BOSTON – Tuukka Rask hadn’t yet appeared in a preseason game, but he will get his full 60 minutes of work on Monday night against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden.
The Bruins have understandably looked heavily into the backup goalie situation with an open competition to be Rask’s understudy, but that focus will go away for one game after two goalies (Zane McIntyre and Malcolm Subban both sent to Providence) were removed from the competition by getting cut Sunday from NHL training camp.
So Jonas Gustavsson and Jeremy Smith could get one last look with three preseason games remaining on the schedule, but Rask will get whatever work he needs prior to a season with another heavy workload as Boston’s No. 1 goaltender.
“I’ve been fine. I’m sure I could have had a half-game, or a game, if I really wanted to. But I figured that I’ll play my games this week, and carry it over into next week,” said Rask. “Everybody seems to be having fun and working hard, and now you’re starting to see that the team is piecing itself together as we get closer to the regular season.
“This last week is going to be exciting for us playing three games, and having most of the lineup for what it’s going to be next week too.”
With Rask expected to play the full game on Monday night, here are the line combos and D-pairings with some young players like Austin Czarnik and Frank Vatrano getting a good look with established NHL players on their respective lines.
Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson
Beleskey-Czarnik-Pastrnak
Vatrano-Spooner-Hayes
Kelly-Kemppainen-Talbot
Arnesson- K. Miller
Krug-Trotman
Morrow-C. Miller
Tuukka Rask, Jonas Gustavsson