Bruins' Zdeno Chara: Effectively ruled out Thursday

Chara (lower body) will not travel to Ottawa for Thursday's game.

Analysis:

Chara sustained the ailment during his first shift in Tuesday's contest against the Blues. The Bruins have Colin Miller on the active roster, but often serving as a healthy scratch, so it's possible that they turn to him against the Senators rather than calling up a blueliner from the minors while on the road. No alternate defenseman on the B's will be able to match Chara's shutdown ability; the guy has 30 hits and 41 blocked shots this season. However, onlookers could see a quicker defensive corps with the 39-year-old not available to lug his 6-foot-9, 225-pound frame around the rink Thursday.