The Boston Bruins may have another problem on their hands. After the first period of tonight’s Boston Bruins-Anaheim Ducks game, Bruins goaltender Jonas Gustavsson did not return to the game. During the second period, the Bruins organization released the following statement on the condition of the 31-year old Gustavsson.
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“Bruins goaltender Jonas Gustavsson exited tonight’s game due to illness. He has been transported to Mass General Hospital for observation.”
Gustavsson has been a reliable backup for Tuukka Rask this season. The Swedish netminder has a 9-3-1 record this season, and has won four out of his last five starts. He has a respectable 2.29 goals against average (good enough for the top twenty), and a .917% save percentage.
Hopefully, this is nothing more serious than Gustavsson playing while sick, getting severely dehydrated while in net, and requiring treatment at Mass General. The Bruins will now really have to lean on their number one goaltender Rask during the next few games. Thankfully, Rask seems up to the task now.
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The Bruins might have to look to their AHL Providence team to fill a hole in the short-term.
The Bruins could call up Malcolm Subban to Boston. He did dress for four Bruins games last season, and played in part of one. So far this season, Subban’s numbers have been decent in Providence. He’s 13-8-4, with a 2.5 goals against average, and a .912 save percentage. Subban would surely love to have another NHL game to his name to make up for his disappointing NHL debut against the St. Louis Blues last season.
It’s possible, but highly unlikely that the Bruins could choose the P-Bruins other goaltender, Zane McIntyre. McIntyre has had a rough start in his first professional season with the Bruins. Currently, McIntyre is 6-6-5, with a three plus (3.04) goals against average, and a sub-.900 (.884) save percentage.
Hopefully, it’s only a short-term problem and the B’s will have Gustavsson back in net quickly.