Concussion Lands Rask on Injured Reserve

The Boston Bruins will start the second half of the NHL season without their franchise goaltender. Tuukka Rask was placed on injured reserve on Monday. Rask suffered a concussion in a collision with Rangers forward Filip Chytil on January 19.

Rask has been his steady self this season, posting a 14-8-3 record along with a .919 SV% in 26 appearances. Veteran backup Jaroslav Halak will take over the starting duties in the interim. The 33-year-old has registered near-identical numbers to Rask this season, posting a 13-9-2 record and a .919 SV%. Halak has struggled recently after starting off the season in impeccable form. He’s allowed 17 goals on 122 shots (.861 SV%) over his last five games.

The Bruins recalled goaltender Zane McIntyre from Providence (AHL) to serve as Halak’s backup. McIntyre hasn’t made an NHL appearance since the 2016-17 season. He played in eight games that year, registering a 3.97 GAA and an .858 SV%.

Fine-Tuning the Roster

The Bruins also recalled forwards Trent Frederic and Peter Cehlarik from Providence on Monday. They are expected to be in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against Winnipeg. Frederic is a former first-round pick of the Bruins from the 2016 NHL Entry draft. He has 25 points in 50 career AHL games and is yet to make his NHL debut. Cehlarik is back-up with the big club after impressing in a three-game stint prior to the All-Star break. He picked up two goals and an assist while skating on Boston’s second-line alongside David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk.

In a pair of corresponding moves, Ryan Donato and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson were demoted to Providence. Forsbacka Karlsson has three goals and six assists in 28 games this season, playing primarily on the Bruins’ fourth-line. Donato has bounced up and down Boston’s lineup this season, totalling six goals and three assists in 34 games.