The Boston Bruins, once again, are going to be running shorthanded.
In their first game in a week, the Boston Bruins lost both Tuukka Rask and Karson Kuhlman.
Rask was in his first game back since apparently tweaking his back against the New Jersey Devils. He ended up leaving the game Thursday against the New York Islanders at the end of the first period.
“Tuukka was in this morning, he was getting treatment,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy indicated after Friday’s practice. “He will not play this weekend, and then we’ll go from there. … I don’t believe there’s anything major there, but obviously something’s going on where he had to leave the game again with a similar injury to last time.”
With Rask out, Dan Vladar likely will back up Jaroslav Halak, and very well might play Sunday against New Jersey.
Karson Kuhlman, meanwhile, left early in the third period after blocking a shot at the point. Right after getting hit, Kuhlman went straight toward the bench and down the tunnel.
“He is gone to get an MRI,” Cassidy said. “Obviously blocked a shot, I think everyone saw that part of it, and couldn’t hold his stick today. So he’s gone to get looked at to make sure there’s nothing — I think when you talk about those small bones, you’ve got to take a closer look. So he won’t play tomorrow, and depending on the MRI, if it’s negative or no damage, then it becomes a matter of comfort with holding his stick, and I’d only be speculating when that could be. But he’ll be ruled out for tomorrow.”
That said, Zach Senyshyn (upper-body) looks like he is in a position to return against the Buffalo Sabres and that Jeremy Lauzon (fractured hand) could potentially be back Sunday against the Devils.
“Senyshyn on the other hand does feel like he’s going to be able to play,” Cassidy said. “So assuming there’s no tenderness in the morning or something that would prevent (him) or crop up, then he’ll go in Kuhlman’s spot. …
“Lauzon is very close to playing. He just needs reps right now with his hand, make sure he handles pucks and is comfortable handling pucks. So he is very, very close. … We will not put him (Saturday), but we’ll put him as day-to-day.”
Cassidy indicated that the Lauzon situation is a little complicated because it’s just a matter of getting reps, but the Bruins’ schedule is so compressed right now that they’re not getting a lot of practice time.
Brandon Carlo, Ondrej Kase and Kevan Miller all skated together earlier in the day.
