David Pastrnak To Miss Bruins' Game In Detroit After Injury In Columbus
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Bruins will be without their top goal scorer in Detroit on Tuesday night.
David Pastrnak, who left Monday night's game in Columbus early due to injury, won't be in the lineup against the Red Wings. Head coach Bruce Cassidy made that announcement Tuesday morning, also adding that Trent Frederic -- who suffered an upper-body injury on Monday night and also didn't return -- will not be playing either.
Pastrnak has a team-leading 38 goals scored this season, and he's tied for the team lead in points with 71. Pastrnak suffered an injury in Columbus after getting muscled to the ground by the much larger Vladislav Gavrikov. Pastrnak headed to the locker room early in the third period and did not return, with the Bruins winning 3-2 in overtime.
Cassidy couldn't confirm exactly what Pastrnak's injury is, but he suggested it could be a continuation of a lingering issue.
"He had an injury there against Winnipeg [on March 18], a goalie exchange with [Linus] Ullmark, that flared up one day. So I don't know if this is the exact same thing or not. I just found out," Cassidy said. "So it might be that he hasn't completely healed, so if that ends up being the case, if that's the message we get, then he's going to need whatever amount of time to get it right. So I don't think it's long-term, we'll put him as day to day, but who knows?"
The absence of Pastrnak and Frederic will allow Billerica's Marc McLaughlin to return to game action. He made his NHL debut last week and scored as part of a Boston blowout of the Devils. He'll be on a line with Anton Blidh and Jack Studnicka.
