BOSTON — After sitting out from Monday’s Black vs. White scrimmage game, Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas participated in on-ice drills this morning for the B’s second practice session of the day.

Thomas, who is coming back from offseason hip surgery, is having a day-by-day plan of when to play and practice, and when to rest.

“It’s almost a planned situation where he needs to practice three, four days, and then it’s important for him to get that rest for his hip to heal properly. And it’s kind of pre-planned, but if there is a situation at one point where he says, ‘I’m just a little stiff today,’ we are willing to pull him back.” said head coach Claude Julien this afternoon after the second skate.

The Bruins open their preseason schedule with a two-game road trip starting tonight north of the border against the Canadiens; followed by a Friday battle against the Florida Panthers in Rochester, N.Y.

Although not expected to play either of the two games, Thomas is traveling with the team and could be back between the pipes as early as Saturday for their home debut against the Panthers.

“He’s coming on the road trip to start with, and he is going to practice with the team. We don’t want to anticipate him playing these next two games, but Saturday will be open for discussion.” said Julien. “I’m not saying he’s going to play, but if he’s feeling good and he’s ready to play, there’s no reason we won’t give him that opportunity, but all that stuff is more on the medical side than it is on the coaching side.”