David Pastrnak skipped Boston Bruins morning skate, and the whole rink felt that jolt of panic.

Marco Sturm quickly cooled it down, saying Pastrnak is expected to play tonight after welcoming a baby girl with his wife, Rebecca.

That is the kind of “good reason” absence fans accept, even if it still messes with the pregame routine.

The Bruins lean on Pastrnak's gravity, especially on the man advantage, where he pulls penalty killers out of shape.

Boston has lived in tight games lately, and one missing shooter can change the entire script.

Sturm has been direct all season, and this fit the pattern, calm message first, hockey details second.

Here's the original report that set the day in motion.

If Pastrnak does dress, expect the Bruins to keep his deployment simple early, a few clean touches, a couple of set looks, then let instinct take over.

He has 22-52-74 this season, and Boston's attack looks completely different when he is buzzing on the right flank.

The bigger point is rhythm, not conditioning.

Morning skate is where last-second tweaks happen, and missing it can ripple into line chemistry, breakouts, and that first power-play unit.

David Pastrnak keeps the Boston Bruins steady

Bruins fans are happy for him, but they are also a little tense, because this team cannot afford a slow start without its top trigger man.

If he plays, watch how quickly Boston tries to feed him a one-timer look to get the bench loud.

If he does not, the Bruins will need someone else to own that shooting lane, and it usually turns the power play into more passing than danger.

Either way, it's a reminder that hockey life is human life, and sometimes the biggest moments happen far from the blue line.

Boston was 35-22-5 earlier this week, and every point matters as the schedule tightens.

Tonight is still about execution, but it's also about supporting your star, then letting him do what he does best once the puck drops.