Krug’s return a power move for defense

By MARISA INGEMI

RALEIGH, N.C. -- When the blue line has been a game of musical chairs, any familiar face returning is refreshing.

Getting Torey Krug , the captain of the power play and a puck-moving leader, back in the lineup is especially relieving for a bangedup Bruins squad.

“To get some easy neutral zone plays, the forwards will be thankful for that,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It will benefit us. (Matt Grzelcyk), who’s out now with injury, he gave us some of that. So you lose one and

BRUINS NOTEBOOK

gain another.”

The defense corps has rotated through its entire depth chart, even reaching down to Providence for Jeremy Lauzon, who was recalled again before last night’s game against the Hurricanes after being sent back down over the weekend.

Charlie McAvoy was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 18 while Kevan

Miller will remain out another two weeks and Urho Vaakanainen has yet to skate after suffering a concussion a week ago.

Although Grzelcyk’s injury (lower body) leaves the Bruins still with just six healthy defenders, one of them being Krug gives them a boost.

“He does more on the offensive side of the puck,” Bruins defenseman Brandon

Carlo said. “But he gets back and does a lot on defense. He makes great plays and works really well with that group.”

The lack of puck-moving on zone exits from the defensive group was highlighted in last Saturday’s loss to the Canadiens, when the Bruins struggled to get the puck to open ice and to their offensive blue line.

That’s an element where Krug, if healthy, offers a quick solution.

“It was a problem that night against Montreal,” Cassidy said. “Carolina is a bigger group than in the past, but they’re also on you.”

Krug was paired with John

Moore, a matchup that had no experience skating together during the preseason. Essentially he was slotted into Grzelcyk’s spot, with the top pairing of Carlo and Zdeno Chara staying the same.

“He’s a great skater and gets up and down the ice,” Krug said of Moore. “He moves up and down the ice, moves the puck pretty well.”

Krug said he felt better heading into last night’ game than he did before suffering his ankle injury in the preseason.

“The skating is probably going to be the last thing that comes,” he said. “I’ll continue to work on that. I feel like before the preseason game, now there’s no room for mistakes.”

McAvoy closer

Cassidy said the hope is for McAvoy to start skating at the end of the week.

“He can come back as soon as he’s ready,” Cassidy said. “The timeline for him is when he’s going to be healthy and back skating. I hope it’s later this week.” ... Colby Cave was recalled Monday from Providence because of “bangs and bruises” in the forward corps, but he wasn’t in the lineup last night. David Backes skated for the first time before practice Monday, but did not make the trip to Carolina and his timeline still is uncertain.