Zdeno Chara To Make Season Debut For Bruins Monday Vs. Lightning
BOSTON (CBS) -- Bruins No. 1 defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara will make his season debut Monday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the TD Garden, according to head coach Claude Julien.
Chara missed the Bruins' first two games of the season as he battled an upper body injury, suffered on September 24 in a preseason game against the New York Rangers. The team's defense struggled mightily in the two games without No. 33 in the lineup, allowing 10 goals and committing numerous costly turnovers.
Chara's return will at least stabilize the top defensive pairing for the Bruins, but the team will still face significant challenges on the back end with little defensive depth behind the captain. The high-powered Lightning present another big test, with Steven Stamkos & Co. coming to town, so it goes without saying that Chara's presence in the lineup is quite welcome.
Also among the injured for the Bruins are Dennis Seidenberg, who remains shelved for the next several weeks, and Brad Marchand, who suffered a concussion Saturday against the Canadiens. But Julien refuses to make excuses and still expects the Bruins to play at a high level, despite the early struggles and depleted lineup.
Marchand will be out against the Lightning and is out indefinitely.
