“They are nagging. Not unique to only Tuukka for that place,” Cassidy said Tuesday.” … And at this time, I do not think there is any reason to believe he will not be prepared to go Thursday. So that is where we are at with Tuukka.”
Rask seemed to be moving gingerly, particularly in the second phase, at a 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders in Game 2 on Monday.
Rask missed considerable time due to injuries this year. After holding his spine in the end of a match against the New Jersey Devils on March 7, he missed six matches.
In his final two starts of the regular season, Rask had been 7-1-0 with a 2.07 goals-against typical and .923 save percent. In seven starts from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he’s 5-2 with a 2.06 GAA and .930 save percent.
“Now’s an off day for everyone, eliminate the rink,” Cassidy said. “If you require therapy, get in. I will have a better update on if there is likely to become a possible problem in the future. But , [Rask will] go in and receive his remedy. Prepare yourself to go tomorrow, I presume, unless I hear otherwise.”
Cassidy was somewhat critical of Rask’s performance in Game two, stating after the match,”I simply didn’t believe he monitored pucks too tonight.”
The Bruins have just two choices should Rask not have the ability to play rookie Jeremy Swayman pulling before veteran Jaroslav Halak down the stretch at the regular season. Swayman made his NHL debut April went 7-3-0 using a 1.50 GAA and .945 save percent. Halak, that missed time with COVID-19 in April, was 9-6-4 using a 2.53 GAA and .905 save percent.
“As for [Rask’s] accident, I do not think there’ll be anything to be worried about,” Cassidy said. “If there is, then clearly we are going to have to sort that.”
