Chris Bourque suited up against the Washington Capitals Tuesday night. The Capitals originally drafted Bourque with 33rd overall pick in the 2004 draft. Unfortunately for him, the match wasn't memorable as he finished with a minus-2 rating and just 8:55 of ice time. Coach Claude Julien was disappointed with the third line of Bourque, Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley in the contest for their lack of production and their poor defensive play. "Offense, defense, we're not getting either from that line," Julien said. "It's a concern we have to look at."

Chris Bourque was a healthy scratch Sunday and it's unclear if he'll play Tuesday against Washington. The Capitals selected Bourque in the second round of the 2004 NHL Draft, so he might get an opportunity to re-enter the lineup. He logged just over seven minutes of ice time in his last appearance with the Bruins Saturday versus Tampa Bay. Boston doesn't view him as a fourth-line player though and Daniel Paille has played well in his spot on the third unit.

The Bruins feel that Chris Bourque is starting to get more comfortable at the NHL level. "His skill set is getting better because he's getting more comfortable, more confident with his teammates and with what we're trying to do," coach Claude Julien said. "He's feeling his way through it and I see improvement in him game after game." Bourque has been averaging just 12:32 of ice time during his 14 appearances with Boston, but he has been receiving some power-play minutes of late on the second unit. He has contributed three assists with the man advantage, which accounts for three of his four points this season. He's still a tough sell in fantasy hockey though.

Chris Bourque registered an assist on Sunday. Bourque has a goal and two points in nine games this season. The fact that he's getting a second chance to play in the NHL at the age of 27 is a great story, but he's getting limited playing time with the Bruins. He put up superstar numbers in the minors, but we don't see him having much, if any, fantasy value in standard leagues this season.

Chris Bourque scored the lone goal in Boston's 1-0 win over the Maple Leafs on Saturday night. His first of the year came at 8:54 of the first period. Bourque has always been a very good AHL player but he's yet to put it together at the NHL. It was just his fourth point in 39 games. Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley had the helpers.

Chris Bourque will be a healthy scratch on Thursday. He has gone scoreless in six games with the Bruins this year, while posting a minus-4 rating and three shots. "I think he's putting a lot of pressure on himself right now," coach Claude Julien said of the third-line winger. "He's certainly not the Chris that we know. I've seen him enough to know he's a really good skater. He's a really good playmaker. Right now, he's putting way too much pressure on himself. Hopefully we can help him through that." Daniel Paille will take his spot alongside Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley against the Buffalo Sabres.

Chris Bourque may have sealed his spot on Boston's third line after he played well in Tuesday's scrimmage versus AHL Providence. He posted a goal and two assists in the NHL squad's 7-5 loss to their minor-league counterparts. Bourque lead the Baby Bruins in scoring during the lockout with 28 points in 32 games and has looked comfortable alongside Rich Peverley and Chris Kelly during camp. "I think I've said it a thousand times, but it's something I've always dreamed of, putting on that Bruins sweater and skating on the Garden ice," Bourque said. "It's felt great to finally do it. Hopefully I get a chance to do it Saturday night."

Chris Bourque took to the ice the for first time in an official skate as a Boston Bruin at TD Garden on Sunday. "To be in the locker room, it's something I've dreamed of as a kid," said the son of former Boston great and NHL Hall of Famer Ray Bourque. "I used to come in here as a kid. But to come in here as a player to try and earn a spot is really a dream come true." He practiced on the third line with Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley during the session, where he could land a spot to start the season. "He's got good hockey sense, skates well," said coach Claude Julien. "We saw him on the power play. He does some good things. We need to give this guy an opportunity to show that he can do it with us. Right now, we know he's not a fourth-line player. He's more of a top-three-line player."

Chris Bourque will probably get a shot at sticking with the Boston Bruins during the team's condensed training camp. He has been praised for making some skillful plays with Providence in the AHL this campaign and he leads the team in scoring with 28 points, including 20 assists, in 32 outings. Jordan Caron's upper-body injury leaves a potential hole on Boston's roster going into the season and Bourque seems like a good player to slot into the Bruins' bottom-six forward rotation.

Chris Bourque had a goal and an assist in Providence's 3-2 win over Portland on Friday night. Bourque has 27 points on the season. The undersized forward has always been a great producer in the AHL; it's the NHL where he's struggled (four points in 33 games). The 26-year-old is likely to get a chance with the Bruins once the lockout ends. Ryan Spooner also had two assists in the victory.