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Uh oh: Tuukka Rask leaves game with apparent leg injury

Tuukka Rask

Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, of Finland, watches the game-winning goal bounce out of the net by Buffalo Sabres’ Derek Roy, not shown, after a shootout in an NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y., Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. The Sabres won 2-1. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

AP

With the Bruins virtually guaranteed of making the playoffs and being a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, keeping Tim Thomas fresh for the postseason is important for Boston. That’ll be a bit tougher to do with Tuukka Rask injured.

Rask left this afternoon’s game against the Islanders in the second period after awkwardly going into the splits to make a save. After making the stop, Rask fell to his back tossing off his gear to get a whistle. Rask was helped off the ice by his teammates while not putting any pressure on his left leg. Rask had his left knee scoped over the summer. Thomas had today off as he was slated to get the start tomorrow afternoon against the Rangers on NBC (12:30 p.m. ET).

If Rask is hurt long-term, the Bruins have some health worries with their goalies in the AHL. The guy who would be first up, Anton Khudobin, is out with an upper-body injury and his backup, Michael Hutchinson, is out sick. That leaves ECHL call-ups Adam Courchaine and Karel St. Laurent as the healthy goalies in the minors.

With four more sets of back-to-back games, the Bruins will need a backup goalie they can count on to give Thomas the rest he’ll need to carry the Bruins in the playoffs. In other words,Thomas had better be ready for a little extra work should Rask be toast.

We’ll get an update on Rask’s status as soon as it’s available out of Boston.

Update: The Bruins are calling up Hutchinson to be Thomas’ backup for the time being. The Bruins will update Rask’s condition tomorrow. Rask will not be joining the Bruins on their two-game road trip.