Bergeron is finished for the regular season

WILMINGTON - The slimmest hopes of a regular-season return for Patrice Bergeron were snuffed Thursday because he was not cleared for full-contact practice. Bergeron will be reevaluated in two weeks, when the Bruins are in the playoffs or finished with their season.

"The main thing is getting stronger," said Bergeron.

Because of the severity of the center's Grade 3 concussion, he must regain strength and ramp up his off-ice workouts to 100 percent capacity. Bergeron estimated he's been working out away from the rink at approximately 80 percent. He is 10 pounds lighter than his playing weight. He passed his neuro-psych test Wednesday.

"[The doctor] doesn't want me to go out there and get hit, because I'm not as strong as I was," said Bergeron.

Bergeron is undergoing therapy to strengthen his neck muscles. He is also lifting weights (shoulder shrugs) to build up his trapezius muscles, which doctors originally credited for preventing him from breaking his neck.

Bergeron went through a noncontact practice yesterday at Ristuccia Arena, skating on a line with P.J. Axelsson and Glen Metropolit. He will continue to practice in a no-hit environment and work out off the ice in hopes of returning for the postseason.

"I'll work as hard as I can for the next two weeks," he said.

Reversal of power

With Marc Savard sidelined the last two games (also unavailable today against Ottawa and tomorrow in Buffalo), coach Claude Julien switched around his No. 1 power-play unit, flowing the attack through David Krejci at the left wall.

Before the home-and-home set against Toronto, the power play had been all but absent, clicking only once since March 8 (1 for 27) with Savard in the lineup. But with the lefthanded Savard out against the Maple Leafs, the Bruins looked to accommodate the righthanded-shooting Krejci.

Where Savard made his home on the right wall, Krejci set up on the left. Marco Sturm, once the goal-line man on the right side, switched to the slot. Glen Murray, stationed in the slot when Savard was available, became the down-low threat on the left side.

In the last two games, Krejci has connected with Sturm and Murray. In Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Maple Leafs, Sturm scored after hovering from the high slot to the far post, setting himself up for a Krejci dish from the boards. In Thursday's 4-2 victory, Krejci, again from the left side, slid a pass down low to Murray, who walked the puck out front and beat goalie Vesa Toskala for the winning goal on the power play.

"Instead of being the slot guy, he's the goal-line guy," Julien said of Murray. "I thought he made a great play on the goal [Thursday] night - a goal-line walk-in. Now Sturmy's the high guy. There's a different look to the power play. Teams get used to seeing a certain power play. Now they're seeing a different look."

Julien also replaced Dennis Wideman at the point on the top power-play unit with Aaron Ward.

Go-to guy

Tim Thomas has started the last four games, posting two wins, one loss, and one shootout setback while allowing 10 goals. The Bruins have tabbed Thomas their No. 1 starter during the stretch run despite a six-start run in late February and early March when he was pulled three times.

"I think there were only two games recently that weren't right for me," said Thomas. "I've played 53 games this year and had that rough one against Washington [10-2] and Toronto [8-2]. I think it's been blown all out of proportion."

With four more victories, Thomas (26-18-5, 2.54 goals-against average, .919 save percentage) would hit the 30-win mark for the second season in a row. On Thursday, Thomas gave up a long-distance power-play goal to Toronto defenseman Pavel Kubina that Julien said his netminder should have stopped. But 37 seconds after Kubina's goal made it 3-2, Peter Schaefer gave the Bruins a two-goal lead again.

"Over those games, it's not all about you," Thomas said of his duds against Washington and Toronto. "Some of it's the team, although I had my fair part of it. But when things go well, it's about how the team plays also."

Chara headed to Africa

Zdeno Chara will join Calgary defenseman Robyn Regehr as an athlete-ambassador for Right To Play, the Toronto-based humanitarian organization, in a visit to Mozambique. Chara and Regehr will be in Mozambique from June 24-28, visiting with children to highlight awareness for health promotion, disease prevention, peace education, and community development. Chara decided to join after hearing of Andrew Ference's experience last summer in Tanzania. "I've had the opportunity to play hockey and live the life I'm living," said Chara. "But not everybody has the chance and opportunity to just be a kid." After his visit to Mozambique, Chara will travel to Tanzania, where he plans to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and raise $100,000 (approximately $5 for every foot he climbs of the 19,300-foot peak). Chara doesn't anticipate serious climbing but is looking forward to the challenge . . . Ference (sprained knee) didn't skate yesterday. He might skate on his own prior to this afternoon's game, although he's not expected to play. There is a chance Ference will travel to Buffalo for tomorrow's game . . . Milan Lucic was given yesterday off. Lucic took a heavy hit from agitator Darcy Tucker Thursday, but Julien said he will play today.

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com.