Marchand (upper body) out versus Habs

Tonight’s “Rivalry Night” game between the Bruins and Canadiens in Montreal will be missing a key element of the present-day rivalry.

Per CSNNE.com, Boston forward Brad Marchand is still feeling the effects of crashing into the boards Saturday in Toronto and won’t play at the Bell Centre.

Marchand leads the B’s with five goals, so his absence presents a challenge for his teammates.

It also means he’ll have to wait to mix it up again with Habs defenseman PK Subban, which is unfortunate from an entertainment perspective.

As for the severity of Marchand’s injury, it doesn’t sound like it will keep him out of the lineup for long.

“He won’t play tonight,” said Bruins coach Claude Julien. “But he’s doing well. We’ll hold him back and we’ll keep our fingers crossed that he’s in next game. He’s that close. It’s just a matter of days here. It’s not as serious as most injuries, but — as I’ve said a million times — we’re being extra cautious early in the season.”