LOCKOUT: Day 38 – Bruins get hurt, get angry in Europe.

Feb 24, 2012; Buffalo, NY, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) looks for the puck against the Buffalo Sabres at the First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE

Tuukka Rask was injured in the second period of a hockey game last night in the Czech Republic. How serious of a groin pull is uncertain, but it is cause for concern in Boston. Bruins’ #40 missed significant time down the stretch last season after he had sustained another groin injury. Rask, who has inherited the starting job in Boston due to Tim Thomas opted to take a year off from the NHL(lockout not withstanding) has been playing in the Czech’s Extraliga league as goalie for HC Plzen. He has put up great numbers up to this point, with a .932 save percentage in seven starts. Following the game, Rask told Czech reporters:

“I slightly pulled my groin, it is not serious. I had groin problems last year so i took little rest just for precaution”

The last thing the Bruins need is to have two goalies out of action before we even play a NHL game. Granted, Tuukka says it isn’t serious. However, New England sports fans due tend to have a slightly level of paranoia when it comes to injuries to the players.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Czech Republic, another Bruin weighed in on the current state of affairs between the NHL and the NHLPA. Bruins forward David Krejci fired off a volley of vitriol at NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Krejci expressed his dissatisfaction over Bettman’s salary,(which has doubled from 3.7 to 8 million since the last lockout in 2004-05) and how little faith he had in him.

“We want to play, we’re the ones who are doing the show in the NHL, but Bettman thinks it makes him. It is unfortunate that the NHL have such a guy. It’s a shame for the entire hockey world. Treats us like animals.”

Bettman was at home reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm and was not available for comment. The lockout is now in its seventh week. Both sides have said that no new talks are forthcoming. The latest series of talks failed to reach any form of consensus, and the deadline for cancelling more games, or perhaps even the Winter Classic is rapidly approaching. Hopefully, someone can get the ball rolling again and we can get back to what we all love to watch and talk about.