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Bruins’ Ference resumes skating, ‘on the mend’ says Julien

Pittsburgh Penguins v Boston Bruins

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 20: A “Boston Strong” sticker is seen on the helmet of Andrew Ference #21 of the Boston Bruins during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the TD Garden on April 20, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)

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The banged-up Boston defense is getting back to full health.

Well, close to full health.

On Monday, Andrew Ference -- who hasn’t played since Game 5 of the Toronto series -- was skating with Bruins strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides, a positive development in his recovery from a lower-body injury.

“He’s obviously on the mend,” Boston head coach Claude Julien told NHL.com. “But not ready to say he’s ready to go yet.”

The Bruins were able to dispatch of the Rangers without the services of Ference and Wade Redden in Round 2 against the Rangers, as a trio of young blueliners -- Dougie Hamilton, Matt Bartkowski and Torey Krug -- filled in capably.

(Dennis Seidenberg missed the majority of the series as well, but did return for Game 5.)

It was an impressive performance by the youngsters, but one that will be tough to replicate against the Penguins if they’re again pressed into action.

Pittsburgh boasts four of the NHL’s top six playoff scorers at the moment -- a far cry from a Rangers team that only averaged 2.17 goals per game in the playoffs.

Julien wouldn’t say either way if he’d put Ference straight back into the lineup once he becomes healthy.

“At one point you make a decision and it doesn’t mean that it’s an easy one, because it’s not,” he explained. “We’ll deal with it when the time comes.”