Islanders 3, Bruins 2: Tuukka Rask Hurt As Boston Bows To New York

The Boston Bruins dropped a home game to the New York Islanders on Saturday, but lost more than just the game, as goalie, Tuukka Rask, went down with nasty looking knee injury.

Rask was helped off the ice by teammates and rumor has it he left the area in crutches. The severity of his injury is still unknown, but the Bruins have recalled goaltender, Michael Hutchinson, from their AHL affiliate in Providence.

For a closer look at Rask's injury, check out this YouTube Video from HockeyVideosHD, and be sure to stay tuned to the Tuukka Rask injury stream for all the latest updates.

As for the game, the Bruins fell to 38-22-3 on the season, but still hold their position as the second seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Tyler Seguin and Milan Lucic both scored their 22nd goals of the season. Rask's replacement, Tim Thomas, allowed two of the Islanders three goals on 13 shots against.

The B's next game is scheduled for Sunday, March 4, when they travel to New York to face the Islanders.

For more Boston Bruins coverage, visit our team page and blog, Stanley Cup of Chowder.

Missing five of their original twenty roster players, the Boston Bruins will be without an entire quarter of their regulars when they limp in Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon for a crucial matinee tilt with the Eastern Conference-leading Rangers. Here’s a brief rundown of Boston’s seemingly ever-growing injury report.

Nathan Horton – The Bruins’ top line right winger has now missed a month and a half of action after suffering his second concussion in seven months back in mid-January. There isn’t any timetable for number eighteen’s return as speculation has run rampant through the Hub that last year’s Game 7 hero may indeed be done for the season.

Rich Peverley – Peter Chiarelli’s prize acquisition from the 2011 trade deadline has been sidelined since last month with an injury to the MCL in his right knee. The versatile forward is expected to return to the B’s lineup towards the end of March or early April.

Andrew Ference – The 5’11" blueliner is expected to miss his second consecutive game on Sunday as he sits out with what’s only being described as a "lower body injury".

Daniel Paille – Boston’s gritty fourth line stalwart left Saturday’s loss to the Islanders midway through the third period and appeared to be favoring his left arm. The team hasn’t given any formal update on Paille, but he will not be making the trip to New York with the team on Sunday.

Tuukka Rask – Leaving Saturday’s contest during the second period, Rask was reportedly seen leaving the TD Garden on crutches after the loss to New York. While the severity of Rask’s left knee injury is still unknown, the video evidence simply did not look pretty. Rask will not make the trip to Manhattan or Toronto, per head coach Claude Julien.

According to Joe Haggerty of CSN New England, Boston Bruins goal tender Tuukka Rask sustained a left leg injury during the second period of the Bruins vs. Islanders game on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden.

Rask had to be helped off the ice by teammates and trainers midway through the second after he awkwardly fell on his left leg while attempting to crouch into the butterfly position following on a shot by the Islanders' Matt Martin. Rask immediately through his gear to the side and fell to the Garden ice in pain.

While it's unsure what Rask did to his left leg, Haggerty opines that it could have been either a hamstring, knee or groin issue. The severity of the injury is also unknown at this point. Tim Thomas did have to come into the game to replace Rask in net.

For the Bruins, this is the wrong time to lose a goal tender to injury. With Providence starting goal tender Anton Khudobin (wrist) injured, they would likely have to call upon Michael Hutchinson or Adam Courchaine from the minors if Rask is seriously injured.

For more Boston Bruins coverage, visit our team page and blog, Stanley Cup of Chowder

Through 40 minutes at TD Garden, the New York Islanders lead the Boston Bruins, 2-1 heading into the final intermission.

The most compelling news of the period was that Bruins goal keeper Tuukka Rask had to be helped off the ice after an apparent left leg injury midway through the period. Rask had stopped 11 of 12 shots to that point, but was replaced by Tim Thomas in net.

After the Rask injury, the Islanders would have to face an even tougher task in Tim Thomas right? Well, they didn't look intimidated at all. After Adam McQuaid was sent to the box for tripping, the Islanders power play unit came onto the ice looking to break the deadlocked score. Just 30 seconds in, they did just that as winger Matt Moulson beat Thomas for Goal No. 28 on the season. John Tavares and Frans Nielsen were credited with assists.

As the Bruins, they were held in check by Islanders net minder Evgeni Nabokov. Nabokov shut the B's out in the second period, as he's stopped 26 of 27 shots overall. Nabokov was even able to hold his own during a Bruin power play after winger Kyle Okposo was sent to the box after a scuffle with Shawn Thornton.

For more Boston Bruins coverage, visit our team page and blog, Stanley Cup of Chowder

After 20 minutes at TD Garden, the Boston Bruins and the New York Islanders are tied at 1-1 heading into the first intermission.

The two teams took a little while to get going, but the Bruins struck first thanks to a power play opportunity. Isles center Josh Bailey went to the penalty box for slashing Brad Marchand after 13:43 which gave the B's a two-minute power play chance. Milan Lucic capitalized for Boston, as he delivered goal No. 22 on the year through the glove of Evgeni Nabokov to give the B's the 1-0 lead early. Former Islander Brian Rolston and Joe Corvo were credited with assists.

Bailey paid his debt just minutes later as he connected for an equalizing goal past the diving Tuukka Rask to make the score tied at 1-1. Frans Nielsen and David Ullstrom were credited with assists on the play.

The Bruins were one of two on the power play, as they could not capitalize on a P.A. Parenteau two-minute minor for slashing. The Islanders meanwhile have not yet capitalized on the power play, as they could not take advantage of a Jordan Caron slashing penalty or a Shawn Thornton roughing penalty.

Tuukka Rask has saved nine of 10 Islander shots for the Bruins while Evgeni Nabokov has saved 11 of 12 Bruins shots.

For more Boston Bruins coverage, visit our team page and blog, Stanley Cup of Chowder

Event: Boston Bruins vs. New York Islanders
Date/Time: Saturday, March 3, 2012 - 1 p.m. EST.
Location: TD Garden (Capacity: 17,565), Boston, MA.
Broadcast Info: Saturday’s game between the Bruins and the Islanders will be broadcast live on NESN. The game can also be heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with Dave Goucher providing play-by-play, and Bob Beers providing analysis.

Last Time Out: March started off well for the Bruins, despite being only one game into the new month. Thursday night, David Krejci scored a hat trick to give the B’s a 4-3 OT victory over the New Jersey Devils.

That entire first line started to open up in that game, after head coach Claude Julien switched lines up, and put Milan Lucic and Tyler Seguin up there alongside Krejci. Seguin scored the only other goal for the Bruins in that game.

Tim Thomas put on another spectacle on the ice, stopping 28-of-31 shots against him. The second period was rough for Boston, after they let up three unanswered goals through the middle frame. However, Krejci came back in the third period to tie it up, and added his third halfway through overtime.

The Islanders are played on Thursday, facing off against the Philadelphia Flyers. Josh Bailey scored twice and Kyle Okposo once, but they ultimately fell 6-3 and picked up their second straight loss.

Storyline: Besides the second period last game, the Bruins looked more in tune and in sync than they have in a while. They were getting scoring opportunities with some changed up lines, and just looked more rounded--even without some key players in the game.

And for the first time in almost two months, they look like they could pick up two back-to-back wins. The last time that happened was back in January where they won two games in a row after the Vancouver loss at home.

The B’s and the Islanders have played twice this season, and each time Boston has put up six goals against them and are outscoring them 12-2 in the season series.

Nathan Horton has three of those 12 goals and leads the team in that category against this team. Matt Moulson and Michael Grabner are the only two that have scored this year against the B’s.

Players To Watch: Two former Islanders, Brian Rolston and Mike Mottau will have a look at their former team for the first time this afternoon since being traded on Monday. Rolston was put on waivers by the team and picked up by the B’s while Mottau was traded for future considerations. As players normally do, expect them to have a little extra pep in their stride playing against their former team.

Prediction: This is the first real opportunity for the Bruins to get back on track after a mediocre February. They have a great amount of success against this team, and to get two consecutive wins back under their belt could be a huge boost for them. Final Score: Bruins 5, Islanders 1.

For more Boston Bruins coverage, visit our team page and blog, Stanley Cup Of Chowder.