After missing the first five games of the regular season because of a case of diverticulitis, Boston Bruins forward David Backes will have surgery Thursday to remove part of his colon

DAVID BACKES

He’s expected to be out about eight weeks.

“The decision to have surgery was made in consultation with team physicians as well as outside specialists in the management of diverticulitis,” Bruins internist Dr. David Finn said in the statement. “David’s episode of diverticulitis at the beginning of the season was his second episode in two months and was complicated with an abscess that required drainage.

“Repeated episodes, like what David experienced, have a very high likelihood of recurrence in the near term, which is why he was advised to have surgery to remove the area of colon causing the problem. It was determined that attempting to delay the surgery until after the season was an unacceptable risk to his health.”

Finn added Backes was cleared to play starting Oct. 19 while waiting for his colon to properly heal, with the return to game action serving as no additional risk to his health during that time.

Backes, now in the second year of a five-year, $30 million contract, has recorded one assist in five games this season for Boston.

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COYOTES: Arizona recalled goaltender Louis Domingue and defenseman Dakota Mermis from AHL Tucson.

The Coyotes also assigned defenseman Joel Hanley and goalie Hunter Miska to Tucson.

HURRICANES: Defenseman Brett Pesce will miss the team’s upcoming two-game trip with a concussion.

WEDNESDAY’S GAME

BLACKHAWKS 3, FLYERS 0: Corey Crawford made 35 saves in his first shutout of the season, and host Chicago stopped a three-game slide.

Artem Anisimov and Jonathan Toews scored 20 seconds apart in the second period and Crawford took over from there, helping Chicago kill off three Philadelphia power plays in the last half of the game.

Rookie Alex DeBrincat added an empty-net goal with 1:49 left in Crawford’s 22nd career shutout.


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