Boston Bruins veteran goalkeeper Tuukka Rask announced just hours before Saturday’s Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes that he would choose to return from the NHL to Play to be with his family.
The shocking statement came two days after Rask criticized the unusual playoff format, and it seemed like “an exhibition game” without the presence of fans.
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“I want to participate with my teammates, but right now there are things more important than hockey in my life, and that’s with my family,” Rask said in a statement shared by the team on Saturday.
“I want to thank the Bruins and my teammates for their support and wish them success.”
The Bruins have struggled since the playoffs began. Coming as the No.1 seed with 100 points, the Bruins went 0-3 in the round robin games. Fast and forward Brad Marchand dismissed the performance as nothing more than practice.
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“I mean, let’s call it what it is: They are exhibition matches for the playoffs,” Marchand said prior to the start of the Canes series. “It’s bad to have the same mentality as a playoff series. That we will not base our achievements – what it will be against Carolina. ”
Rask also called it a chance to ‘shake off the rest’, but his tune didn’t change much after a disappointing Game 2 loss on Thursday night.
‘To be honest with you, it doesn’t really feel like play-off hockey. There are no fans, so it’s fun to play an exhibition game, ”he said. ‘That it sometimes feels boring. There are moments when there are scrums and what not, and then there will be five minutes when it’s from hockey to shore. There is no atmosphere. That it feels like an exhibition game. We try our best to ramp up and get started, and make it feel like it’s a playoff game. ”
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The Bruins will likely use backup goalkeeper Jaroslav Halak in Saturday’s game.
