Tuukka Rask considered a game-time decision for Sunday vs. Flyers
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
The Boston Bruins may begin their round-robin tournament without Tuukka Rask in net.
Despite being named the round-robin starter following Thursday’s exhibition game against the Blue Jackets, Rask will enter Sunday as a game-time decision after feeling under the weather on Saturday, according to Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy.
“He wasn’t feeling well; unfit to participate today,” said Cassidy.
And with Sunday’s game against the Flyers being a 3 p.m. start, Cassidy admitted that he was currently unsure if Rask will be able to go, and said that he’d have to talk to him later to see where he’s at.
Rask, who stopped 17 of 20 shots in his half-game exhibition outing against Columbus on Thursday, posted a 26-8-6 record and .929 save percentage save in 41 appearances this season. Rask was also named as one of the three finalists for the 2019-20 Vezina Trophy.
If Rask is unable to go, Jaroslav Halak, who stopped all 10 shots faced in relief of Rask on Thursday, will get the call in net.
In other injury news, Bruins winger Brad Marchand returned to his spot next to Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak on Boston’s top line for Saturday’s practice. Marchand exited Thursday’s game with an undisclosed injury, but Cassidy noted that he expects Marchand to be “100 percent” when the puck drops tomorrow.
Nick Ritchie also returned to the ice with the team and split time with Jack Studnicka as the Bruins’ second-line right wing.
And after missing almost all of Phase 3, Ondrej Kase rejoined the Bruins and skated with the team’s second group. Kase, who did not travel to Toronto with the Bruins, apparently was not subject to the mandatory four-day quarantine upon his arrival to Canada as previously assumed, and is a possibility to play in Wednesday’s round-robin contest.