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Bruins notebook

Krejci sits with an undisclosed injury

Stuart spending downtime wisely

By Fluto Shinzawa
Globe Staff / January 15, 2010

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - David Krejci didn’t play last night because of an undisclosed injury.

Trent Whitfield, a healthy scratch Wednesday, replaced Krejci in the lineup. Krejci was at HP Pavilion yesterday morning for treatment and was walking with discomfort.

The loss of Krejci left the Bruins without their top three centers.

Patrice Bergeron continues to wear a splint on his broken right thumb and Marc Savard is out because of a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Bergeron, Savard, and Krejci have combined for 28 goals and 50 assists.

He’s not stewing
Since breaking into the NHL as a full-time player in 2007-08, Mark Stuart had appeared in 196 straight games, leaving him zero chance to consider spending a game night in suit and tie instead of Black and Gold.

But for the last 13 games, Stuart has had to watch from press boxes and on TV, knocked out of the lineup because of a broken sternum. When he returns, which could be tomorrow against the Kings at Staples Center, Stuart plans to apply what he’s learned while healing.

“At first, it was really hard having to watch games,’’ Stuart said. “But then you think, ‘Well, might as well make the best of it.’ You get a different perspective when you watch the games from up top.

“Obviously the game’s a lot easier from up there. There’s a lot more room when you’re sitting in the press box. But you can still learn a lot.

“I hadn’t really watched a lot. I hadn’t watched a live game in a while. I don’t really watch hockey at home. So it was nice to learn a bit and get a different perspective on things.’’

The Bruins could use the stay-at-home Stuart to stabilize the back end. Andrew Ference is out past the Olympic break because of a groin injury. Dennis Wideman was hobbled in the first period of Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to Anaheim when he blocked a Kyle Chipchura shot. Later in the same game, Johnny Boychuk took a puck off the ribs. Because of the banged-up blue line, the Bruins recalled Andy Wozniewski from Providence yesterday.

Before the injury, Stuart had proven himself to be a dependable depth defenseman. Like many of the Bruins, Stuart sputtered at the start of the season, struggling with his decision-making while handling the puck. But the Bruins need the defensive-minded Stuart (2-2 -4, 16:05 ice time per game), especially with Zdeno Chara logging hard minutes against the league’s elite. Chara matched up against Ryan Getzlaf Wednesday and was deployed against Joe Thornton last night.

Yesterday, Stuart was one of four Bruins to skate at HP Pavilion (Bergeron, Tim Thomas, and Whitfield were the others).

“It’s tough when guys are dropping,’’ Stuart said. “But it would do nobody any good if I come back too early and hurt myself again.’’

Important assist
As an 18-year-old suddenly dropped into the NHL, Bergeron had to learn a new language, negotiate a new city, and even master the new chore of monitoring a checking account. Fortunately for Bergeron, he leaned on veteran Martin Lapointe to show him the way. Lapointe, now a scout for the Blackhawks, may have been targeted in Boston because of his four-year, $20 million contract. But in hindsight, one of Lapointe’s most important acts as a Bruin was hosting Bergeron at his home during the center’s rookie season. “Marty’s been a huge part of my adaptation to Boston,’’ said Bergeron, who saw Lapointe for the first time in a while Wednesday at the Honda Center. “With the language barrier, I wasn’t very good my first year. He was helping me with everything. Off the ice, I was coming from juniors, where you’re staying with a billet family, then to the NHL, where you have to take care of everything on your own. He helped me with everything.’’

Spouse in the house
Former Providence Bruins captain Jay Leach, claimed off waivers by the Sharks Dec. 1, has been easing into life in San Jose, his fifth stop this season (New Jersey, Lowell, Montreal, Hamilton). “Can’t argue with it, with the team I’m on, the players I’m playing with, the organization I’m playing for,’’ said the 30-year-old Leach. “It’s been a great experience.’’ Leach, otherwise known in New England as the husband of NESN studio host Kathryn Tappen, has been serving mostly as San Jose’s seventh defenseman . . . Like a lot of most East Coast viewers, Wozniewski fell asleep after watching the first and second periods of Wednesday’s game. But at approximately 1:30 a.m. yesterday, Wozniewski was roused by his roommate, who delivered the news that he would be recalled on an emergency basis. Yesterday morning, Wozniewski drove from Providence to Boston, took a direct flight to San Francisco, and got a ride to San Jose. “You prepare a little bit differently,’’ Wozniewski said of playing after a cross-country flight. “You take the warmup pretty hard and get a good sweat out there. You get that out of your system and you feel a lot better.’’

© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.

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