The Boston Bruins will be without their captain for some time.
Defenseman Zdeno Chara is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with an injury to his left knee. He has a tear in the posterior crusciate ligament, according to General Manager Peter Chiarelli.
He had a collision with Islanders captain John Tavares midway through the first period Thursday night.
Losing Chara is a "doomsday scenario" for the Bruins, reports Comcast SportsNet New England. Chara has missed a grand total of 20 games over his nine seasons with the Bruins, and the team is a very average 8-7-5 without him in the lineup.
New York snapped a two-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over Boston.
The Bruins played the Canadian national anthem and observed a moment of silence in memory of the soldier who was killed at the war memorial in Ottawa on Wednesday.
The team also played a highlight video for former Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk, a member of the 2011 Stanley Cup champion team who was traded to the Islanders on the eve of the season.
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Boston will take on the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Boston has recalled defensemen Joe Morrow and Zach Trotman from Providence (American Hockey League) on an emergency basis. They will travel with the team to Toronto.
