Bruins Recall Rhode Island's Noel Acciari
BOSTON (CBS) -- All signs point to a local kid making his NHL debut for the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.
The Bruins recalled Noel Acciari from the Providence Bruins on Tuesday, the first professional call-up for the Johnston, Rhode Island native. He will be available for Tuesday night tilt against the Calgary Flames at the TD Garden.
"I'm very excited," Acciari told reporters in the Bruins' dressing room Tuesday morning following the team's optional skate. "I'm going to take it one shift at a time, try to help the team the best I can."
Acciari said he was in Boston when he received the news, and had to make a quick trip down to Providence to pick up some things. Acciari will likely find himself on Boston's fourth line Tuesday night against Calgary.
"The biggest thing is to try not to be nervous out there, just play my game [and be a] hard-nosed forward; get in there, get pucks to the net and play well in my own defensive zone," said Acciari.
The 24-year-old forward skated in 42 games with Providence this season, recording seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points and a plus-8 rating. Acciari played three seasons at Providence College before signing with the Bruins as a free agent last June, totaling 32 goals and 33 assists for 65 points in 113 career collegiate games.
In 2014-15, Acciari helped the Friars capture a National Championship (a dramatic 4-3 win over Boston University at TD Garden) and was named Hockey East's Defensive Forward of the Year.
Along with Acciari, newly acquired forward Lee Stempniak and defenseman John-Michael Liles all participated in Tuesday's optional morning skate.
