Stephane Yelle took this morning’s practice off with what Claude Julien termed as a minor physical issue, but the center is expected to be ready for Wednesday’s game in Chicago. Shawn Thornton, meanwhile, went back home to Ontario due to the death of his grandmother and will meet the team in Chicago.
Shane Hnidy, who has missed the last two gmaes with a lower body injury, did not skate, either, but Julien expects him to skate in tomorrow’s practice before the team jets of to the Windy City.
With the exception of the two missing forwards, the lines were the same as they have been.

Vancouver native Milan Lucic was featured on the back page of today’s Vancouver Province. The headline read: Enter Milan: Welcome home, tough guy

The back page was a baby picture of Lucic, courtesy of his family, and inside were other shots of the popular Bruin as a youngster.

Here’s a link to the package:

 http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/index.html

After missing the last three games with back spasms, P.J. Axelsson should be back in the lineup tonight. He practiced yesterday and was in today’s morning skate. He said he felt good to go. He’s expected to skate on a line with David krejci and Blake Wheeler.
Tim Thomas, getting over the cold, should be in net tonight.
Defenseman Matt Hunwick and forward Petteri Nokelainen are expected to be healthy scratches.

P.J. Axelsson will miss his second consecutive game tonight with an injury that the Bruins have not disclosed. Coach Claude Julien did say that he expects him back this week and “sooner rather than later.” Axelsson did not take part in the morning skate…
Tim Thomas was the first goalie off the ice this morning, which usually signifies the night’s starter…
Patrice Bergeron has played a couple of exhibition games at TD Banknorth Garden this year, but tonight’s season-opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins is the first real game he’ll play here since taking that brutal hit from the Flyers’ Randy Jones last Oct. 27.
“I’m very, very excited about it. I’m getting the chance to play in front of our fans in the exhibitions games but it’s always different (in the regular season), especially the home opener and all of that,” said Bergeron. “It’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m prepared for it. I’m ready.”

As expected in the wake of the Andrew Alberts trade, the Bruins officially recalled defenseman Matt Hunwick and forward Vladimir Sobotka this morning.
Sobotka had a big impact in Providence in his two games down there, notching 2-2-4 totals in two games and had a Gordie Howe hat trick as well as the overtime game-winner in the Baby B’s win on Sunday.