WILMINGTON - Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid didn't participate in practice at Ristuccia Arena today because of a lower-body injury. Coach Claude Julien said McQuaid caught a rut late in Tuesday's game against the Ottawa Senators and needed a day off the ice.
Julien said he expects to know more tomorrow about whether McQuaid will be available for Boston's game against the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Garden.
Andrew Ference has finished serving his three-game suspension for his hit on Rangers' defenseman Ryan McDonagh on Jan. 21 and is expected back in the lineup tomorrow night.
``Anybody coming back is going to be a welcome addition right now,'' said Julien. ``He's an experienced player who has had a really good year for us. He's been as steady as we could ever ask for from a defenseman so we're going to be happy to have him back, especially in the situation that McQuaid is in right now. If he's not 100 percent, you want to make sure you have a player who's pretty healthy and that's the case with Ference. He's ready to go.''

Right wing Nathan Horton continues to recover from a concussion he suffered on Jan. 22 in a game against Philadelphia. Julien said he is being evaluated daily but isn't ready to skate.