Goaltender Tuukka Rask will be a game-time decision Monday night as the Boston Bruins look to snap their streak of frustration against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Rask was a late scratch Saturday night with an undisclosed ailment, forcing backup Jonas Gustavsson to make an unexpected start in the Bruins’ 3-2 shootout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rask reportedly was the first goalie off the ice following Monday’s morning skate, but Bruins coach Claude Julien said afterward he had not yet decided which netminder would get the nod against the Flyers.
“We’re going to make a decision (Monday night),” Julien told reporters, via BostonBruins.com. “If (Rask) is 100 percent, he’s going. So, that hasn’t been answered yet.”
It appears Julien once again will trot out a new lineup for the game, as Ryan Spooner reportedly skated at left wing on Boston’s second line during morning skate. Spooner, a usual centerman, played right wing on the top line against Columbus in place of Brett Connolly. Connolly sat that game out as a healthy scratch but is expected back in his typical spot Monday night.
The Bruins also shook up their bottom six, with David Pastrnak and Jimmy Hayes reportedly lining up at right wing on the third and fourth lines, respectively.
Monday’s game will be the third matchup this season between Boston and Philadelphia. The Bruins lost each of the first two, blowing a third-period lead in both games.
Here are the projected lines and pairings, as reported by the teams:
UPDATE (7 p.m. ET): Rask started Monday night’s game in net for Boston.
BOSTON BRUINS (25-17-5)
Brad Marchand — Patrice Bergeron — Brett Connolly
Ryan Spooner — David Krejci — Loui Eriksson
Matt Beleskey — Joonas Kemppainen — David Pastrnak
Zac Rinaldo — Max Talbot — Jimmy Hayes
Zdeno Chara — Zach Trotman
Joe Morrow — Dennis Seidenberg
Torey Krug — Kevan Miller
Tuukka Rask
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (20-17-8)
Jakub Voracek — Claude Giroux — Wayne Simmonds
Matt Read — Michael Raffl — Brayden Schenn
R.J. Umberger — Scott Laughton — Jordan Weal
Chris VandeVelde — Pierre-Edourard Bellemare — Ryan White
Michael Del Zotto — Radko Gudas
Nick Schultz — Mark Streit
Shayne Gostisbehere — Brandon Manning
Michal Neuvirth
Thumbnail photo via Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports Images
