Bruins lose Torey Krug (and maybe Charlie McAvoy) in win over Capitals
Dec 23, 2019; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug (47) reaches for the puck ahead of Washington Capitals right wing Richard Panik (14) during the second period at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Monday’s blowout victory over the Capitals came at a potentially brutal price for the Bruins, as the team lost two of their top defensemen, Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy, to injury by the night’s end.
Bodied by Capitals forward Tom Wilson early in the second period, the 5-foot-9 Krug crashed into the boards and was extremely slow to get up. And when he finally did get back to his feet, Boston’s top scoring defender immediately made his way down the tunnel and back to the B’s room, and did not return to the ice before the team officially ruled him out early in the third period.
Torey Krug takes a heavy hit from Tom Wilson and heads down the tunnel. pic.twitter.com/P2ra99HjiD
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) December 24, 2019
“Upper-body for Torey,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed after the victory. “Didn’t return obviously so he’ll get, like everybody, evaluated. So, we’ll see how he is. Obviously didn’t come back so that’s always a concern, but until he gets looked at further tonight and tomorrow, we won’t know.”
McAvoy, meanwhile, nearly made it through the net, but was absolutely rocked by the Capitals’ TJ Oshie with just 1:39 remaining in the third period and with Washington down by three goals.
A look at T.J. Oshie's hit on Charlie McAvoy. pic.twitter.com/DxTKfQCqwM
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) December 24, 2019
“Charlie, went and saw him, he seems to be okay but again, until [they won’t know] he gets looked at,” Cassidy said. “I think those were the only two.”
As for the hit itself, Cassidy opted not to comment, but did note that the league’s department of player safety should have plenty of film to review with more than a few spears doled out by the Capitals (namely Wilson).
“I could see it developing, but I didn’t see the final hit,” Cassidy said of Oshie’s hit on McAvoy. “There was a few incidents tonight, I imagine player safety might be a little bit busy. I know if it was a guy like a [Brad] Marchand of the world, they’d be getting looked at, so there was a few spears and some of those. I don’t want to say it was clean or dirty because I have not looked at it and imagine it will get looked at. They’ll have to judge that accordingly, right?”
The Bruins will enjoy a three-day holiday break before they return to action Friday night in Buffalo.
