Bruins' Zdeno Chara out for Game 4 vs. Hurricanes; Ruled Day to Day with Injury

If the Boston Bruins are going to sweep the Carolina Hurricanes out of the Eastern Conference Finals, they'll have to do it without captain Zdeno Chara.

The team announced ahead of Thursday night's Game 4 that the 42-year-old defenseman will not be active and is listed as day to day. While Boston didn't specify why Chara has been sidelined, he took a shot off of his ankle during Game 1 that caused him to temporarily leave the ice. 

Chara returned to Game 1 in the second period and has logged 66:28 in playing time during the series. 

Boston will also be without right winger Chris Wagner in Game 4, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed while meeting with reporters Wednesday.

Wagner took a puck to his right forearm while blocking a shot from Justin Faulk in the third period of Game 3 Tuesday night, as the Bruins were trying to hang on to their 2-1 lead. 

"You never want to see injuries like that," Boston center Charlie Coyle said after the Bruins' Game 3 win, according to Boston.com's Nicole Yang. "That's a testament to him and what he's willing to give to this team. To block a shot like that, that gets us fired up. It's the little things. They add up. That's a big loss for us."

In Wagner's place will be Noel Acciari, who has been recovering from an upper-body injury sustained during Game 4 of the Bruins' second-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Acciari will look to seamlessly slide back into a fourth line that has provided to be a vital reinforcement for the Bruins throughout this postseason.

"They're very similar," Cassidy told Yang. "We don't lose much. That's no disrespect to Chris. That’s maybe a compliment to Noel. That’s just what he brings. That line should keep on motoring."

However, the 28-year-old John Moore has very large skates to fill while starting for Chara. The captain had appeared in 98 consecutive Stanley Cup playoff games for the Bruins, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. This season is Moore's first with the Bruins, and he has played in four of their postseason games but posted a minus-four rating.

Chara last missed a postseason game in 2011, the same year the Bruins last hoisted the Cup.

During this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, Chara has played in 16 games and contributed one goal, two assists and a plus-11 rating.