Bruins will be without McAvoy against Devils (Jan 23, 2018)
BOSTON -- Rookie Charlie McAvoy has been an important part of the Boston Bruins' charge toward the top of the NHL standings.
But Monday, the 20-year-old defenseman underwent a heart procedure that will cost him at least the next two weeks.
McAvoy, who first had an irregular heartbeat after a game in November, will miss his first game of the season when the sizzling Bruins host the struggling New Jersey Devils in the first of two games leading up to the All-Star break.
He underwent an ablation at Massachusetts General Hospital and the expected recovery time is two weeks.
McAvoy, showing a consistency that has him in the conversation for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, has five goals and 25 points and is a plus-18 for the Bruins, who are 12-0-4 in their last 16 games.
The Bruins, who started the season 6-7-4, have taken off and are five points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning atop the Atlantic Division. They are also four points behind the expansion Vegas Golden Knights for the top spot in the overall standings -- and they have two games in hand on the Lightning, one on the nights.
"I think we're playing to our identity in terms of being hard to play against, and not giving up many easy chances," says coach Bruce Cassidy. "When we do break down our goaltending has been excellent, and I mean both of them in (Anton) Khudobin and (Tuukka) Rask. I think we're getting contributions from everybody. Our top line has been really hot lately, obviously, but we've had (Riley) Nash's line scoring, our fourth line has scored and the (David) Krejci group has done a good job. Now our 'D' is involved a little bit more as well.
"I think our pace is good and we really try to deny entries into our own zone. So we're playing the style of game that we want."
The same can't be said for the Devils, early over-achievers (9-2-0) who have fallen on hard times (15 wins in their last 35 games) -- and will be missing leading scorer and All-Star Taylor Hall for a second straight game when they finish a back-to-back Tuesday night.
Hall, who has 17 goals and 48 assists, is out with a hand injury.
"We will re-evaluate where he is on Wednesday," Devils coach John Hynes said before Monday's loss to the Detroit Red Wings. "He has a hand issue, not a long-term concern, but in the next 48 hours he is not going to play."
It was the second straight day the Devils lost a forward to a hand injury -- Brian Gibbons going on IR Sunday.
Monday's 3-0 home loss to the Red Wings dropped the Devils to 2-5-3 in their last 10 games -- New Jersey is 0-for-5 on the power play and without a 5-on-5 goal for the last two games.
"We gotta make sure we have a game tomorrow night," said captain Andy Greene.
The Devils held a players-only meeting after Monday's game, with Greene among the veterans who reportedly had their say.
Rask, on a personal streak that surpasses the team's, is 14-0-3 in his last 17 starts. His last three games, all wins, were against the Montreal Canadiens over an eight-night span, allowing five goals.
He is a hard-luck 5-4-2 with a 1.56 goals-against average and .944 save percentage against the Devils. Khudobin was in goal in the Bruins' 3-2 shootout win back on Nov. 22 in Newark.
Boston-area native Corey Schneider, who is 17-9-6 on the season, is 2-5-3 with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage against the Bruins in his career. He is just coming off an injury but will play both games of the back-to-back.
