Bruins Notebook: Uncertain situation in net ahead of elimination game

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has a dilemma between the pipes going into a playoff elimination game on Long Island.

Cassidy hooked starting goalie Tuukka Rask between the second and third periods in the Bruins’ 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders in Game 5 Monday night at TD Garden.

The Islanders can close out the second round series Wednesday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and advance to the Stanley Cup semifinals. If the Bruins force a Game 7, it will face off at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at the Garden.

Rask gave up four goals, three short-handed, on 16 shots over 40 minutes and was replaced by Jeremy Swayman, a promising but playoff-untested rookie. Swayman gave up what proved to be the game-winning goal to Brock Nelson at 1:59 of the third period.

Rask has been dealing with a nagging injury throughout the series and will be evaluated following the pregame skate on Wednesday morning.

“Tuukka was here going over things with Bob (goalie coach Essensa),” said Cassidy. “He will get his treatment and find out on Wednesday how he is and if he is able to go or not.

“We are moving on and we will see who gets the net in Game 6. We need to play better and I need to coach better.”

Rask came out of the Bruins opening round 4-1 series victory over the Washington Capitals primed for an extended playoff run. But his numbers have fallen slightly against the Islanders; he’s posted a 2.20 goals against average and .925 save percentage after 10 games. Montreal’s Carey Price tops all active goalies with a .935 save percentage while Las Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury has the lowest (1.79) goals against average.

Cassidy had no regrets starting Rask in Game 5 but is receptive to making a change if necessary.

“We try to give you as much information as possible, we feel it is the right way to do it but there are certain things that stay in house here,” said Cassidy. “We factored in a number of different things and first of all with Tuukka, we are happy with his performance.

“He has been better than he was (Monday) and we weren’t good enough in front of him as well. Let’s face it, you need your goaltender to bail you out when you are not and it didn’t happen.

“It happened in other games and it happened in the previous series so we are not dissatisfied with Tuukka’s play. There are some health issues, we know that and give that some time. But the decision was the right one and I’m not going to second guess it.”

Pay for say/play

Cassidy and left wing Nick Ritchie were a shade lighter in the wallet on Tuesday courtesy of the NHL’s judiciary. Cassidy was fined $25,000 for making public comments critical of the officiating in Game 5. Ritchie was levied $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for elbowing Islanders’ defenseman Scott Mayfield at 13:57 of the first period. Mayfield was involved in a dust up with Bruins left-wing Taylor Hall in Game 4.

Ritchie’s fine was handed down by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety and the proceeds go to the Players Emergency Assistance Fund. Cassidy’s involuntary contribution went to the NHL Foundation.

“I was held accountable for it,” said Cassidy. “We are told before we have to keep our comments civil. I thought it was but they didn’t see it that way.”

Cassidy took issue with Islanders’ coach Barry Trotz, who called out Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron as “a veteran guy who knows how to cheat on faceoffs.” Cassidy saw that as a bald-faced attempt by Trotz to influence the officials and was the source of his post-game comments.

“I guess most of what I thought I said was more in reference to the Islanders’ gamesmanship and Barry’s comments towards Bergy,” said Cassidy. “I’m going protect my captain and try to push back a little bit.”

Injury update

Cassidy said injured defensemen Brandon Carlo (upper body) and Kevan Miller (upper body) and fourth-line center Curtis Lazar would not make the trip to Uniondale, N.Y. Lazar, 26, left the Game 5 at 4:35 of the first period with a leg injury and did not return.

Sean Kuraly will likely take over the center spot on the fourth line and Cassidy could activate Trent Frederic to play left wing. He could also put Jake DeBrusk back on the third line with Charlie Coyle and Ritchie and move Karson Kuhlman to fourth line. Kuhlman started in place of DeBrusk in Game 5.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3w5exy5