Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Timothy Liljegren won't be back in the lineup any time soon after Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand injured him during Thursday's game.
"He's going to miss ... it looks like significant time," Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said postgame. "We're not going to know for sure until we get him home and get a (scan). It’s not short term at this point, the way it looks."
Liljegren left the game after Marchand hit him into the boards with what's known as a "can opener" in the final minute of the first period and wasn't penalized for the incident.
Keefe wasn't happy with referee Wes McCauley.
“I got nothing. He just didn’t see the stick go in between his legs, a can opener, and you can go feet first into the boards in the most dangerous area of the ice," the bench boss said.
McCauley appeared to be looking right at the two players as they went into the boards.
Liljegren didn't emerge for the start of the second frame and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game. The 24-year-old is in Toronto's top four on the back end, and he started the contest playing alongside Mark Giordano on the Leafs' second pairing.
The Swede collected one assist while averaging 19:23 of ice time over nine games entering Thursday.
The Bruins won Thursday's game 3-2 in a shootout.
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