Rask practices, could return to ice during Bruins road trip
BOSTON (AP) The Boston Bruins have been outscored 14-4 during their current three-game losing streak. Help might be on the way just in time for the Bruins to start a difficult road trip against three Atlantic Division rivals.
Goaltender Tuukka Rask practiced with the Bruins on Friday and should be available to at least serve as the backup against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Rask hadn't been on the ice with his teammates because of an undisclosed injury since he made 28 saves in a 2-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 20.
Rask isn't completely healed so he and the Bruins are trying to strike a balance between being able to play and not risking further damage.
''That's the thing we're kind of talking about, we talked about last week, risk/reward, what it is and how should be proceed,'' Rask said. ''It feels good enough now that I can comfortably practice.''
Coach Claude Julien saw enough Friday to have confidence Rask could dress against the Red Wings and be in consideration to start. The Bruins were expected to send one of their other goaltenders, Zane McIntyre or Malcolm Subban, to Providence of the American Hockey League before departing for Detroit.
''If he's great, and he practiced well today, and if he's good (Saturday) and there's no issues there (he can play),'' Julien said. ''He looked good to me today. So we'll make that decision but I think we've gone this far, we're going to make sure we make the right decision, not the reckless one.''
Rask started the season 3-0-0 for the first time in his career and had a 1.68 goals-against average and .947 save percentage. But he was hardly healthy. The injury began to bother him on opening night in a 6-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 13. Two nights later he didn't start against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Rask said he felt fine when made 34 saves in a 4-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 17. But he had to battle through the injury against the Devils three nights later.
''The Jersey game was the toughest one. It wasn't too tough. It's just nagging, painful sometimes, but I didn't feel like I hurt anything,'' he said.
With forward David Backes still out after elbow surgery and forward David Pastrnak suspended two games for an illegal check to the head in the 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday, the Bruins needed some positive news before leaving for their road trip, which continues against the Florida Panthers (Tuesday) and Tampa Bay Lightning (Thursday) after Detroit.
''I'm excited to get back out on the road with this team,'' Julien said. ''You control what you can and we can control our enthusiasm, our commitment and everything else. And then go about our business that way and I think that's all we can do right now.''
