Montgomery Gives Injury Updates On Lauko And Lucic

The Boston Bruins’ energy line will be without winger Jakub Lauko for at least a week and winger Milan Lucic for at least a couple of weeks.

With the Boston Bruins up 3-0 just over the midway point of the third period of their 3-0 win in Chicago on Tuesday night, Lauko was accidentally struck in the eye area by Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson’s skate. He immediately raced to the bench and down the runway. Following the game, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery thankfully gave a positive update.

“Lauko’s good, thankfully,” Montgomery told the media. “Scary, with the skate. He got it in the corner of the eye, but it’s good. Nothing touched the eye. … Stitched up. Not going to be looking good for a little while.”

According to Boston Globe puck scribe Jim McBride, and via a team source, the skate caught Jakub Lauko on the bridge of his nose. From McBride’s story in the Globe on Wednesday:

‘According to one team member, the skate gashed Lauko high across the bridge of his nose. Lauko, still clutching a towel hard to his face some 30 minutes after the game, made his way to the team bus and was not available to the media.’

Lauko also eased the worries of Boston Bruins fans on Wednesday with a hilarious post on X:

“Woke up feeling beautiful,” Lauko posted, with a photo of Gothmog — the Orc general from “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”.

woke up feeling beautiful pic.twitter.com/GmDJYwcTKB

— Jakub Lauko (@jakub_lauko) October 25, 2023

Following the game day skate ahead of the Bruins’ rematch against the Anaheim Ducks at TD Garden on Thursday night (they beat the Ducks 3-1 on Sunday in Anaheim), Montgomery provided an update on the 23-year-old Czech forward.

“Jakub’s got a fracture, and he’s going to be out at least a week until the swelling goes down,” Montgomery said.

As for Milan Lucic, who has been out with a lower-body injury for a week and missed the last two games?

‘Looch is going to be out a couple of weeks too,” Montgomery said.

Here’s what the lineup looked like for the Boston Bruins at their game-day skate on Thursday morning:

Forwards

Brad Marchand-Pavel Zacha-David Pastrnak

Jake DeBrusk-Matt Poitras-Morgan Geekie

James van Riemsdyk-Charlie Coyle-Trent Frederic

Danton Heinen-John Beecher-Patrick Brown

Defensemen

Matt Grzelcyk-Charlie McAvoy

Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort-Kevin Shattenkirk

Goalies

Linus Ullmark

Jeremy Swayman