Sports

Patrice Bergeron out at least four weeks with rib, sternoclavicular injury

Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron will be re-evaluated in four weeks after sustaining both a rib and a sternoclavicular injury last Friday night in Dallas, according to a statement issued by the Bruins on Tuesday afternoon. The injury stems from a hit Bergeron took against the Dallas Stars midway through the second period on Friday, November 16.

Bergeron, playing in his 15th season for the Bruins at age 33, was scratched against the Coyotes the night following the hit, and was sent back to Boston for further testing midway through the Bruins' four-game road trip. The first-line center missed 13 games last season with a broken foot stemming from a blocked shot against the Toronto Maple Leafs. This year, Bergeron has appeared in 19 of his team's 20 games - missing his first contest on Saturday night.

With 12:19 remaining in the second period on Friday, Bergeron was ridden into the boards by Dallas forward Radek Faksa, with his left shoulder appearing to take the impact. The Bruins assistant captain left the ice with a Bruins trainer following the hit, but did return to the game later. He was then scratched from the team's contest the next night in Arizona and sent back to Boston for evaluation.

The Bruins already have a number of their defensive core sidelined due to injury, with blue liners Charlie McAvoy and Urho Vaakanainen sitting out due to concussions, Brandon Carlo on the shelf with an upper body injury and John Moore recently sent home with a lower body injury. Captain Zdeno Chara recently began a minimum four-week absence as well, after suffering an MCL injury in his left knee against Colorado on November 14.

Defenseman Kevan Miller is reported to be returning to the Bruins for Wednesday night's game at Detroit, providing some much needed relief to the ailing team. The Bruins are set to return home to TD Garden for a Friday night tilt with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

General Manager Don Sweeney also announced on Tuesday that the Bruins recalled forward Colby Cave from Providence.