Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask will miss weekend back-to-back
After his attempted comeback from a six-game absence lasted just 20 minutes on Thursday night, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask will find himself back on the shelf for at least two more contests, as the team has ruled the 34-year-old out for their weekend back-to-back against the Sabres and Devils at TD Garden.
“He will not play this weekend and then we’ll go from there until he’s back on the ice,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said following Friday’s practice. “Don’t believe there’s anything major there, but obviously something is going on where he had to leave the game again with a similar injury to last time. So we’ll have to make sure we get it looked at and make the right call the next time.”
In net for the first period of what finished as a 4-3 overtime loss for the Bruins, Rask stopped all six Islander shots thrown his way, but visibly struggled on his way off the ice (similar to his late-game exit from a Mar. 7 loss to the Devils).
The injury was classified as an upper-body ailment, and came after Rask was given the go-ahead despite not getting a chance to test his readiness with a morning skate, as a scheduling conflict at Warrior Ice Arena cancelled Boston’s morning skate.
“We assumed he was ready to play [Thursday],” Cassidy acknowledged. “That’s why he was in. He said he was [ready], medical staff [said he was ready]. But obviously we have to keep a closer eye on it if something is going to flare up.”
With Rask out, the Bruins will turn back to a Jaroslav Halak and Daniel Vladar tandem. Halak stopped 17 of 21 in relief on Thursday, and has a 7-4-3 record and .915 save percentage on the season.
