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Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask has opted out of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the team announced Saturday. Boston is currently tied 1-1 in the first round of the playoffs in a series against the Carolina Hurricanes.Rask a Vezina Trophy finalist who led the NHL in the regular season with a 2.12 Milwaukee Bucks Hoodie goals-against average and who was second in save percentage and shutouts said he opted out due to a desire to Oscar Robertson Jersey be with his family: goalie Tuukka Rask has opted out of the NHL's Return to Play: Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) MORE: Rask and his wife Jasmiina have three young girls together, including newborn Livia, who arrived in late April. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney on Saturday said Rasks return to his family wasn't triggered by a specific incident, saying they were safe and healthy amid the coronavirus pandemic. He added that the team stood by his reasoning to opt out.Dan Hill, a radio host in Boston, reported one of Rask's daughters suffered a "medical emergency," with Rask. general manager Don Sweeney on Tuukka Rask: Bobby Portis Jersey "This has been a difficult decision for Tuukka, but the Boston Bruins are in full support of why he made this decision. Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) It's also worth noting that Rask, a Finnish national, has been away from his wife and children for some time to help the Bruins in their Matthew Dellavedova Jersey postseason bid:Foreign nationals - including Canadians on US teams - are mostly on work visas that expired June 30. Lots of them returned to their teams city in mid-June and almost no one brought family.So for some players, youre now approaching 60 days away from your family... Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) MORE: While Rask's family was the key motivator in his Robin Lopez Jersey decision to opt out, he also hasn't much enjoyed playing in the NHL's bubble atmosphere even as the league has progre sed to Ray Allen Jersey the postseason:To be honest with you, it doesnt really feel like playoff hockey out there. There are no fans, so its kind of like playing an exhibition game, Rask said following Boston's Game 2 lo s to the Hurricanes on Thursday. Its definitely not a playoff atmosphere out there. You try and play as hard as you can. When youre playing at a home rink and an away rink and the Khris Middleton Jersey fans are cheering for and against you, it really creates a buzz for the series.Theres none of that. So it just feels like dull at times. There are moments when there are scrums and whatnot, and then there will be five minutes when its coast-to-coast hockey. Theres no atmosphere. So it feels like Milwaukee Bucks T-Shirts an exhibition game. Were trying our best to ramp and get energized, and make it feel like its a playoff game.Veteran backup Jaroslav Halak is expected to get the start for Boston in Game 3 of the Hurricanes series on Saturday. |
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