The Boston Bruins may finally have an opportunity to create some more breathing room between themselves and the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Atlantic Division standings.
Ahead of their win over the Calgary Flames, the Lightning announced Saturday that star captain Steven Stamkos now requires surgery to repair a core muscle injury.
The center will undergo the procedure March 2 and is estimated to be out six to eight weeks. That means Stamkos will miss matchups against the Bruins on Tuesday, March 3 and Saturday, March 7.
Stamkos was scratched from Tampa’s lineup for Thursday’s game due to a lingering lower-body injury — the same one that caused him to miss three games earlier in February and the third period of the Lightning’s game Tuesday.
The top-line winger isn’t the only player battling an injury, as Pat Maroon was out Thursday while defensemen Jan Rutta and Ryan McDonagh are a few weeks away from a return.
If the Bruins can capitalize on Tampa’s lack of health, they may be able to create some space for themselves atop the division.
