David Backes, challenged to make it through one full period of late, was back in the Bruins lineup Thursday with Tampa Bay in town and a chance for the Bruins to shimmy their way into first place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Backes, 33, had been absent since March 17, the night he suffered a deep gash to his right thigh in a goal-mouth scrum during the first period in Tampa. He played 15:18 in the Bruins’ 4-2 victory over the Lightning Thursday night, with three shots on goal.

“Got a new set of pants, so the usual bacteria won’t be filtering into that thing,’’ said a smiling Backes, his leg sliced by Yanni Gourde’s skate that night at Amalie Arena. “Green light. Let’s play. It’s one of those games, if you’re medically cleared, you get in [the lineup] any way you can.’’

Backes dashed frantically to the bench to seek medical help that night in Tampa, and was all done after only 5:42 in ice time, doctors needing some 18 stitches to close the wound above his right knee.

Two nights earlier in Sunrise, Backes was all done after only 5:10, tossed out in the first period for his high hit on Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck. The referee called a match penalty on Backes, a call that later was not reaffirmed when the league’s Department of Player safety rendered no opinion on the matter.

“I feel like we’ve done a good job of giving it time to close up and mitigate against all the risk we can,’’ Backes said in regard to the injury.

Chara getting close

Despite what looked like an encouraging morning practice in Brighton, the Bruins remained without a number of key performers with only two weeks remaining before the start of the playoffs.

Team captain Zdeno Chara, out since suffering an injury (undisclosed) March 13 at Carolina, appeared strong and fluid on his skates during the workout but remained on the sideline for an eighth straight game.

“He’s back skating,’’ said coach Bruce Cassidy, whose team captain signed a one-year contract extension on Wednesday. “Getting close.’’

Rookie blue liner Charlie McAvoy, who also joined the morning practice, though decked out in a red (non-contact) sweater, also remained hors de combatdue to a wrenched knee suffered March 3 vs. Montreal. He missed his 13th straight game.

Cassidy said earlier in the week that Chara and McAvoy, once cleared to play, will team up again as his No. 1 pairing. In turn, that will leave Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug paired on the next unit. The third pairing will have Matt Grzelcyk on the left, with either Kevin Millar or Adam McQuaid on the right.

Grzelcyk, felled at the end of the second period on Tuesday when hammered into the boards by Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey, skated in the morning and said he felt well enough to return to action vs Tampa. Cassidy wanted to wait until after the pregame warm-ups before he declared the ex-BU star fit for action.

Following the morning skate, Grzelcyk said he did not suffer a head injury (i.e. concussion) on the Morrissey hit, but definitely was rocked by the hit, which sent Morrissey to the penalty box for a five-minute fighting major.

“I feel better than I thought I would be feeling,’’ said Grzelcyk, who has become an increasingly important part of the Boston attack, including his relief work at the point on the power play. “I was a little shaken up . . . nothing to do with my head . . . but I was pretty sore and my muscles were all tense and stuff. It’s all calmed down a little bit.’’

Meanwhile, the Bruins added valued fourth-line center Sean Kuraly (upper body) to the injured corps, where he joined Jake DeBrusk and Rick Nash, the latter two believed to have sustained concussions.

Food for thought

Backes, though he didn’t play on the club’s recent four-game road trip, went along for the ride, which allowed him to continue his treatments on his nasty wound and to visit friends and family back home in suburban Minneapolis.

After arriving in St. Paul, the veteran forward invited all his Black-and-Gold teammates to his parents’ place in North Oaks, Minn., for a home-cooked meal. The majority of teammates made the trek out to the burbs for the free eats and camaraderie.

“Mom made dinner and 14 guys took Ubers to come to the house,’’ said Backes, sincerely impressed by the turnout. “I made them pay for their own Ubers, too . . . at least they haven’t submitted receipts to me.’’

Backes said he suspected on some teams only one or two players would have taken him up on the dinner offer, which included his mom’s lasagna and kale salad whipped up by his wife, along with roasted brussel sprouts.

“We had 14 guys there, and that was a real special moment in my career — to have that many guys care about each other that much,’’ he added.

It was also his father’s 65th birthday. “He got sung happy birthday by 14 of my teammates,’’ said a smiling Backes. “It was a cool day.’’

Rask is on a roll

Tuukka Rask made 26 saves Thursday night and also is expected back in net Saturday when the Panthers visit the Garden for a 1 p.m. matinee. Rask has a 10-game streak (9-0-1) without a regulation loss, allowing 27 goals in that stretch . . . Anton Khudobin, likely to start Sunday in Philadelphia, will be looking to snap a season-worst four-game losing streak (0-2-2). His longest previous dip this season was an 0-2-0 stretch at the start of December. He then went 8-2-2 prior to the recent four-game slump . . . Brad Marchand has an impressive 13-21—34 line in his 24 games since serving out his five-game suspension for his hit on New Jersey’s Marcus Johansson on Jan. 23.

Brian Gionta began the night on the right on a trio with Ryan Donato and David Krejci. Gionta entered with a Full Thornton 0-0—0 over his previous nine games . . . With Kuraly sidelined, his pivot spot on the Trench Connection Line went to his right winger, Noel Acciari. Tim Schaller remained on left wing, with the ever-versatile newcomer Tommy Wingels at right wing . . . Ex-Bruin slayer Thomas Vanek went 3-1—4 the other night vs. the Oilers, increasing his production to 7-6—13 in 14 games with Columbus since being traded there at the deadline by Vancouver . . . And 15 games into his Rangers tour, Ryan Spooner stood 3-12—15.

Stamkos silenced

A quiet night for Tampa star Steven Stamkos, who was held off the scoreboard and landed only one of the six shots he fired Rask’s way. Keep in mind, the Bruins were without their top shutdown pair, Chara and McAvoy, which meant most of the heavy work fell to Carlo and Krug. Carlo finished plus-1 and Krug was a game-high plus-3 . . . Patrice Bergeron factored in three goals (1-2—3) and also won 12 of his 21 faceoffs. He is now 1-4—5 in his three games back after suffering a fracture in his right foot . . . David Pastrnak had his first career fight, trading shots with Dan Girardi after the Bolts defenseman smacked Bergeron with an aggressive open-ice hit 7:16 into the third period. Pastrnak wrapped a goal and assist around the bout, awarding the Czech winger with his first Gordie Howe hat trick.