Tuukka Rask, who had a chance to set the franchise record for career victories, instead had to leave a 3-2 loss to the Rangers after sustaining a concussion. The B’s don’t play again until Jan. 29
BOSTON - An air of uncertainty will accompany the Bruins on their eight-day vacation.
The Bruins lost their final game before a combined bye week and All-Star break, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Rangers on Saturday night at TD Garden. The game also saw them lose No. 1 goalie Tuukka Rask to a concussion.
Rask, 6-0-1 with a 1.70 goals against average and .942 saves percentage in his previous seven starts, was shooting for his franchise record 253rd career victory. He was forced out of the game when Rangers forward Filip Chytil crashed into him an instant after he scored with 1:18 left in the first period. He was replaced by Jaroslav Halak, who surrendered two goals on 13 shots and was charged with the loss.
The Bruins’ next game is Tuesday, Jan. 29, against the Jets at TD Garden.
Mika Zibanejad’s second goal of the night, scored during a power play with 10:55 left in the game, was the winner. His goal, scored while B’s captain Zdeno Chara was in the penalty box for accidentally swatting a puck out of the air and into the stands, answered the one Brad Marchand (19th of the season) scored to tie it, 2-2, at 3:24 of the third.
Rask was injured only 1:04 after Danton Heinen gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead with his sixth goal of the season at 17:28 of the first period. After he’d done a good job to control the puck under pressure just inside the Rangers’ blue line, Heinen pushed it down the right wing boards, where Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson won a battle for it. Forsbacka Karlsson brought it off the boards as linemate David Backes drew coverage off the crease, and Heinen stepped into space in between to direct Forsbacka Karlsson’s pass through Henrik Lundqvist with 2:32 left in the first period.
The Bruins’ problems on the tying goal began when Chara got tied up and fell down below the Rangers’ goal line. Chytil collected the puck, beat Patrice Bergeron’s check, and went directly at David Pastrnak, who was backing up to cover for Chara. Chytil got around Pastrnak in the right circle, shot and scored as he got below it, and crashed hard into Rask after contact with B’s defenseman Charlie McAvoy.
Rask, who was able to speak with team trainer Don Del Negro as he lay on his back, was finally helped to his skates and led off the ice by teammates. The B’s announced in the second period that he had been diagnosed with a concussion.
The Rangers took a 2-1 lead in on Mika Zibanejad’s 16th goal of the season, 5:22 into the second period. Winger Mats Zuccarello, who had to take a faceoff after Zibanejad was ejected, won the draw from Patrice Bergeron straight back to Brady Skjei at the left point. Skjei snapped the puck into the slot, from where Zibanejad deflected it through Halak.