Bruins C Patrice Bergeron Out With Fractured Foot

The Boston Bruins announced on Tuesday morning that Patrice Bergeron has a small fracture in his right foot and will be out for at least two weeks.

The injury occurred on Saturday night, as the Hart Trophy candidate blocked a shot during the third period of Boston’s 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Bergeron was seen leaving the Air Canada Centre with a walking boot, but initial x-rays came back negative, and he played in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, because… well he’s a hockey player.  That’s what they do.  I mean, the guy played with internal bleeding and lung/spleen injuries, so what’s a little foot fracture to him?

After experiencing some discomfort during Sunday’s tilt, Bergeron went in for more scans on Monday, and the small fracture in his foot was discovered.  The team will re-evaluate their star center in two weeks.

The injury couldn’t come at a worst time for the Bruins, who have fallen back to third place in the top-heavy Atlantic Division.  The B’s have also lost back-to-back games in regulation for the first time since the middle of November, and have a brutal schedule for the remainder of the regular season.  Boston has 22 games remaining with just 20 days off until their season-finale on April 8th.

With Boston preparing for tonight’s home encounter with the Carolina Hurricanes, the B’s shuffled their lines at morning skate in response to Bergeron’s absence:

AM lines:

Marchand-Riley Nash-Pastrnak
DeBrusk-Krejci-Rick Nash
Heinen-Backes-Gionta
Schaller-Kuraly-Acciari

Chara-McAvoy
Krug-Carlo
Grzelcyk-Miller

Rask
Khudobin

— Fluto Shinzawa (@GlobeFluto) February 27, 2018

Riley Nash was bumped up to the first line to take the place of Bergeron, with newly acquired forward Brian Gionta slotted in on the third line.  According to Shinzawa, Tommy Wingels, who was not at morning practice, is likely to take Bergeron’s spot on the roster against the Hurricanes, while Gionta will not start.

Adam Belue (@albinomamba44)