USA’s Charlie McAvoy to miss 4 Nations final with upper-body injury

The Boston Bruins announced Tuesday that Charlie McAvoy will not play for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game against Team Canada on Thursday.

“Charlie was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday to undergo testing related to an upper-body injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off and is currently being evaluated by Boston Bruins Head Team Physician Dr. Peter Asnis,” the team said in a statement on social media, adding that the team will provide further updates on his condition and status as soon as it becomes available.

Daily Faceoff hockey insider Frank Seravalli is reporting that McAvoy was admitted to Mass. General Hospital Monday for an infection that stemmed from a minor injury.

Boston Globe reporter Jim McBride reported late Monday night that McAvoy was admitted to the hospital with an upper-body injury while the U.S. was playing Team Sweden in Boston’s TD Garden.

USA Head Coach Mike Sullivan said McAvoy is dealing with an upper-body injury.

McAvoy, along with forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Auston Matthews, was already held out of Monday’s game for precautionary measures, leaving the U.S. with 11 forwards and six defensemen against Sweden.

Later in the game, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew’s brother, sustained an injury in the first period and left the game shortly after. Sullivan says Brady Tkachuk’s departure was precautionary, as the team already secured a spot in the championship game on Thursday thanks to two regulation wins over Finland and Canada to start the tournament, so their game against Sweden was nothing more than a formality for them.

The Americans lost 2-1 to Sweden, thanks to goals from Gustav Nyquist and Jesper Bratt, while Samuel Errson made his first appearance, stopping 32 shots. Meanwhile, Chris Kreider scored for the U.S., and Jake Oettinger made 21 saves in a losing effort.

McAvoy is plus-one through two games at the tournament. In 50 games with the Boston Bruins this season, the 27-year-old native of Long Beach, N.Y., has seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points.

Now in his eighth full NHL campaign, McAvoy, taken No. 14 overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, has 60 goals and 240 assists for 300 points and 429 penalty minutes in 504 career regular-season games.

McAvoy has also played in 91 Stanley Cup Playoff games, scoring six goals and 42 assists for 48 points.