The Boston Bruins are now down another goaltender after Jaroslav Halak tested positive for COVID-19 and will be placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocols.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed Halak's positive test on Monday (April 5) afternoon, CBS Boston reports.
“We have to follow up with more testing for him,” Cassidy said.
Starting goaltender Tuukka Rask is already unavailable due to an upper-body injury, leaving the Bruins to just two active goalies, rookies Dan Vladar and Jeremy Swayman.
Vladar was already set to start in Monday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Boston prior to news of Halak's positive test. Swayman will now be promoted to second-string.
Both players are expected to have bigger roles amid the Bruins' games this week, which includes another two games against the Flyers in Philadelphia and an additional game at Washington.
Vladar made three previous starts during the 2021 season and has a 2-1 record with a .929 save percentage (78 stops on 84 total shots against) and 2.03 goals against average. The 23-year-old allowed only one goal during each of his first two starts, earning victories against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres.
Vladar allowed three goals on 22 shots in his last appearance, a 4-1 loss to the Penguins, on April 1.
Halak (9-5-3) appeared in 17 games and made 16 starts during the 2021 season and has a .910 save percentage and 2.44 goals against average.
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