The injury bug is continuing to bite the Bruins with Derek Forbort now sidelined by an upper-body injury that has forced him back to Boston and considered week-to-week. With Forbort out of the lineup, Mike Reilly will return for his first game since Oct. 25 after being sent to Providence in what he called a "paper transaction" when Brad Marchand was activated last week.
"It's definitely a mental grind for sure," Reilly, who has been conferring with Bruins general manager Don Sweeney about his situation, said of being out of the lineup. "I feel like I like where my game is at…basically, I was the one guy that they could do that with, the paper transaction thing [of being sent down].
"I feel like I liked where things were going in and it just kind of came to a halt, obviously, just because of the situation, I guess. But I just kind of want to try to build off what I was trying to do in those first couple games."
The veteran blue liner, who has suited up for seven games this season, said he has tried to remain as professional as possible throughout the last week as he awaited an opportunity to return to the lineup.
"I just come to the rink every day with a good attitude, you can control that," he said. "So that's what I've been trying to do every day when I want to come to the rink and just work on my game. That's what I'm focused on. And then there's times you want to kind of think ahead a little bit in the future and whatnot.
"But, obviously, we had [Forbort] go down the other night, which is very tough to see; he's a close buddy of mine. But now there's an opportunity and you just come to the rink every day with a good attitude and come to work.
Coach Jim Montgomery complimented Reilly for his professional approach though what has been an unusual situation.
"He's a great pro," said Montgomery. "He's a really good teammate. He's been outstanding in his work habits in practice and outstanding with the teammate he's been."
