Coyle will start the game on the third line on the wing with Matt Poitras, who returns at center and Trent Frederic. Vinni Lettieri will play his first game in Boston this season in Coyle’s regular spot with Elias Lindholm and Brad Marchand. Oliver Wahlstrom will sit out with Coyle available.

The Bruins called up Matt Poitras from Providence on Tuesday, but the team also placed Charlie McAvoy on injured reserve.

BOSTON — Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco had plenty to sort out when he met with the media after morning skate ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Lightning at TD Garden. Two players were called up, two were placed on injured reserve and a third was moved from injured reserve to long-term injured reserve. Sacco explained:

The Bruins are already shorthanded in this contest, as Charlie McAvoy and Mark Kastelic were placed on injured reserve earlier tod

If he can’t go, the Bruins will be down several veterans. In addition to Hampus Lindholm, who is already out, Boston out both Charlie McAvoy and Mark Kastelic on injured reserve on Tuesday.

Matthew Poitras is back with the Boston Bruins, but not under ideal circumstances. In addition to calling up Poitras and defenseman Michael Callahan from AHL Providence on Tuesday morning, the Bruins placed defenseman Charlie McAvoy and forward Mark Kastelic on injured reserve and moved defenseman Hampus Lindholm to long-term injured reserve.

The other moves related to injury classifications, with franchise defenseman Charlie McAvoy surprisingly placed on the injured reserve list.

Year in and year out, the Boston Bruins have been a regular participant in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This year, though, has been one like no other.  While they’re currently in a playoff position, making the postseason is by no means a guarantee for the B’s this season.

The Boston Bruins are barely hanging onto a playoff spot, and Cam Neely said they are still decided which path to take at the NHL trade deadline.

Bruins president Cam Neely admitted that Boston has to prepare for "two paths" as buyers or sellers this season.

Boston Bruins Matt Poitras has been given a final stint in the NHL and he has to prove himself to the organization

Under duress from Charlie Coyle, Victor Hedman lost the puck just inside his left point position and Poitras pounced on it, bursting up ice on a 2-on-1. He smartly waited out Nick Perbix’s belly-flop slide and made a pretty pass around the defenseman’s skates to Trent Frederic for a redirection at 4:24, Frederic’s seventh of the year.