The Bruins’ fourth line is going to look different for a little while. Boston coach Jim Montgomery revealed Thursday that Milan Lucic and Jakub Lauko, two-thirds of the line, will both miss some time due to injury.
Does Bruins' historic start to season mean anything?
Lucic has already missed the last two games after getting hit in the foot by a Derek Forbort shot Saturday in Los Angeles (he at least got an assist on the play as the puck bounced right to Morgan Geekie for a goal). He is now set to miss several more, with Montgomery saying Lucic will be out “a couple weeks.”
Lucic actually tried to skate in warmups Sunday in Anaheim and then again at morning skate Tuesday in Chicago, but quickly left the ice on both occasions. He was not on the ice Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton.
Lauko, meanwhile, left Tuesday’s win over the Blackhawks after a scary incident in which his face got cut by a skate blade. Montgomery said that in addition to the cut, which just missed his eye, Lauko also suffered a fracture and will miss “at least a week.” He will be re-evaluated in a week or so.
Lauko has at least been in good spirits since the injury, as evidenced by his X (formerly Twitter) account:
With Lucic and Lauko both out, Patrick Brown is expected to remain in the lineup as one of the fourth-line wingers next to Johnny Beecher. The other wing is where things get interested.
At Thursday’s morning skate, it was Danton Heinen on the left with Beecher and Brown. Heinen, however, has not yet signed a contract as of noon Thursday after remaining with the team on a professional tryout agreement. If the Bruins sign Heinen before Thursday night’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, he could play right away since he has still been practicing with the team and is familiar with everything they’re doing.
The Boston Herald’s Steve Conroy also reported that Jesper Boqvist was in Brighton Thursday morning and skated on his own before the team’s morning skate. Signed as a free agent over the summer, Boqvist was waived at the end of training camp and sent down to AHL Providence after clearing waivers. Recalling him would be another option to round out the fourth line, or even to serve as an extra forward.
Here’s what the Bruins’ lines and defense pairings looked like Thursday morning. Linus Ullmark will get the start in goal Thursday night.