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Emily KaplanESPN
ST. LOUIS — The Bruins could be without captain Zdeno Chara for Game 5 after the defenseman took a puck to the face during Boston’s 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night.
The incident occurred in the second period. A shot from Blues forward Brayden Schenn deflected off a stick and struck Chara in the face. The 42-year-old defenseman bled profusely, and blood needed to be cleaned up on the ice as Chara was helped to the locker room.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Chara had some stitches and might need some dental work later.
“He wanted to come out on the bench and be with his teammates — that is why he was out there,” Cassidy said. “I do not know his status for Game 5. Obviously, when he gets back home, he will need to be reevaluated, see how he feels tomorrow for starters.”
Game 5 is set for Thursday night in Boston. The series is tied at two games apiece.
This isn’t the first time Chara has dealt with an injury this postseason. The 6-foot-9 defenseman missed the clinching Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals with an undisclosed injury, but he put on his uniform and skates to join his teammates in the customary handshake line following the contest.
Chara returned to the lineup for the Stanley Cup Final after the team had a 10-day layoff between series.
Chara also sustained an injury toward the end of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Chara blocked a shot from Vladimir Tarasenko that injured his wrist. Chara, however, said it was just a cut, and he returned to the lineup.
The Bruins already are without one for their top six defensemen; Matt Grzelcyk is in the concussion protocol after being boarded by Oskar Sundqvist in Game 2. Grzelcyk has not played since, though earlier Monday, Cassidy said he is “better than he was” and is a candidate to return at some point in this series.
If Chara cannot go for Game 5, the Bruins have several replacement options. Cassidy said the obvious choice would be veteran Steven Kampfer because he has Stanley Cup playoffs experience. Kampfer played one game in the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs and one game in the Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, tallying one goal.
However, Kampfer is a right-shot defenseman, and Chara is left. That means the team also will consider 20-year-old Urho Vaakanainen (two games in the regular season) or 22-year-old Jeremy Lauzon (16 games in the regular season).