Jake DeBrusk opens up on true nature of injury

The Boston Bruins continue to roll, enjoying the National Hockey League's best record into tonight's game against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas. However, they're still missing one key portion of their lineup that has been absent since just after the start of the new calendar year.

Forward Jake DeBrusk, who tallied two goals in his team's Winter Classic victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins at historic Fenway Park on January 2, hasn't played since suffering a lower body injury over the course of the game. Despite being able to finish, he knew something was wrong afterward, and it wouldn't be long before he would be placed on the Long Term Injured Reserve List with an expected recovery time of approximately four weeks. 

“The hand was pretty early on. I knew something was wrong with it, but you don’t know. Adrenaline’s kind of up,” DeBrusk told reporters after practice. “With the leg, it was right before I scored (the first goal). I came to the bench and everyone’s all patting me and stuff. I was like, ‘Yeah I think I did something with my leg.’

“Usually when you block a shot, it’s a stinger. We were just hoping it was that. But it started to deteriorate a little bit. I didn’t say anything after that.”

In the 36 games that DeBrusk has suited up in this season for the Bruins, he's tallied 16 goals with 14 assists. The good news for the Bruins is that while he isn't expected to play tonight against Dallas, he almost certainly will be hitting the ice with the rest of his teammates when they take on the Nashville Predators at Bridegestone Arena on Thursday night in downtown Nashville. 

Game time tonight against the Stars is set for just after 8:30 PM EST. Should they earn two points, it will be Boston's 40th win of the campaign.