Ritchie, Rask Hoping Wednesday Return With Kase Eyeing Sunday

After sitting out of Sunday’s game due to not feeling well, Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask was back to practice Monday. However, Bruins first-line center Patrice Bergeron was not present.

“[It] was a maintenance day, that’s it,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “He’s fine.”

Bergeron – who Cassidy expects to be back to practice tomorrow – had no points and four shots in 18:38 on ice Sunday.

Bruins forward Ondrej Kase, who skated with the extra group Sunday morning, was alongside center David Krejci. Kase missed all but one session with the Bruins back in Boston for training camp. Cassidy says that Kase is “doubtful” for Wednesday, and that they are targeting Sunday against the Washington Capitals for his return.

One player who is hoping to be back for Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, is Bruins forward Nick Ritchie. He skated on the left side of Krejci Monday.

“[Ritchie] would be a guy that we are planning on being in the lineup,” said Cassidy. “Then ,we would have to make a decision as to who comes out up front if Ritchie goes in.”

Rask – who Cassidy believes will be ready for Wednesday – says he is feeling better, and that he will be ready to go.

“It wasn’t easy to lay in your bed for a couple days, obviously being quarantined,” said Rask. “But, you just try to catch up, get your legs back under you, and get back ramping up again. A couple more games Round Robin, and I feel confident in the next few days I will be back to normal…I had a cough, so I clicked yes on the app and all kinds of red lights started blinking. I was quarantined for two days. They wanted to do two negative tests after that, and that’s it.”

Here’s what the line-up looked like Monday at practice:

Marchand–Frederic/Studnicka–Pastrnak

Ritchie–Krejci–Kase/Kuhlman

Bjork–Coyle–DeBrusk/Senyshyn

Nordstrom–Kuraly/Lindholm–Wagner

Chara–McAvoy

Krug–Carlo

Grzelcyk–Lauzon

Moore–Clifton

Zboril–Vaakanainen

Rask

Halak

Lagace

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