Before their Tuesday night contest with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Boston Bruins announced that they will be without Patrice Bergeron for at least two weeks. Bergeron currently leads the team in goals with 27.
Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Patrice Bergeron blocked a shot that left him reeling. The Boston Bruins star forward powered through and played in Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. When the team returned to Boston, Bergeron sought out further medical opinion, what was revealed is bad news for the team.
From the Bruins Official Team Webpage:
"General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, February 27, that forward Patrice Bergeron will be out with a fractured right foot and will be evaluated in two weeks.The injury occurred while blocking a shot during the team’s game in Toronto on February 24. Following the game, Bergeron had an x-ray that was negative. Bergeron played through some discomfort in the team’s game in Buffalo on February 25. Therefore, the Bruins medical staff determined it was best to have a secondary, more definitive CT scan on Monday in Boston, which revealed a small fracture."
The Bruins will have to make due without Bergeron, who is having a MVP caliber season, for at least the next seven games. Bruce Cassidy and the rest of the coaching staff will be shuffling up the lines a bit, and some of the “Depth Pieces” acquired by Don Sweeney at the trade deadline will be seeing ice time sooner than expected.
Bergeron did speak to the media after Tuesday’s morning skate, where he said that the news is a tough blow, but he has to be patient to get back to game action.
"“It’s very disappointing to say the least, it was tough news to hear last night. You never want to step away from it, you want to feel like your a part of it, and feel like you’re contributing, it’s going to be tough tonight to be on the sideline and not be out there on the ice. I have two weeks that there’s not much I can do, so I guess patience is the key word right now.”"
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Lineup Changes
Bruce Cassidy announced that Riley Nash will move up to Bergeron’s usual spot centering David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. David Backes will fill in on the first power play unit until Bergeron returns as well.
Newly acquired forward Tommy Wingels will join the team’s third line tonight, Backes will center the unit, with Wingels and Danton Heinen on each side.
After getting a breather on Sunday, Brandon Carlo will be back in the lineup tonight, he will be in his usual spot on the right side of Torey Krug. Adam McQuaid is expected to be a healthy scratch.
Tuukka Rask is expected to be the starting goalie tonight.
Still Waiting on Bruins’ Debut(s)
Brian Gionta, who was signed Sunday after participating and Captaining the United States team in the Olympics, will be a healthy scratch tonight. Gionta did partake in morning rushes, skating with Backes and Heinen, but Cassidy said Wingels will slide in there for game time.
Nick Holden still will have to wait to make his Bruins debut, Cassidy didn’t go into too much detail, just saying that he’ll see game action “soon”. The coaching staff doesn’t want to have Holden play on the right side as a lefty, and with Matt Grzelcyk still being on the team after being sent down to Providence as a paper move only (He has a two way contract, so he doesn’t have to clear waivers) the team is set on the left side with him, Chara and Krug as well.
Next: Patrice Bergeron Gift Guide
Morning Rushes:
Marchand – Riley Nash – Pastrnak
DeBrusk – Krejci – Rick Nash
Heinen – Backes – Gionta
Schaller – Kuraly – Acciari
Chara – McAvoy
Krug – Carlo
Grzelcyk- Miller