BOSTON — In a concerning turn of events, the Boston Bruins’ top scorer David Pastrnak exited Monday night’s match against the Washington Capitals during the second period due to an unspecified upper-body injury and did not return to the ice.

Coach Joe Sacco was tight-lipped about the 28-year-old forward’s injury following the team’s 4-1 win over Washington, stating, “I’ll get more details on that either later tonight or tomorrow.”

Pastrnak’s injury occurred about three minutes into the second period when he collided with Capitals forward Tom Wilson in a play that seemed harmless at first. After the collision, Pastrnak appeared to be in discomfort while seated on the bench, although he did make a brief return to the ice before heading to the locker room for further evaluation.

The Bruins provided an update during the third period, indicating that Pastrnak was “unlikely to return” to the game, which ultimately turned out to be the case.

Pastrnak, a three-time All-Star and the co-leader for goals in the NHL back in 2020, has been a key player for the Bruins this season, recording 12 goals and 23 assists in the team’s first 35 games. The situation surrounding his health will be closely monitored in the days ahead.