Chara to return for Game 1 of Cup Final

Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara will play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday after being held out of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final with an undisclosed injury, the team announced.

The Bruins were able to complete the sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes without their towering leader.

Chara is averaging 22:32 of ice time during the postseason and leads all players with a plus-11 rating. Injuries limited the 42-year-old to 62 games during the regular season, during which he tallied five goals and nine assists.

During Sunday's practice, Chara skated alongside defensive partner Charlie McAvoy on Boston's top pairing. John Moore, who was inserted into the lineup for Game 4 against the Hurricanes, is expected to be the odd man out on the Bruins' blue line.