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The Bruins are committing themselves to getting Tuukka Rask back on track, which is why the 30-year-old is expected to find himself back in net for Saturday’s road matinee against the Flyers.
This will be the third straight start for Rask, and comes after a solid 19-of-21 performance against the Lightning on Wednesday night, which gave Rask his first win in almost a full month.
Rask, all the while, has not tried to hide from his needs.
“I need it,… Rask said when asked if he hopes Wednesday is the start of a hot streak. “I need it, but it was good to see, there was a post-and-out [Wednesday]. That’s always a positive. So, enjoy the little things, because you know, so many times it hits my heel and goes in, and [Wednesday] it didn’t.…
It probably doesn’t hurt that Rask will come into that start against a Philly team that’s won just one of their last 10 games, and with a 12-2-3 record and .926 save percentage in 17 career starts vs. Philly.
The Bruins may get an added boost to their lineup, too, as both Anders Bjork (undisclosed) and David Krejci (re-aggravating his upper-body injury) could potentially return to action.
Bjork, out of action since Matt Martin leveled him with a huge hit on Nov. 11, has been skating the last few days, and appears to just need his conditioning to improve before he gets back into action. Krejci, meanwhile, skated with a non-contact jersey at practice, so perhaps caution is still the game.
“Bjork is day-to-day and still looking like a possibility,… Cassidy said after Friday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “Krejci felt better today and that’s encouraging and if he wakes up tomorrow he could potentially go in. I think Bjork is the closest. [Jake] DeBrusk skated and is feeling better but he will not play tomorrow. Adam McQuaid is still out but progressing.…
With Rask in net on Saturday, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy is expected to give Monday’s start in Nashville to backup Anton Khudobin, who remains undefeated on the year, at 7-0-2.
Ty Anderson is the Boston Bruins beat writer for WEEI.com, and has been covering the National Hockey League for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010. He can be heard on the Saturday Skate program on 93.7 WEEI (Boston), and has been part of the Boston Chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Contact him on Twitter or send him an email at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com.