Morning Sports Update: Bruins lose Matt Beleskey for six weeks
Beleskey injured his knee in Saturday's win over Buffalo.
The Bruins claimed victory but suffered a loss of a different kind last night.
Bruins forward Matt Beleskey to miss next six weeks with right knee injury: The Bruins have won three straight, and four of five overall, but the club will now be without third-line winger Matt Beleskey through the new year. Beleskey has struggled offensively, with just two goals and five points in 24 games, but his physical play has been important to the team’s most inconsistent line, as he currently leads the Bruins with 62 hits. (WEEI)
Edwin Encarnacion identified Red Sox as one of three preferred landing spots: While it was reported last week that the Red Sox ‘probably’ won’t end up landing Edwin Encarnacion due to contract demands, the slugger remains interested in Boston. With his three other major suitors, Houston, New York, and Toronto also seemingly having bowed out, the Cleveland Indians are the latest team talking to Encarnacion. (WEEI)
Major offseason moves are part of Dave Dombrowski’s DNA: Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski reiterated yesterday that the team is focused on a set-up man, and has hopes of ducking the luxury tax threshold, but in the past he has made trades that added significant talent while cutting salary. Just two years ago, Dombrowski traded the now-retired Prince Fielder to Texas in a cost-cutting move that netted his Tigers Ian Kinsler. (Boston Globe)
Luxury tax penalties dissuade Red Sox from offering extensions to Betts, Bogaerts: In addition to hindering the team’s pursuit of a replacement bat for David Ortiz, salary constraints would also impede a contract extension for emergent stars Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts. Bogaerts is due for a pay raise in arbitration this year, as is Jackie Bradley Jr., although Mookie Betts is still slated to make less than $1 million in his last pre-arbitration year. (Providence Journal)
Boston Celtics drop thriller to Houston Rockets: The Celtics, taking on the uptempo Houston Rockets, lost in gut-wrenching fashion behind two missed lay-ups and a controversial decision by referees. Avery Bradley drilled a shot that appeared to be a three pointer, and both Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford missed last-minute lay-ups, but it also appears as though Boston was having communication issues at the close of the game. (MassLive)
Crowder: “We had confusion on a couple play calls that was unacceptable. 3 guys were on the same page & 2 guys doing something differently.”
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) December 6, 2016
Patriots D didn’t exactly bring the heat, but won with brilliant disguise: Dont’a Hightower mentioned yesterday that the Patriots’ defense has been growing and building trust since losing to the Seahawks. While they haven’t really faced stiff opposition, they also appear to have settled on personnel continuity with more clearly defined roles, which has cultivated that improved trust and allowed the team to ratchet up the schemes to new levels. (ESPN Boston)
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