Bruins’ Jim Montgomery Provides Updates On Taylor Hall, David Krejci

The Bruins will be a bit shorthanded when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.

Boston will be without Taylor Hall and David Krejci as the regular season winds down. Hall has been on long-term injured reserve since February with a lower-body injury, while Krejci is fighting a lower-body injury of his own that will cause him to miss his second straight game.

“Not cleared to play yet,” head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after Thursday’s morning skate. “Krejci’s out (Thursday).”

Hall began skating in a regular practice sweater this week and was ruled doubtful by Montgomery on Wednesday, but the B’s head coach did say the forward was “checking boxes,” which he’s said before when it came to an injured player preparing for a return.

Krejci left Wednesday’s practice early due to discomfort, and it certainly won’t hurt to give him some extra rest so he can be as close to 100% healthy when the Stanley Cup playoffs roll around. With Krejci out, Pavel Zacha will center the second line.

Oskar Steen was recalled from Providence on Thursday on an emergency basis, but likely won’t play against the Maple Leafs. The young forward scored a goal in the Bruins’ shootout road win over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

Puck drop from TD Garden for Bruins-Maple Leafs is set for 7 p.m. ET. You can catch all the action beginning at 6 p.m. on NESN.