The Bruins have reached a conclusion about Tuukka Rask’s odd exit from Saturday’s win over the New York Rangers, and apparently the Finnish netminder was suffering from a migraine episode. Rask left Saturday’s game just 10 seconds into the second period and never returned to the 4-2 win, and following the game the Bruins chalked it up to what they thought was a case of “dehydration.”
Rask started on Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes with no ill effects, and made 30 saves in the 2-1 overtime win against the Canes at PNC Arena, and told reporters following the game that it was a migraine headache rather than dehydration.
“I had some kind of migraine there,” said Rask to reporters after Sunday’s win. “We thought at first it was dehydration, but then I talked to doctors and all the systems seemed like it was a migraine. I’ve had it before a couple of times, but that’s the worst that I’ve had it. When you can’t really see it’s pretty tough for goalies to stay out there.
“During the intermission I just started seeing dots, and then when I went out there I saw two No. 37’s taking the face-off so I was like ‘I should probably get out of here.’ It lasted about 25 minutes or so, I got my eyes checked and then I was good. It’s something new and I wondered what it was. When you have a family history of it, it’s something that could happen. My mom and my brother both get migraines, but hopefully it doesn’t become an issue.”
Niklas Svedberg came in for relief of Rask on Saturday, and backstopped the B's to a win over the Blueshirts while inheriting a 3-0 lead in the game.
Another notable Boston athlete, former Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, had issues with migraines that would at times knock out his availability for a day or two, but it was never a big issue for the All-Star pitcher during his time in Boston. So it doesn’t sound like it’s a big deal for the Bruins netminder, but it certainly was a little more serious than those that resorted to silly potty humor when Rask made one hasty exit on Saturday afternoon.