Bruins Lose Defenseman; Recall Another

After losing Game 2 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night, the Boston Bruins got some bad news on their blue line on Tuesday morning.

Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Peeke left Game 2 with 6:40 left in the second period after he took a shot off the hand from Maple Leafs and former Bruins winger Tyler Bertuzzi. Peeke did not return, and on Tuesday morning, Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery confirmed that the 6-foot-3, 214-pound shutdown defenseman is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old rearguard will not travel with the Bruins to Toronto for Game 3 (Wednesday) and Game 4 (Saturday).

“Week to week, won’t be on the trip… it is a tough blow, he’s been really good for us,” Montgomery said of the Peeke injury.

As a result of Peeke’s injury, the Boston Bruins recalled rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei from the Providence Bruins. Lohrei practiced with the Bruins at an optional practice on Tuesday morning, but it is not known if he will draw into the lineup for Game 3.

Also practicing with the Bruins for a second straight day on Tuesday was defenseman Derek Forbort. Forbort, who has not played since March 2 and is recovering from two surgeries, was recalled from a conditioning assignment with Providence on Monday. While the 6-foot-4, 216-pound shutdown defenseman will travel to Toronto with his teammates, Montgomery told the media on Tuesday that Forbort will not play in Game 3 on Thursday night.

With that in mind, it’s likely that defenseman Parker Wotherspoon will take Peeke’s spot in the lineup for Game 3. As for Lohrei, it appears that he will be the seventh defenseman but given the struggles of veteran Kevin Shattenkirk in the first two games of the series, the 23-year-old, 6-foot-5, 211-pound rookie could replace Shattenkirk and play in his first ever Stanley Cup Playoffs game.