WASHINGTON, DCTuukka Rask inches closer to being ready for playoff action as the intensity increases with each passing Bruins practice, but Claude Julien was still not willing to put a timetable on his goaltenders recovery from a groinabdomen strain.
Rask went through the most rigorous workout since his recovery during Mondays morning skate prior to Game 3, and the goaltender said hes feeling no limitations as he slips back into game condition.
But Julien said the Bruins are being extra careful with their Finnish netminder because theyd never want to get into a doomsday situation where both Tim Thomas and Rask went down during the same playoff game.
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Its not a matter of Rask being ready. Its a matter of him being 100 percent ready.
Hes getting closer. I dont know if hes ready for Game 4, 5, 6 or 7, or if it will be the second round, said Claude Julien. Hes looking good, but the one thing youve got to be careful ofbecause hes a goaltenderwith the injury he had is that you dont rush him back.
The last thing you need is for Tim to go down, and then Tuukka comes in and goes down after the first or second shot faced. Were just making sure that when hes back that hes 100 percent, said Claude Julien. Not that hes feeling good, but that hes 100 percent. Right now we have a good backup in Anton Khudobin that had a good year in the minors and had a game for us against Ottawa.
It allows us the time for Tuukka to not just strengthen it up, but to get him in shape and sharp so were not wondering what kind of game hed be giving us if he got in there.Sounds like Rask might still have some work to do before hes actually ready to suit up in the playoff series, so stay tuned to the updates from practice.