For the first time this season, the young Boston Bruins defense will be put to the test. Matt Grzelcyk will miss his first game of the season tonight with a lower-body injury and according to coach Bruce Cassidy, he is day-to-day.
Grzelcyk our tonight. Day to day. Clifton goes in on left side. John Moore dealing with lower body injury. McAvoy to see time on 1st PP
— steve conroy (@conroyherald) January 23, 2021
Grzelcyk suffered the injury in Thursday’s 5-4 come from behind win over the Philadelphia Flyers in the home opener at the TD Garden. Grzelcyk was injured in Monday’s 1-0 loss to the New York Islanders with an upper-body injury he sustained in the third period on a board battle with the Isles Jordan Eberle.
The Bruins dodged a bullet with Grzelcyk’s first injury and he was able to play in the next game, but they are not so lucky the second time around. He will is the Black and Gold’s second game with the Flyers in 48 hours.
Clifton in the Bruins’ lineup for Grzelcyk against Philadelphia.
Connor Clifton will make his season debut for the Bruins tonight in place of Grzelcyk, but Grz’s absence will be felt more in multiple areas.
First off, with Grzelcyk out, that means that Charlie McAvoy will be bumped up to the first power play unit in his place. The Bruins got two power play goals opening night in New Jersey against the Devils that helped paved the way for a 3-2 shootout victory, but it has struggled since that night.
They have gone 1-for-8 in their last three games, with Nick Ritchie scoring the only goal on the man advantage in the third period of Thursday night’s comeback victory over Philly.
Grzelcyk and Brandon Carlo have solidified the second defensive pairing that has been a steady presence 5-on-5 in front of both Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak. The duo was also responsible for the short-lived, go-ahead goal in the third period of Thursday’s game.
The Bruins were lucky enough to have Grzelcyk play in the home opener, but tonight they will have to be without their power play quarterback. It’s just game No. 5 of the season and the Bruins defensive depth is getting tested. Here’s hoping they’re up to the task tonight against the talented Flyers.