Boston Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid, who left Tuesday's game against the Winnipeg Jets after suffering an upper-body injury, will be sidelined for 3-4 weeks with a left shoulder strain, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.

He reportedly was seen leaving the team hotel in Ottawa with his left arm in a sling.

McQuaid was injured at 2:39 of the first period and did not return during Boston's 3-1 loss to the Jets.

He was off-balance when he collided with Jets forward Eric Tangradi to the right of Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask. McQuaid fell awkwardly into the corner boards and was favoring his left side as he skated off the ice on his own.

Boston was forced to play the remainder of the game with only five defensemen. Zdeno Chara (26:51), Dennis Seidenberg (27:57), Johnny Boychuk (21:41), Andrew Ference (22:10) and Dougie Hamilton (17:40) all played extra minutes in McQuaid's absence.

After playing the first half of this lockout-shortened, 48-game season with only seven man-games lost to injury, the Bruins' good fortune is catching up to them.

The Bruins already are without the services of David Krejci (lower body) and forward Chris Kelly (broken left tibia).

McQuaid has one goal and three assists for four points in 25 games. He also has a plus-4 rating.