Boston Bruins injury update: Zdeno Chara questionable to play in Game 5

There have been multiple times where Zdeno Chara’s game time availability has been in question. The Boston Bruins captain is questionable for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

There are a few living legends of hockey still playing the game in today’s NHL. For defensemen, one of them rises above the rest, both literally and figuratively. This player, of course, is Zdeno Chara for the Boston Bruins.

In Boston’s Game 4 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Monday night in the Stanley Cup Final, Chara took a puck to the mouth courtesy of Brayden Schenn in the beginning minutes of the second period.

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Chara left the ice to get stitches and did not re-enter the game, although he did spend the third period on the bench cheering on teammates. This is the second time a Chara injury in the final has drawn blood. A blocked shot in Game 1 left him with a bloody gash to his forearm, although that injury did little to put his status for the next game in question.

With his latest injury, the status of Chara’s availability for the rest of the cup final and playoffs has been reignited. Chara was absent for game four of the Eastern Conference Final, where the Bruins completed their sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes.

That injury put his status for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in question, although after the Bruins long layover to wait for a Western Conference opponent, he was activated for Game 1.

Chara’s Game 4 injury seems significantly worse than his other previous playoff ailments. Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy explained that post-injury, the discussion of Chara reentering the game never really came up due to the medical staff’s advice on the severity on the injury.

Although he was a presence on the bench, fellow Bruins player Brandon Carlo stated that he could barely talk through his full face mask.

Losing Chara is a mixed bag for the Bruins. First and foremost, their obvious loss of team morale of losing your captain and longest-tenured player. Even though he couldn’t contribute on the ice, Chara was praised by teammates for his leadership by returning in Game 4, even if he didn’t make it past Boston’s bench.

Then there’s the matter of just how effective is Chara? Throughout this season, his average ice time has declined from his careers averages to drop by almost four minutes. That seems to have changed in the Stanley Cup Final, as before he exited game four, he logged 25:45 minutes of ice time in game two and 24:32 in game 3. His game one totals were just under two minutes.

Chara has been heavily utilized on Boston’s penalty kill. With his exit, there was an immediate concern how Boston’s special teams would adapt. Luckily for them, St. Louis didn’t score on the man advantage in their victorious game four. In fact, Carlo was even able to register a shorthanded goal to tie the game at two, although Boston would eventually be defeated.

Considering Game 5 is not a clinching scenario, Chara’s return is possible once the series shifts back to St. Louis for game six. By Game 6, one team will have built up a 3-2 lead so it will be a clinching scenario unless the series gets pushed to seven.

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Even though Chara signed a one year extension, this could very well be the last time in his long illustrious career that he has the chance to play for the Stanley Cup. That and the thrill of raising another cup in Boston is too much for Chara to sit out if he doesn’t need to.

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