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Adam McQuaid Suffers Broken Fibula In Bruins' Win Over Canucks

BOSTON (CBS) -- It was, for the most part, a celebratory night at the TD Garden on Thursday, but for one major letdown.

Midway through the third period with the Bruins leading 5-3, defenseman Adam McQuaid blocked a Ben Hutton shot in front of the Boston net. McQuaid -- who had left Boston's previous game on Sunday after blocking a shot -- immediately showed signs of pain, and he needed to be helped off the ice and into the locker room.

On Friday, the Bruins announced that McQuaid suffered a broken right tibula. Boston Sports Journal's Joe McDonald first reported the news.

A long-term injury would be nothing new for the 31-year-old McQuaid. From the 2013 lockout-shortened season through last year, he played in 266 of a possible 376 games, missing roughly 29 percent of the Bruins' games over five seasons.

The Bruins expect he'll miss the next eight weeks, which sets him up to return some time in mid-December.

"Adam has been doing that for years around here," Bruce Cassidy said Thursday after his team's 6-3 win over Vancouver. "He's one of the unsung heroes in that locker room. Doesn't get a lot of credit for what he does, the tough parts of the game, blocking shots, sticking up for your teammates. He actually manages the puck very well. He's not a flashy player. He's not a guy that just throws it away either. He makes good decisions with it, and every team needs Adam McQuaids, and we're certainly fortunate to have him."

Fellow defenseman Kevan Miller spoke glowingly of his teammate on Thursday.

"First off, he's just a great person, but he's an even better teammate and I mean, you guys kind of know how he is. He'll block a shot and do anything for the team, and that's what he did tonight. We've seen a lot of that throughout his whole career, and he plays really hard," Miller said. "I mean, you see guys on the bench celebrating every time he blocks a shot, or fights, or makes a good play. He's a character guy, and one we definitely need behind the bench."

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