The Bruins will likely have a goalie make his first NHL start on Tuesday. They just need to decide which one.
With Tuukka Rask still working his way back from injury and the Bruins not wanting to start Jaroslav Halak both nights of a back-to-back, coach Bruce Cassidy said Monday it will likely be either Dan Vladar or Jeremy Swayman in goal on Tuesday.
Halak will get a fourth straight start Monday night on the front end of the back-to-back, but Cassidy has said all along that Halak almost certainly won't start both games.
Rask traveled with the team for the four-game road trip and was on the ice with the taxi squad after Monday's morning skate, but Cassidy said he won't be ready for Tuesday. They're hoping he'll be able to return Thursday or Saturday in Buffalo.
Swayman, who was a Hobey Baker Award finalist with the University of Maine last season, has been absolutely lighting it up with AHL Providence this season, posting a 7-0-0 record with a .942 save percentage and 1.57 goals-against average.
Vladar was playing pretty well himself before getting called up to Boston, with a 2-2-1 record, .923 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average.
Vladar has some experience backing up at the NHL level -- both this past week and last postseason after Rask opted out -- but has yet to start a game. He appeared in one game in the playoffs, replacing Halak in a blowout loss to the Lightning and allowing three goals on 15 shots.
Swayman has no NHL experience, but is currently on the Bruins' taxi squad. Cassidy said a decision on which one will start will be made Tuesday morning in consultation with general manager Don Sweeney and goalie coach Bob Essensa.
In other Bruins lineup news, Jake DeBrusk is back after missing Saturday's game due to COVID-19 protocols. Cassidy said DeBrusk was the victim of a false positive, which is the same reason Charlie Coyle missed a game recently.
DeBrusk will go back to second-line left wing next to David Krejci, with Craig Smith moving up from the third line as Cassidy continues to shuffle his lines. Nick Ritchie drops down to the third line with Charlie Coyle and Anders Bjork, while Karson Kuhlman draws into the lineup on the fourth line with Sean Kuraly and Trent Frederic.