If you thought things could not get worse for the Bruins down the stretch, they lost a workhorse defenseman for at least Wednesday’s night game in Anaheim.

Nikita Zadorov returned to Boston to deal with a family matter, according to the team.

“I don’t have any further update as far as when he’ll be back but he won’t be available for (Wednesday’s) game,” interim coach Joe Sacco told reporters in Anaheim.

In Zadorov’s place, Parker Wotherspoon bumped up to the top pair with Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell drew back into the lineup on the third pair with Michael Callahan, while the Mason Lohrei-Andrew Peeke pairing was the only defense tandem that remained the same.

The B’s were set to face the Ducks without the top four D-men they began the season with. Charlie McAvoy joined the B’s on the trip but he’s got no timetable for a return to action from the shoulder injury he suffered at Four-Nations in February. Hampus Lindholm (knee) is out for the year and Brandon Carlo was traded away at the deadline.

While Zadorov’s decision-making with the puck has not always been perfect, he’s been quietly effective, if you can say that about a 6-foot-6, 250-pound defender who likes to throw his weight around. On a team that has a stunning minus-46 goal differential, Zadorov is a plus-14. That’s not easy to do. The only other plus player on the B’s is newly arrived Jokiharju (plus-4).

The B’s last game on what has been a brutal road trip is in Detroit on Saturday. They headed into the games against the Ducks’ on a six-game losing streak after their 7–2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, a loss that produced a mini-controversy that involved Zadorov.

In that game, goalie Jeremy Swayman tried to fight Kings’ goalie Darcy Kuemper after Kuemper grabbed Marat Khusnutdinov. It was broken up before any blows were thrown. Asked after the game if he appreciated Swayman sticking up for a teammate, Zadorov issued a “no comment” that came off to many that he was expressing displeasure at Swayman.

Zadorov had to clarify his feelings to reporters in Anaheim on Tuesday.

“Whatever I said, it wasn’t towards Sway. I didn’t expect the question and sometimes you’ve got to understand the situation. You’re pissed off after the game and I was just basically … I was just trying to find positives after the game, there was a lot of negatives to our game,” said Zadorov on Tuesday.

“Obviously, we appreciate in this room guys stepping in for each other and that’s the culture that was here before I came here and I’m trying to follow it as the guy who steps in for teammates … everybody in this room, as long as I’m here, we’re going to stand up for each other. So I think I wasn’t even thinking of a comment towards Sway or anything. Obviously, he’s a huge part of our team. He’s signed for the next eight years, I’m here for the next five years. We’re going to be together for a long time and we’re going to have a lot of success for this team and back in playoff hockey and hopefully win the Cup when I’m here.”

Third time a charm?

Fabian Lysell was set to play his third game of the road trip and fourth game with Boston on Wednesday. He was still looking for his first NHL point.

“Like every player would, I think he’s getting a little more comfortable with each game that passes. He’s doing some good things. He’s got to try and find his way closer to the net,” said Sacco. “It’s hard to create chances. He had a couple last game against LA but they were from the outside, outside the dots or at the top of the circles. I know he’s not the biggest guy, Fabian, but he’s got to try and get himself a little bit closer to the net to be able to create more dangerous scoring chances for himself. He’s done some good things. He’s had some pop in his game, he’s had some energy. His wall play is something he needs to continue to work on as a young player in this league. It’s hard, the defensemen are coming down hard, they seal walls well. That’s an area of focus for him.”

Marchand update

Former Bruin Brad Marchand is inching toward making his Florida Panther debut, which could come as soon as Friday night when the Panthers play Utah in Sunrise.

“We’ll get him through a full practice (Thursday) and then we’ll make an assessment, but are shooting for Utah right now,” Maurice told reporters in Florida, though he added the team will be extra cautious with the playoffs getting closer. “If he says he’d like a few more days before (he plays), we’re good with that. But we need to get him through a few practices to see.”

Traded to the Panthers at the March 7 trade deadline, Marchand has not played since suffering an upper body injury in Pittsburgh on March 1.