Tuukka Rask Out Four to Six Weeks With Lower Abdomen Strain, Groin Strain

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Mar 5, 2012

Tuukka Rask Out Four to Six Weeks With Lower Abdomen Strain, Groin StrainWhen Tuukka Rask left Saturday's game against the Islanders, it didn't look good. The Finnish goaltender was helped off the ice after suffering what — at the time — to be an apparent leg injury.

As it turns out, it's actually a lower abdomen strain/groin strain, which will require Rask to miss four to six weeks, the Bruins announced on Monday.

The only other information available prior to Monday's announcement by the club was that Rask would not accompany the team on its current two-game road trip, which began on Sunday in New York. The B's will next square off with the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Tuesday before returning to TD Garden to take on the Sabres on Thursday.

Michael Hutchinson has been called up from Providence in place of the injured Rask, and could be in line to see some starts down the stretch should the B's elect to give Tim Thomas some rest before the postseason.

While it's unfortunate that Rask could be sidelined for more than a month, it's encouraging to hear that he's not ruled out for the remainder of the season, as that appeared to be a very realistic possibility with how serious the injury initially looked. Rask was even seen leaving TD Garden on crutches on Saturday.

Rask, who turns 25 on Saturday, is 11-8-3 with a 2.05 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in 23 games this season.

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