Tuukka Rask Is A Wasp
Feb 22, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) makes a save on a shot from Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81) during the first period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
“We’re the B’s,” Rask said. “It’s flattering, I guess.”
The art of sports is a science right? You have to pass the puck off the boards at the right angle to make sure it gets to the tip of your teammate’s stick at the right time, factoring in his velocity and all that jazz. Well, have you ever considered hockey being linked to bugs, more specifically wasps? Yes, it appears as though Brad Marchand isn’t the only pest on the Boston Bruins squad, as a newly discovered wasp species discovered in East Africa is named after the Boston Bruins tenacious netminder, Tuukka Rask.
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The namesake, Thaumatodryinus tuukkaraski, was found in the Teita Hills of Kenya by a team of entomologists that happened to include an admiring Boston sports fan who has closely followed his home teams despite moving to Africa more than 25 years ago.
“This species is named after the acrobatic goaltender for the Finnish National ice hockey team and the Boston Bruins, whose glove hand is as tenacious as the raptorial fore tarsus of this dryinid species,” the authors wrote in the paper, which has been accepted and will be published in April.
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The name also fit for other reasons, such as the wasp being yellowish and black in color, comparable to the Bruins’ colors. Also, the grasping front legs of the female have claspers that look vaguely like goalie gloves.
According to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature has a long list of guidelines, including choosing a name with pronounceability and in good taste:
“Authors should exercise reasonable care and consideration in forming new names to ensure that they are chosen with their subsequent users in mind and that, as far as possible, they are appropriate, compact, euphonious, memorable, and do not cause offence.”
As far as Rask goes, he’s not afraid to be a wasp. He has stung plenty of opponents during his tenure with the B’s, earning himself the Vezina Trophy last season. While he may not be creating a buzz about reclaiming the prize this season, he’s still putting forth his tenacious efforts, including participating in his 18th straight game tonight at the Garden.