Maple Leafs' Bolland to have surgery on lacerated leg

VANCOUVER - Toronto Maple Leafs center Dave Bolland will have surgery Saturday night after the back of his left leg was lacerated by the skate of Vancouver Canucks forward Zack Kassian in the second period of their game.

Coach Randy Carlyle said after the 4-0 loss the cut was similar to the Achilles injury suffered by Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson last season. Karlsson missed 10 weeks.

Bolland was wheeled out of Rogers Arena on a stretcher.

"I don't know the severity or which tendon, but he did suffer a cut into that area," Carlyle said. "He will have surgery to repair that tonight."

Bolland sustained the injury on a hit by Kassian in the right corner of the Toronto zone. Kassian's left skate appeared to catch the back of Bolland's left leg just above the ankle, causing the Toronto forward to drop to the ice.

"I haven't really [seen] it," Carlyle said. "I know Kassian went in to finish his check … I can't comment other than that."

Kassian, who was suspended eight games for breaking the jaw of Edmonton Oilers center Sam Gagner with his stick, said it was a clean hit.

"I went in there hard to finish my hit, I don't know what happened, but it was a clean hit," Kassian said. "I know it was clean."

Kassian scored while Bolland was lying on the ice to give the Canucks a 2-0 lead at 2:07 of the second.

"We were on the body, turning pucks over," Kassian said. "Obviously you never want to see someone get hurt like that, but (Richardson) made a great play to be patient with it behind the net and wait for my guy to open and those are tough shots to miss in the slot."

Losing Bolland will be a blow for a Toronto team already missing top center Tyler Bozak, who was placed on long-term injured reserve with a lower body injury and must miss at least six more games.

Bolland, who was acquired by Toronto in the offseason from the Chicago Blackhawks shortly after winning his second Stanley Cup, was centering the second line with Bozak out. Bolland had six goals and four assists through 14 games.

"He's a huge part of our team," James van Riemsdyk said of Bolland. "You never like to see a guy like that go down."