“Just before game time,” said coach Bruce Cassidy, when asked when he knew Bergeron would not be available. “He has an upper-body injury we are managing and he wasn’t able to go. He’s classified as day to day, and hopefully he is better and ready to go Saturday.”

The club did not say how soon Bergeron would be able to return to the lineup, noting only his status is day to day.

TORONTO — All the air was sucked out of family rooms across New England around 6:45 p.m. Thursday when the Bruins informed the media via Twitter that veteran center Patrice Bergeron would not play Game 4 of the Boston-Toronto playoff series because of an unspecified upper-body injury.


Game 5 of the series will at the Garden Saturday night. The Bruins, with a 3-1 lead, can close out the series. Their solid position through four games betters the chance they won’t suit up Bergeron for Game 5, erring on the side of caution with the franchise center.

Bergeron did not skate in the optional morning workout on Thursday, but he chatted briefly with the media in the dressing room, the conversation relating mainly to his being named Wednesday as one of three finalists for the Selke Trophy.

During Wednesday’s workout, Bergeron participated with his usual linemates, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, but Riley Nash took some of the stints between those two. Nash took his spot in Game 4, logged a meaty 19:10 in ice time, and won 12 of 25 faceoffs.

“I try not to put too much pressure on myself,” said Nash, reflecting on his relief role on the top line. “If I am trying to replace him, that’s never going to work. He’s one of the best defensive forwards, one of the best offensive forwards, in the league. I think everyone in the lineup feels a little bit of responsibility to step up their game and just fill the void.”


Asked Thursday morning why Nash was used in Bergeron’s spot the day before, Cassidy said it was merely a way to budget the veteran’s workout time. He clearly knew his top forward was headed for a scratch.

There was no obvious incident in Game 3 Monday that suggested Bergeron was hurt on a specific play. Bergeron looked slightly pale and his voice somewhat hoarse when he talked with the media Thursday morning.

In Boston’s last regular-season visit here in February, Bergeron suffered a fractured bone in his right foot. He played the next night in Buffalo, then exited the lineup for a month to allow the fracture to heal.

In the first two games of this series, Bergeron collected five assists, on a line that amassed 20 points in Games 1-2.

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeKPD.