that conversation.”

Come Friday morning, we have our answer: Donato will get the nod in Game 4, though it wasn’t immediately clear how the lines would shift as a result. Brad Marchand and Jake DeBrusk are both game-time decisions.

One possibility is to start Donato on the third line, the problem line, if you will, in place of Heinen. Or Cassidy could insert him on the second line with David Krejci and DeBrusk and drop Rick Nash to the third line to give it an infusion of speed and scoring prowess.

Of course, it’s unfair at best and foolish at worst to put all the onus of righting this ship on Donato’s young shoulders. But given the spark he provided in the regular season — five goals, four assists in 12 games — and his speed, giving him a longer leash is a no-brainer for Cassidy.

Let’s see what the kid can do.

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