Returning from any type of off-season surgery is no easy take, especially for a 34-year old goalie.

After missing three plus months to recover from hip surgery, Rask returned to the crease for the Bruins on Jan. 13, failing to get any games in prior with the Providence Bruins after COVID related issues caused the postponement of two games, at least one of which Rask would have started.

Rask has started four games in total for the Bruins since, showing more and more rust with each passing game. Tuesday’s 5-3 loss being the most glaring example of that.

“Well, he’s not where he needs to be. I mean I think that’s evident and we weren’t sure he would be this soon either,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I think you need seven or eight probably, starts, and it hasn’t been a long layoff, he was just in the net [Saturday].

“He’s got to sort through it, work out the kinks in his game, track pucks a little better, find pucks, puck touches, all the things that you have to get back into your game where he feels good about it.”

The process of getting your game back to where it needs to be after this long of a layoff between the end of your season, and the beginning of the next is a different path for everyone. For a 24-year old forward coming off off-season surgery and missing over three months, he may be able to jump right back into it a little easier.

But for Rask, an elder of the game, and, as we’re seeing, there’s going to be bumps in the road.

“I think you’re a proud player, trying to set your expectations high but the reality sometimes doesn’t match it,” said Rask. “Obviously I haven’t been good enough, kind of the inconsistency within the game from game in and game out hasn’t been there, just got to fix that. I’m not satisfied obviously.”

In fixing your issues and knocking off the rust, identifying where the bulk of the rust is, is a good first step. For Rask, he’s done that.

“I think it’s more like my depth at times. Looking briefly at some of those goals, too deep in the crease, giving too much net away and then tracking the puck obviously is not as sharp as it should be, puck play also,” said Rask.

“I got to work on it and then make some saves at time showing that it’s still there, then the consistency within the game, too, can’t let in one or two bad goals in the game because then you’re doing the total opposite that you’re supposed to at that point.”

Unfortunately time is against the Bruins. With an onslaught of games on the docket for the month of February, and less practice time in between because of it, Rask and the Bruins are going to have to do this on the fly in hopes of shaking off the rust, finding that consistency and getting back to his game sooner rather than later.

“Only way you can do it is by playing and we’re midway through the season and we don’t have the luxury of throwing games away, putting me in net and trying to figure it out,” said Rask.

“I need to be sharp every time I go out there and that’s my job to find it I guess, but it’s not easy. I just got to work on it and game in and game out find that consistency and help the team get some wins.”

Ullmark will get the start on Wednesday in Colorado. From there, Rask will be back between the pipes either Friday in Arizona or Sunday in Dallas.

Whenever that next start comes, hopefully there’s more consistency within that game. That of course, is all Rask is searching for, for now.

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