Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy leaves game against Canadiens after taking puck to face

Boston Bruins’ defenseman Charlie McAvoy left Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens with an upper-body injury after taking a puck to the face. The team announced on social media that he would not return.

The incident occurred midway through the second period, with McAvoy taking a point shot from Canadiens’ defenseman Noah Dobson.

The Bruins would go on to defeat the Canadiens 3-2. McAvoy finished the night with two penalty minutes, three blocked shots and a hit in 13:41 of ice time.

Bruins head coach Marco Sturm told reporters after the game that McAvoy is “doing OK” and undergoing testing.

Boston is now 12-8-0 with 24 points through their first 20 games of the 2025-26 season, which ranks first in the Atlantic Division. They are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games.

Through 19 games, McAvoy, now in the fourth season of an eight-year, $76-million deal that pays him $9.5 million per season, has recorded 14 assists and 26 penalty minutes, averaging 24:20 of ice time. Now in his nine NHL season, the 27-year-old has 60 goals and 254 assists for 314 points and 457 penalty minutes in 523 regular-season games, all with the Bruins.

McAvoy has also played in 91 Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording six goals and 42 assists for 48 points and 84 penalty minutes. He was part of the team’s 2019 Stanley Cup Final run, posting two goals and six assists for eight points while averaging 24:30 of ice time.

Before turning professional, McAvoy spent two seasons in the NCAA playing college hockey with Boston University. In 75 career games, he scored eight goals and 43 assists for 51 points and 107 penalty minutes.