Leafs' Tanev suffers upper-body injury in OT win over Bruins
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The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 5-4 in overtime on Thursday night, but lost Chris Tanev to injury. The 35-year-old defenceman left the game after taking a hit from Bruins forward John Beecher on his second shift of the night.
"He'll get evaluated tomorrow," head coach Craig Berube said. "Yeah, upper body, I don't know, we'll see."
Tanev was spotted leaving TD Garden with his right arm in a sling.
In his first season with the Leafs, Tanev has quickly established himself as one of the team's most trusted and irreplaceable players.
"He plays against all the top lines, shutdown [role], you miss a lot of things," said Berube. "Penalty kill, you know, just all the hard working, gritty stuff he does on the back end, and leadership. There's a lot of stuff you miss. He's a very important player for us."
The Leafs have played without Tanev only once this season, losing 5-2 to the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 23.
"Starts in the D-zone a lot of times and doesn't care," said winger Mitch Marner, who scored two goals, including the overtime winner on Thursday. "Doesn't complain about it and just does his job. He's a guy that you love to have on your team and in your locker room so hopefully [it's] not too bad and he's OK."
Tanev is averaging just over 20 minutes of ice time, including a team high two minutes and 39 seconds shorthanded. Toronto's penalty kill allowed two goals on Thursday after Tanev departed.
Tanev is second in the NHL in blocked shots.
"One of the best d-men in the league, in my opinion," said defenceman Morgan Rielly, who produced a goal and three assists on Thursday while logging a game high 27 minutes and 39 seconds. "He plays big minutes. He plays hard minutes against other teams best players ... We hope he's not out too long. Hopefully he's back soon."
Philippe Myers is the extra defenceman on the road with the Leafs. He has been a healthy scratch in all three games since the regular season resumed following the 4 Nations Face-Off. Like Tanev, Myers is a right shot.
There was another injury scare for the Leafs on Thursday night as winger William Nylander, the team's leading goal scorer, didn't take any shifts in the extra frame.
"Just came back [to the bench] and something was bothering him," Berube said. "So he didn't go in the overtime."
The Leafs will have two days off before continuing their road trip in New York against the Rangers on Friday night.