The second half of the Boston Bruins’ usual goaltending duo will be back on the bench Thursday night in Buffalo.
The Bruins on Thursday cleared backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson to play after he missed Boston’s last game with an elevated heart rate.
“The final testing is complete and all results have been reviewed by the Bruins medical staff,” the team said in a statement. “Jonas has been cleared to resume full on-ice participation with the team without any restrictions.”
Gustavsson, who has a history of heart issues, left last Tuesday’s loss to the Anaheim Ducks after one period and was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital. He returned to the ice following the All-Star break but had not yet been cleared for game action when the Bruins hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
American Hockey League call-up Malcolm Subban backed up starting goalie Tuukka Rask for that game, which Boston lost 4-3 in overtime. The team on Thursday sent Subban back to Providence.
Though Gustavsson underwent three surgical procedures on his heart earlier in his NHL career, the 31-year-old said he viewed this latest incident as more of a nuisance than a legitimate scare.
“I wasn’t too worried about it,” Gustavsson told reporters, via the team’s official website. “I was more frustrated, leaving the (Ducks) game. I actually wanted to keep going in the game, but it’s always best to make sure everything is OK and that’s what we did now.
“I’m just happy it’s over with and I’m back to being here and trying to help the team win games.”
Gustavsson, who is 9-3-1 with a 2.38 goals against average and .915 save percentage in 15 starts this season, is expected to back up Rask on Thursday night as the Bruins visit the Sabres.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
