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[Sgt Frenchie]

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- Bruins winger Milan Lucic says he's on a solid path to returning in the minimum amount of weeks he was projected to miss with his broken right index finger.

Lucic told ESPNBoston.com after an off-ice workout Friday that he's hopeful he can join the Bruins on a road trip that starts Thursday Nov. 19 in Atlanta. He hasn't played since Oct. 16 in Dallas, where he suffered the injury in a collision with the boards and Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas. The original prediction was he would miss four to six weeks.

Lucic said he had an X-ray Thursday that turned up positive and that he feels good. He's scheduled to have another X-ray at exactly the four-week mark. There's an outside possibility he could be in the lineup for the Nov. 16 game against the New York Islanders, but the road trip is a more realistic goal right now.

Bitz better

Forward Byron Bitz, who has missed the last three games with a groin injury, went through a full practice with the team Friday for the first time. Head coach Claude Julien noted that Bitz is "doing better" and that "maybe" the second-year winger could return to active duty for Saturday night's game against Buffalo.

Bruins assign Lehtonen

Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced Friday afternoon that the team has assigned forward Mikko Lehtonen to the Providence Bruins (American Hockey League). Lehtonen was recalled to Boston on Wednesday and made his 2009-10 NHL debut in Thursday night's game against Montreal. Lehtonen has put up 3-7=10 totals and 25 penalty minutes in 11 games for the P-Bruins this year.

He led Providence in goals last season with 28 and finished fourth overall in scoring with 53 points in 72 AHL games. The 6-foot-5, 203-pound Finland native was drafted by the Bruins in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

I can't wait to see Lucic back on the ice again! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/gap.gif)