Bruins Injury Report: Krug, McAvoy, Clifton And Krejci Won’t Play Tuesday

The injury bug just keeps biting the Boston Bruins as they will be missing two more players when they play their final game of 2019 in New Jersey against the Devils tomorrow afternoon at 1 PM. The Black and Blue B’s found out Monday morning that not only will they still be without defensemen Torey Krug (upper-body) and Charlie McAvoy (upper-body) tomorrow night in Newark, but they will also not have the services of fellow defenseman Connor Clifton (upper-body) and forward David Krejci (lower-body). Here’s a rundown of the ever-churning Bruins injury report:

Clifton, Krejci Join Walking Wounded

Clifton and Krejci joined the ever-growing list of injured for the Bruins Monday. Clifton left the game in the second period minutes after blocking a Sabres shot and didn’t return. He is listed as day-to-day. It is not clear when Krejci was injured or if it was even Sunday night against the Sabres, but either way, he is now day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Krejci has a goal and three assists in his last three games and has stepped it up since riding the pine in overtime in a 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on December 21. Krejci has eight goals and 20 assists in 34 games this season.

Clifton has played some of his best hockey in the past two games as he helped fill in for McAvoy and Krug. Now the Bruins will be missing him as well and really need to test not just their NHL blue line depth now but also their organizational pipeline of defensemen. Clifton – who alternates with John Moore as the seventh defenseman when the Bruins are healthy – has two goals in 30 games this season.

McAvoy To IR; Lauzon Recalled

Speaking of testing the system, the Bruins were forced to do just that Tuesday as McAvoy was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The 22-year-old rearguard was injured late in the Bruins’ 7-3 win over the Capitals December 23 and has missed the last two games. McAvoy has 13 assists in 38 games played.

With McAvoy headed to IR, the Bruins recalled defenseman Jeremy Lauzon from the Providence Bruins. In 35 games with the Baby B’s this season, Lauzon has a goal and nine assists for 10 points with a plus-16 rating. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound defenseman was drafted in the second round (52^nd overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Bruins.

Following practice Monday, Lauzon was thrilled to be closing 2019 back in the show.

“Really excited,” the 22-year-old rearguard told the media. “I think since the beginning of the year my game has been strong, I feel really good.”

Krug Skates

There was actually some good news Monday as Krug did skate with his teammates in practice. While he won’t play Tuesday and there is still no timetable on his return, Krug was optimistic.

“Anytime you get to be back on the ice with your teammates…you get excited and it gets you pumped up for the next possibility to come,” Krug told reporters. “Definitely feel good.”

Latest Lineup

Here’s what the Bruins lineup should look like tomorrow to close 2019:

Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak

DeBrusk-Lindholm-Backes

Bjork-Coyle-Ritchie

Nordstrom-Kuraly-Wagner

Chara-Carlo

Lauzon-Grzelcyk

Moore-Kampfer

Halak