Bruins notes: Jake DeBrusk happy to be back in lineup

BOSTON — Officially, it was a relatively minor foot injury.

Unofficially, it was a huge pain in Jake DeBrusk’s neck.

“It was pretty unfortunate — disappointing, to be honest with you,” said DeBrusk, who returned to the Bruins’ lineup Saturday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets after missing five games. “I was really upset.”

Understandably so, as prior to his injury, DeBrusk was on a hot streak with eight goals and 15 points over 10 games. The run started with a five-game stretch during which he scored a goal in each game and totaled 10 points, and ended with a four-game points streak. DeBrusk had a goal and an assist March 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes — the game in which he got hurt.

“It happened in the second period against Carolina, so I played the game on it,” he said. “I thought I could continue to skate and try it out, but obviously that wasn’t the case — I was injured.”

DeBrusk didn’t travel with the Bruins on last week’s trip, remaining home to skate for “probably three days” once the foot was ready. Saturday’s morning skate was as close as he came to a full practice in 10 days, but he wasn’t worried.

“You can still get in the gym and do different stuff for maintenance,” said DeBrusk, whose hot streak brought him up to 22 goals — five more than he scored last year as a rookie. “To miss around a week of time, it kind of feels like a bye week, in a way.”

Recovery mode

DeBrusk, one of six Bruins who didn’t play Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets, was one of only two to skate Saturday, and the only one to return to play.

David Pastrnak, who remained atop the goal-scoring list with 31 despite missing 15 games (linemate Brad Marchand had pulled to within 30 entering Saturday), participated with no restrictions, but wasn’t assigned to a line.

“(Pastrnak is) joining the team,” B's coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Monday will be the next full practice, so he’ll be out there. Very positive news.”

Pastrnak underwent left thumb surgery on Feb. 12 to repair damage sustained during an off-ice fall two nights earlier. He skated on his own throughout the Bruins’ six-game homestand, at first without a stick, and seemed to shooting and passing normally Saturday morning.

“Assuming he gets through (Monday’s) practice clean, then we’ve got to start thinking about a timeline for return to games,” Cassidy said. “Whether that’s Tuesday (at Islanders), Thursday (at Devils), Saturday (at Panthers), that’ll be up to the medical people. That’s a good step.”

Cassidy wasn’t as certain about the status of the other injured players.

Defenseman Torey Krug became the latest addition to the injury list last Tuesday, when he sustained a concussion against the Blue Jackets. Krug followed defensemen Matt Grzelcyk, who hasn’t played since sustaining arm injury last Sunday at Pittsburgh.

With Kevan Miller also sidelined by a lingering upper body injury (he hasn’t played since Feb. 23), the B’s remained without three of their top six defensemen Saturday. Pastrnak and Marcus Johansson (lung contusion) are the missing forwards.

“I anticipate (Grzelcyk and Johansson) skating early next week,” Cassidy said. “Could they join us on the road? I guess, potentially. Krug is in concussion protocol … until he gets moving on to the bike, and then skating. Miller’s feeling better, but not ready to go on the ice.”

Praise for Paul

Paul Carey’s strong performance Thursday in Winnipeg (three shots, plus-1 in 16:47) earned him a second game Saturday over rookie Trent Frederic. Both are up from AHL Providence on emergency recall, so DeBrusk’s return meant one of the two had to sit out.

“Paul Carey had a very good game for us (against the Jets),” Cassidy said. “He had some good looks, managed the puck, and when he didn’t have time he skated into open ice and made good plays.”

Saturday’s game was the 99th of Carey’s five-team NHL career.