The Bruins will try to start their homestand on a high note without David Krejci.
Krejci won’t suit up for Boston for the second straight game after suffering a lower-body injury in the Bruins’ 4-3 road loss to the Arizona Coyotes last Friday. The center blocked a shot and missed the final 10 minutes of the first period but returned for the second. Krejci wasn’t showing any noticeable signs of being in pain and played 15:12 against Arizona.
The veteran center, who did practice Tuesday but not with the main group, did not play in Sunday night’s road win over the Vegas Golden Knights and won’t suit up against the New York Islanders.
“Krech is out (Tuesday),” head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “If it was playoffs he’d be playing, but we’re just making sure we’re being cautionary.”
It sounds as if the Bruins dodged a serious injury with Krejci, but the good news for the B’s is that Pavel Zacha has filled in quite nicely at the second-line center position in Krejci’s absence. Zacha is third on the team in five-on-five scoring with 13 points and has moved his assist average up from 1.03 to 2.17, per Natural Stat Trick. He also had a slice pass over to Jake DeBrusk for a goal in the win in Vegas.
Montgomery shifting Zacha to center while Krejci is out has worked for the Bruins, who hope that trend continues Tuesday night when the Bruins drop the puck against the Isles at 7 p.m. ET in Boston.
