Rick Nash scratched with injury, so Bruins shuffle lineup again

BOSTON — If you’re a Bruins fan, you must be wondering when the injuries will finally stop.

Shortly before Monday night’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Garden, forward Rick Nash became the latest Bruin lost to injury.

“It looks like this season nothing will surprise me anymore,” said David Krejci, who forced OT by scoring at 11:50 of the third period, just 20 seconds after Artemi Panarin had given Columbus the lead. “Lots of injuries. What are you going to do?”

Nash took part in the morning skate, but was scratched for the game with an upper-body injury. Anton Blidh was called up from Providence to replace Nash in the lineup and he made his NHL season debut.

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Rick Nash got hit during Saturday night's 3-0 victory at Tampa Bay.

“We thought he’d be fine,” Cassidy said. “It turned out after pregame skate early afternoon, he wasn’t.”

In addition to Nash, the Bruins also played without forwards Patrice Bergeron (broken foot), Jake DeBrusk (concussion) and David Backes (lacerated right leg), as well as their top two defensemen, Zdeno Chara (upper body injury) and Charlie McAvoy (knee).

“It’s kind of enough now, I would agree,” Cassidy said. “We’ve had our share (of injuries), so let’s get these guys healthy, get ready to play, but I don’t know, you’ve got to play the game in front of you and you just hope the string of tough luck is over.”

Fortunately for the Bruins, they’ve managed to remain successful despite their slew of injuries. Even though they blew a 3-1 lead on Monday, they still earned a point and they’re 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. Simply put, other players have come through when called up.

“I don’t think we’ve been disappointed in one person,” Cassidy said, “that’s come up, going back to the start of the year to the Austin Czarniks to the (Jordan) Szwarzs. They came in and helped up on a western road swing. I think it’s been a great situation for the organization to have this much depth.”

At the trading deadline, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney added depth by acquiring Nash, Gionta, center Tommy Wingels and defenseman Nick Holden. Then on late Sunday, he signed Harvard University star Ryan Donato, who had a goal and two assists in his NHL debut Monday.

Rick Nash was out, but the Bruins still had another Nash — veteran forward Riley Nash, who is enjoying the best year of his NHL career. Riley Nash scored on the power play with 3:28 left in the third to boost the Bruins’ lead to 3-1.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, they could hold the lead, as former Boston College Eagle Cam Atkinson scored with 2:05 left in overtime to give the Blue Jackets their eighth consecutive victory.

Riley Nash’s goal was his career-high 15th. His previous best was 10 goals in 2013-14 for Carolina.

After skating on the fourth line for Boston last year, Nash was promoted to the third line this year and he moved up to center the first line after Bergeron got hurt.

Skating with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak has brought out the best in Nash. In the 11 games since he’s replaced Bergeron, he’s contributed five goals and seven assists for 12 points. In his first season with the Bruins last year, Nash scored only seven goals in 81 games.

The Bruins have thrived thanks to contributions from such unheralded players as Riley Nash and from superstars such as Marchand, whose 31st goal put the Bruins ahead, 2-1, with 12:32 left in the second period.

On his bobblehead night, Pastrnak fed Marchand for the goal. Despite playing in only 57 of Boston’s 71 games, Marchand has scored more than 30 goals for the third consecutive year.

Rick Nash entered the night having played in 71 games, the most of anyone on the Bruins. He played in 60 games with the Rangers and 11 with the Bruins before sitting out Monday.

He scored two goals in his first three games with the Bruins, but contributed only one in his last eight games and none in his last four. Nevertheless, the Bruins want him back as soon as possible and they hope they can avoid any more injuries.

“Obviously,” B's rookie defenseman Matt Grzelcyk said, “you never want to see someone of his caliber not in the lineup. He’s a really good player, he’s been a great addition to our team, but we try to not make any excuses for ourselves. There’s still a game to be played.” 

—Contact Bill Doyle at william.doyle@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillDoyle15.