Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask will return to the crease against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, according to Boston Sports Journal's Connor Ryan.

Rask had an illness and did not dress for the Bruins' 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.

The 33-year-old netminder allowed three goals on 20 shots over 29:54 of action against the Columbus Blue Jackets in exhibition play last week.

Rask enjoyed a strong 2019-20 campaign, posting a 26-8-6 record with a league-leading 2.12 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.

The Finnish puck-stopper boasts impressive postseason numbers with a 2.19 GAA and .927 SV% in 89 career playoff appearances.

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Former Washington Capitals forward Brendan Leipsic signed a one-year deal with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, the Russian team announced Tuesday.

Leipsic, 26, was released by the Capitals in May after a group chat between him and his friends containing inappropriate and misogynistic comments surfaced on social media.

The 5-foot-11 winger was in the final year of his NHL deal and was set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2019-20 campaign.

Leipsic tallied 16 goals and 59 points in 187 NHL contests.

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Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson won't play Monday in the club's round-robin opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Capitals announced.

Carlson exited during the third period of Washington's exhibition game against the Carolina Hurricanes last week and did not return. He skated with the team over the weekend, but the nature of his injury is unknown.

The Norris Trophy candidate enjoyed a career campaign in 2019-20, leading all defensemen with 60 assists and 75 points through 69 games. His 15 goals matched a personal best.

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The NHL's bubble plan worked seamlessly in its first week.

Among the 7,013 COVID-19 tests administered from July 27-Aug. 1, there were zero positive results, the league announced Monday.

The 24 teams entered the secure zone in either Toronto or Edmonton on July 26 for the start of Phase 4. Testing has been administered daily to every person in each of the clubs' 52-member traveling parties.

Following Monday's action, every team will have played at least one game in the restart.

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Vancouver Canucks forward Micheal Ferland has been fined $5,000 for spearing Minnesota Wild winger Ryan Hartman during Sunday night's contest, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Monday.

The play occurred in the third period when Ferland got tangled up with the Wild's bench. He was assessed a two-minute minor for slashing and Minnesota received a minor bench penalty for interference, which Hartman served.

Wild forward Luke Kunin also received a $1,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct for holding Ferland's stick.

This is the first time Ferland has received supplemental discipline from the league over his six-year career.

The Wild stymied the Canucks for a 3-0 victory, taking a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five play-in series.

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Philadelphia Flyers forward Nate Thompson had high praise for teammate Carter Hart after the sophomore puck-stopper became the youngest in franchise history to record a postseason win.

Hart stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced in the Flyers' 4-1 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday in the first game of round-robin play.

“He doesn’t look 21 to me," Thompson said, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Clark. "He’s pretty poised, even off the ice. He carries himself well beyond his years.

"He reminds me a little bit of a goalie I used to play with in Montreal”

Thompson spent parts of two seasons with the Canadiens from 2018 to 2020. The 6-foot-1 grinder played in front of Carey Price, the franchise's all-time wins leader who's known for his calm and stoic demeanor.

Price was also excellent in his first start of the return, making 39 saves to help the No. 12 seed Canadiens take a 1-0 series lead over the No. 5 seed Pittsburgh Penguins.

After finishing second among netminders in Calder Trophy voting in 2018-19, Hart followed up his rookie campaign with another strong season. The Alberta native posted a 24-13-3 record with a 2.42 goals-against average and .914 save percentage over 43 appearances.

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Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba inspired the hockey world Saturday when he delivered a powerful speech against racism before becoming the first NHL player to kneel for the U.S. anthem.

Dumba, however, says he wishes he stayed on one knee once the Canadian anthem followed.

"To be honest, I kind of froze up," Dumba said, according to NBC Sports' Sean Leahy. "I know why I knelt. It wasn’t a sign of disrespect by any means. It was to shed light on the people who have lived through the injustice and oppression, especially in my home state of Minnesota. That's why I did it.

"I think my biggest regret is not doing it for the Canadian national anthem, as well because there is a lot of light that needs to be shed on what is happening in Canada and the oppression First Nations people have felt for hundreds of years. I was disappointed looking back on it because, like I said, I knew the reasons why I knelt. Just in the moment, it happened like that."

The Regina, Saskatchewan, native said he'll raise his fist during both the U.S. and Canadian anthems going forward.

"If I'm not in the starting lineup, I might be on the bench, and if I take a knee on the bench, they might not even be able to see me," Dumba said.

Dumba, who was the Wild's nominee for the 2020 King Clancy Trophy, embraced the backlash he received on social media and called out those who took issue with his message.

"Keep it coming," said Dumba. "It kind of sheds a light on them and the people that follow them. Their friends, their family, can see their beliefs and how they view the world and see the negative light that they're trying to shed on this.

"For all the people who have the courage in their fingertips sitting behind a keyboard, I know half the stuff you wouldn't say to my face if I was standing right in front of you."

Dumba is part of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, which was created in June by current and former NHL players to eradicate racism and intolerance in hockey.

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The Boston Bruins will turn to netminder Jaroslav Halak for their opening round-robin game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday with starter Tuukka Rask deemed unfit to play, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed, according to The Boston Globe's Matt Porter.

Rask was feeling ill Saturday and missed practice. Cassidy says the Finnish puck-stopper is "feeling better," and the bench boss is hopeful Rask will get back on the ice Monday.

Halak enjoyed a strong 2019-20 campaign, posting an 18-6-6 record with a 2.39 goals-against average and .919 save percentage over 31 appearances.

The Bruins' goaltending duo earned the William M. Jennings Trophy this season, which is awarded to the goalies on the team that allows the fewest goals.

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New York Rangers forward Jesper Fast exited in the first period of Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes and is not expected to return, the team announced.

Fast took a heavy hit from former teammate Brady Skjei and headed straight to the dressing room.

The 28-year-old winger tallied 12 goals and 29 points through 69 games for New York this season and ranked third on the club with 125 hits.

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Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton will not be in the club's lineup for Game 1 against the New York Rangers on Saturday, head coach Rod Brind'Amour confirmed, according to team reporter Michael Smith.

Brind'Amour said Hamilton is "getting better" but isn't yet ready for game action.

Hamilton, 27, suffered a broken fibula in January but was ready to return in April. However, he sustained an unspecified injury - which is reportedly not related to his broken leg - in practice last week.

The 6-foot-6 rearguard contributed 14 goals and 40 points through 47 games this season.

The Hurricanes will also be without blue-liner Brett Pesce, who continues to recover from shoulder surgery.

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