Bruins Injuries: Bruce Cassidy Shares Updates On Ondrej Kase, Craig Smith

The Boston Bruins are set to battle the New York Islanders on Monday, but they likely will do so without Ondrej Kase.

Kase exited the Bruins’ overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in the second period. He took to the locker room after sustaining a high hit from Miles Wood and never returned to the ice.

The second-line wing did not practice Sunday. Nor did Craig Smith, who missed Boston’s season opener due to a lower-body injury. But while Kase likely will be inactive against the Isles, Smith is expected to suit up at Nassau Coliseum, per head coach Bruce Cassidy.

Per #NHLBruins coach Bruce Cassidy, Ondrej Kase is “doubtful” for tomorrow’s game against the Islanders with an upper-body injury.

Craig Smith stayed off the ice as “more of a maintenance day” but “he should play” on Long Island. pic.twitter.com/3c5DLJyskS

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 17, 2021

Here were the Bruins’ lines and defensive pairings at practice Sunday with Kase and Smith out of the mix.

#NHLBruins practice lines:

Marchand – Bergeron – DeBrusk
Ritchie – Krejci – Studnicka
Bjork – Coyle – McKegg
Frederic – Kuraly – Wagner
Lindholm

Lauzon – McAvoy
Grzelcyk – Carlo
Zboril – Miller
Moore/Vaakanainen – Clifton

Rask
Halak
Vladar

Not skating: Smith, Kase pic.twitter.com/nPMpv5fPag

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 17, 2021

Boston split its two-game series in New Jersey, with both contests going into sudden death. New York enters the Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup at 1-1 on the young season after shutting out the Rangers 4-0 in its season opener before falling to its intrastate rival 5-0 on Saturday.