WILMINGTON, MAThe Bruins will be without 23 of their fourth line for a big road tilt against the Maple Leafs. Shawn Thornton will be out at least a week with a concussion suffered in a first period hockey fight with 6-foot-8 John Scott, and Daniel Paille will also be out with an injury suffered as a result of a high-stick to the face in the third period of Thursdays 7-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Claude Julien indicated that Paille, who skated as the left winger on the third line with Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley against Buffalo, is still going through tests with doctors to determine the severity of the upper body injury.
It appeared that the high stick caught Paille up in the eye area, and that he was cut open by the flying piece of hockey equipment.
Hes not making the trip. Were going to deem it an upper-body injury because we dont have all of the details right now, said Julien of Paille, who picked up an assist on Rich Peverleys second period goal Thursday night and has three points in seven games this season. Once we got more clarification in his injury well let you know. But for now its upper body until we get more news.
With Paille and Thornton both out of the lineup it would appear that Jamie Tardif, Chris Bourque and Lane MacDermid will all be playing against the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Saturday night. Both David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron missed Fridays practice as well, but Julien indicated that both centers were simply resting with maintenance days and would play against Toronto.