NHL Buzz: Halak placed in COVID-19 protocol for Bruins

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Boston Bruins

Jaroslav Halak was placed on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list Monday.
"Jaro popped a positive test," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We've got to follow up with more testing for him. So he wasn't able to go on the ice per protocol. So when we get more information on that, we'll pass it on. … We'll worry about tomorrow when we get more info."
Dan Vladar started in net against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday (NHLN, NESNplus, NBCSP, NHL.TV) in the first of back-to-back games between the teams.
The Bruins also are without goalie Tuukka Rask, who grabbed his back in a game against the New Jersey Devils on March 7, then missed six games before returning March 25 against the New York Islanders. Rask played the first period in that game before exiting. He has not played since and is on injured reserve.
"Tuukka skated," Cassidy said. "He's getting better, but he's not playing tonight and he's not playing tomorrow. He'll travel with us, get some work and see where it ends up."
After Tuesday, the Bruins play at the Washington Capitals on Thursday and at the Flyers on Saturday.
Forward
Jake DeBrusk
will return after missing six games in COVID-19 protocol. He said he lost his sense of smell and taste but that his lungs were not affected.-- Amalie Benjamin

Pittsburgh Penguins

Tristan Jarry could play for the Penguins against the New York Rangers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, MSG, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV).
The goalie said he was "back to 100 percent" after practice Monday. Jarry has missed two games since an upper-body injury sustained in the first period of a 2-1 win against the New York Islanders on March 29.
"I felt really good out there," Jarry said. "I guess it was a little bit of a blessing that it happened now and we still have some games left in the season."
Casey DeSmith started two games against the Boston Bruins in Jarry's absence. DeSmith made 30 saves in a 4-1 win Thursday before allowing six goals on 27 shots in a 7-5 loss Saturday.
"You look at this week coming up, we're playing four games in six nights," Sullivan said. "So we're going to rely on both of these guys."
Forward Brandon Tanev is week to week with an upper-body injury sustained Saturday. He returned Thursday after missing six games with an upper-body injury.-- Wes Crosby

San Jose Sharks

Marc-Edouard Vlasic will not play against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, NBCSCN, BSW, NHL.TV), and the defenseman could be out of the lineup for the remainder of the week.
Vlasic sustained an upper-body injury in the first period of a 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
"It's not a head injury," Sharks coach Bob Boughner said Monday. "It's something he's dealt with before and it hasn't been serious, and it's not necessarily serious now. But it's a result of him falling in an awkward position."
Vlasic has scored five points (one goal, four assists) and averaged 17:48 of ice time in 37 games this season.
Boughner said defenseman
Christian Jaros
likely will replace Vlasic and make his Sharks debut. Jaros has three assists in 11 games with San Jose of the American Hockey League this season.
"He's got a lot of tools, he looks good in practice and I'm hoping he can jump in and give us some good minutes and play well," Boughner said. "It's just another big body (6-foot-3, 222 pounds) and I like that he's a right-handed shot as well." -- Tracey Myers