Tuukka Rask Will Be Back In Net For Bruins In Game 2 Vs. Hurricanes
BOSTON (CBS) -- Roughly 24 hours ago, Tuukka Rask wrapped up a 25-save effort for the Bruins in a Game 1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. He'll be back in net for Boston in just a few hours for Game 2.
Despite some chatter that Bruce Cassidy may turn to backup netminder Jaroslav Halak, given the quick turnaround and the fact that the Bruins and Canes went to double overtime on Wednesday, the Bruins head coach said Thursday morning that he's going back to Tuukka.
Rask played 81 minuets of hockey on Wednesday in Boston's double overtime victory. While, yes, Thursday's game represents a rare postseason back-to-back, something that would only occur in this strange year of 2020, Cassidy said that he weighed three factors when making his decision in net for Game 2.
None of those factors deterred him from starting the Vezina finalist.
"How's Tuukka feeling coming out of the game? He felt fine," Cassidy explained Thursday. "Was there a lot of wear and tear, to the point where recovery would require more than 24-30 hours? I don't think so. We were pretty clean in front of him [Wednesday]; there were not a lot of demanding stretches. Still, it was four periods of hockey, so he's got to be on his toes the whole game."
Cassidy said the timing of the two games was the third and final factor when making his decision. But he noted that this is no normal back-to-back, because thanks to life in the Toronto bubble, there is no strenuous travel involved between games.
"Back-to-backs, those decisions have lot to do with travel or a short night's sleep. We didn't have any of those factors," Cassidy noted. "We went to the rink and back to the hotel, so obviously there's no travel and you get a full night's sleep. That had a lot to do with it."
So when the puck drops around 8 p.m. Thursday evening, it will be Rask between the pipes for Boston. That is, of course, assuming the Blue Jackets and Lightning take less than six hours to play their Game 2 on Thursday afternoon.
