Tuukka Rask 'Got Stomach Bug At Worst Possible Time'
BOSTON (CBS) --Tuukka Rask has spoken, and he insists that over the weekend, he was very sick.
"When you're sick, you're sick," Rask said Monday. "Trust me, if I felt like there was a chance I could help the team, I would've gone out there. But I couldn't even stand up."
Rask did not play on Saturday in the Bruins regular-season finale, as Providence goaltender Jeremy Smith was recalled on an emergency basis just hours before the game. Rask did take the ice for warmups, but he spent most of the time down on a knee near center ice. He eventually skated to the crease and took several shots, but quickly skated off after a very brief warmup.
"It's terrible, obviously. But you can't control it. So that sucks, but it's life. And when it happens at the worst possible time, it just happens and you have to take it," Rask said. "It's tough. It's really tough. But there's nothing you can do about it."
The Bruins ended up losing 6-1, though it was hardly backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson's fault. As a result, the Bruins failed to reach the postseason for the second straight year.
He said the sickness came on Friday night, and though he's now feeling better, he still hasn't really eaten.
Rask has been the target of some fans' scorn this season, which saw his goals-against average jump to 2.56 and his save percentage drop to .915. While the defensemen playing in front of him were often responsible for giving up many more prime scoring opportunities than they had in years past, Rask's high salary and cap hit increased expectations.
The 29-year-old Rask is signed through the 2020-21 season, carrying a cap hit of $7 million per year.
