Already without David Pastrnak and Trent Frederic for Tuesday’s loss in Detroit, the injury bug hit again as Hampus Lindholm became the latest victim.
"When you don't come back, there's probably going to be an X-ray involved or an MRI,… head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He seemed OK in there, so I don't think it's serious. But obviously when you don't come back, you don't know until you get better information."
Lindholm suffered a lower-body injury in the second period and did not return for the third. He finished the night with 13:52 of ice time.
On Monday, both Pastrnak and Frederic left the Bruins physical win over the Blue Jackets with injuries and did not return.
For Pastrnak, it’s been a lingering issue that first occurred last month in a game with the Winnipeg Jets.
"It might be that he hasn't completely healed. If that ends up being the case, if that's the message we get that he's gonna need whatever amount of time to get it right,… Cassidy said. “I don't think it's long-term, but we'll put him as day-to-day. But who knows?"
Pastrnak exited the 3-2 overtime win over the Blue Jackets in the third period after a collision with Blue Jackets defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.
With 12 games left and a playoff spot all but secured, it’s extremely important for Pastrnak to get himself right and enter the playoffs as healthy as he can.
While the Bruins have some big games coming up, playoff positioning in the Atlantic on the line, Cassidy knows where the organizations priorities lie.
"We've got some big games coming up,… said Cassidy. “Obviously, this week, the next week, the week after. But the bigger ones are down the road for us. We'd have to look at that big picture for sure."
There’s never a good time to lose a player like Pastrnak, but the Bruins are fortunate enough to be in a position where they don’t need to rush Pastrnak back into action.
Going back to Lindholm, if Tuesday was any evidence of how badly the Bruins need him in the lineup, they better hope the injury is not serious as they say it is.
The pairing of Derek Forbort and Mike Reilly had a rough night, especially after Lindholm left. The pairing was on the ice for a pair of Red Wings goals as they erased a 2-0 deficit en route to the 5-3 victory.
“The guys that got a chance to play a little more, if you want to stay in the lineup, we’ve got some healthy competition – then you’ve got to bring it on the ice,… said Cassidy. “That’s your best opportunity and we’re not going to judge everyone on one game, but we’re moving along here. There is opportunity that presents itself and you want to take advantage of it.…
Hopefully it was just an off night for the pair, one coming on the second night of a back-to-back. Connor Clifton and Josh Brown will likely slot back into the lineup in Tampa Bay Friday should there be any changes on the back end.