The hockey world knew that Tuukka Rask's decision to leave the NHL's playoff bubble was due to a family emergency, but the Boston Bruins goaltender hadn't spoken about it until now.
“Everything happened so quickly,” Rask said Wednesday, according to Boston.com's Conor Roche. “... I got a phone call the night before (Game 3 against the Hurricanes) that our daughter wasn’t doing so well. They had to call an ambulance. At that point, my mind is spinning. I’m like ‘I need to get out of here.’ So then, the next morning I informed (Bruins president) Cam (Neely) and we had a brief talk and I just left.”
Rask said leaving his team during the playoffs and then watching from home was hard, but the veteran knew he made the right decision.
“It was a tough decision to leave, but then again, it wasn’t,” Rask said. “I knew it was more important for me to be home at the time. So, that was easy to live with.
"On the other hand, you’re home, knowing you could be there, you should be there playing hockey. So, it’s tough to watch the games. Your brain is kind of spinning at that point, knowing you’re at the right place at home but then again you should be there stopping pucks. So, it was tough for a few weeks.”
The Bruins lost in the second round with Jaroslav Halak between the pipes against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Rask finished second in Vezina Trophy voting last season after posting a .929 save percentage and a league-best 2.12 goals-against average over 41 games.
The 33-year-old will resume his role as Boston's starting netminder this year. Rask is entering the final season of his contract, but he's confident about reaching an extension with the team.
“I have no intention of playing anywhere else but the Bruins,” Rask said.
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