The Boston Bruins earned a convincing 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Saturday, but their list of injured players grew by two.
Third-line center Riley Nash and second-pairing defenseman Brandon Carlo both left the victory with injuries.
Nash took a Torey Krug wrist shot to his ear in the second period. He visibly was bleeding and was helped off the ice.
OMG: Riley Nash would need some help off the ice after he took a shot to the ear.
(Presented by @UbisoftCanada) pic.twitter.com/Kt6OaMkiAK
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 31, 2018
Nash did not return, with the Bruins referencing the ailment as an upper body injury. Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said following the game that Nash received stitches on his ear.
Then, in the third period, Carlo had to be stretchered off after he took a nasty spill in the corner of the B’s defensive zone. The 21-year-old was trying to get the puck out from along the boards, and it appears his skate got caught on a chunk of ice and he twisted his ankle as he fell.
Cassidy did not have an update on Carlo.
Currently, the Bruins are without defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Zdeno Chara. Both blueliners have shown some progress lately, however, as both will travel with the team for their three-game road trip that begins Sunday in Philadelphia. Winger Rick Nash also is out with an upper body injury, but does not have a timetable for a return.
Here are some other notes from Bruins-Panthers:
— Jake DeBrusk was stellar in his return to the ice after being out since exiting the Bruins’ game against the Carolina Hurricanes on March 13. To that point, the second line winger had been playing some of his best hockey of what has been a solid rookie campaign for the 21-year-old. He picked right back up where left off Saturday. DeBrusk tallied three points with a pair of goals in the win, and now is slashing 16-26-42.
“I was just taking it shift-by-shift to be honest, but yeah, it’s my first multi-goal game,” DeBrusk said after the game, via a team provided transcript. “So, I was expecting a good effort from myself tonight — I didn’t know how it was going to go — but this last week with the training staff and getting skating with Zee (Zdeno Chara) has really prepared me to have energy in my legs. So, I tried anything I could to make myself game-ready and it was nice to obviously get two tonight and be part of a winning effort. I mean, that’s what it comes down to.
— Fellow second-liner David Krejci also had a great showing. His composure with the puck with time and space allowed him to contribute three assists. He also briefly left the game after blocking a shot with his foot early in the second period, but he returned and played the rest of the game seemingly without issue.
“He’s a special player that can create so much for everyone around him,” defenseman Nick Holden said of Krejci. “He’s not just a one-dimensional player for himself. He can set guys up and create space for other guys. He holds on to pucks like no one else I’ve ever seen. He can make those plays when you think the puck can’t get there, he can get it there.”
— Ryan Donato — the third member of the second line — continued his run of success in the NHL, recording his fourth career goal in his seventh pro game.
— McAvoy earned the “NESN Seventh Player” award, which annually highlights an unsung hero on the team, as voted on by fans. The 21-year-old rookie has been a true top pairing defenseman this season, stifling some of the league’s best goaltenders while slashing 7-25-32 on offense.
