According to head coach Marco Sturm, this is the final game the Boston Bruins are going to play before icing their opening night roster, and it includes two surprises.

Marco Sturm stated that the Boston Bruins are planning on icing their NHL opening night roster during their final preseason game against the New York Rangers on Saturday night.

#NHLBruins coach Marco Sturm on #NESN, "Hopefully, play our (2025-26) team for the last (preseason) game against the Rangers."

If that is the case, the Bruins are giving one last chance to two young players to crack the opening night roster.

Bruins reveal their roster for tonight

This morning, the Boston Bruins revealed their official lineup for their second last preseason game, and it included two surprises.

Both Georgii Merkulov and Fabian Lysell are back into the lineup and given another chance to prove why they should be on the Bruins opening night roster.

Game group just skated before heading to Washington. Here were the lines:

Merkulov-Khusnutdinov-Lysell
Blümel-Poitras-Steeves
Tufte-Beecher-Kastelic
Harrison-Brown-Duran

Lohrei-Jokiharju
Aspirot-Harris
Callahan-Soderstrom

Korpisalo
DiPietro

This is going to be the last chance that they get to make a name for themselves, and Marco Sturm is giving them a good chance by placing them on the top line for tonight's game.

Last chance for Lysell and Merkulov to show Sturm and company they belong. Saturdays lineup against the Rangers could be a roster we see on opening night so time's running out on this pair of younger forwards to prove they can hang at this level on a regular basis.