Tag Archives: Tuukka Rask

Cassidy

Bruce Cassidy Deserving of Jack Adams Consideration

Leave a reply

Over the last two months the Boston Bruins have been on a historic run. They had earned at least a point in nineteen straight games before falling to Pittsburgh Sunday night. The last team to have a streak like that was the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2013-2014 season, when they won the Stanley Cup. During the Bruins impressive stretch many different players have stepped up. Their head coach Bruce Cassidy, however, has again proved why he is one of the best. In a season filled with adversity, he has guided the Bruins to second place in the Eastern Confrence.

While the Bruins entered the season with high expectations, it has been anything but easy. They have missed just about every key player for an extended time due to injuries . They have dealt with sophomore slumps and at times struggled offensively. Through it all, Cassidy has gotten the best out of his players.

For the past three weeks, Cassidy has been without his top goal scorer David Pastrnak, and for the past week Jake DeBrusk. As a result, Cassidy has had to be creative with his lines. Against Ottawa, he placed Chris Wagner on the Bruins top line midway through the game. Wagner rewarded his coach’s trust by scoring the tying goal. This is just one example of Cassidy showing his ability to make in-game adjustments to put this team in the best position to win.

Additionally, he has been patient with his young players as they battled Sophomore slumps. He has received a lot of criticism for his line pairings, but the Bruins offense has improved lately. The secondary scoring that was absent has shown up, as Heinen and DeBrusk have finally resembled the players they were last season. They have rewarded their coaches faith by performing well in top six roles.

Bruins Continue To Excel

Despite the shuffling lineups, the Bruins still have the ninth-best penalty kill, and second best power play unit. They have used 37 different players and improved as the season has progressed. That would cause most teams to fall of a cliff, but not this Bruins team. Cassidy has gotten his team to buy into the Bruins system, and as a result they have excelled.

For all these reasons Cassidy should be in the Jack Adams conversation. The award is given to coach who has contributed the most to his team’s success. Cassidy is more than deserving, as he has rarely had a healthy roster, forcing him to work with a depleted lineup. Regardless of the changing pieces this team continues to win.

Winning the award will not be easy, as Cassidy has steep competition. The other finalists will most likely be Bill Peters, Barry Trotz, and John Cooper. While Cassidy will again be in the conversation, Trotz Is the current favorite due to the Islanders success. Regardless of the results, what Cassidy has done this year has been truly impressive.


Vezina

Rask Proving He Is Vezina Worthy

Leave a reply

Over the past month, the Boston Bruins have been the hottest team in the NHL. They have earned at least a point in 17 straight games, as their last loss in regulation came on January 19th. During this stretch, many different players have stepped up, however none more than Tuukka Rask. After struggling mightily earlier this season, the Bruins number one goaltender has been on fire. He has not only silenced his critics, but made history during the Bruins impressive stretch.

After the Bruins victory over New Jersey last weekend Rask joined elite company. By extending his point streak to seventeen games, Rask became only the second goalie in NHL history to accomplish the feat twice in his career. Like last season Rask has carried this team for over a month as they now are tied for second in the NHL. As Rask has made history, he has also put himself in the Vezina conversation.

Through 36 games Rask is not leading the NHL in any categories. His goals against average rank is tied for tenth best, and his save percentage is tied for eleventh. That is due to how badly Rask began the season. While his numbers as a whole are not Vezina worthy, he has been playing at an elite level since late December.

Over the Bruins last sixteen games, Rask has thirteen wins and three loses, all of which came in overtime. In that span, he has an impressive goals against average of 1.99 and save percentage of .931. Rask also has two shutouts in that stretch, giving him three on the season. As the Bruins have been without their top goal scorer, Rask has shined in net. This streak has silenced his critics after a horrid start that had some questioning if he should still be the number one goalie in Boston.

Image result for tuukka rask
Photo Credit: CLNS Media Network

Even though Jaroslav Halak has continued to play well, Rask has reclaimed his job with authority. This has allowed the Bruins to have one of the best goalie tandems in the league. Keeping Rask fresh down the stretch, however, will be key as this team looks to make a deep postseason run.

During Rask’s record run he ranks near the top of every statistical category for goaltenders. When this team needed him at his best he has stepped up. While a second Vezina would be rewarding, the main goal for Rask is a championship. If he can continue his recent level of play, then he could be taking home some hardware at the end of the season.

For more Bruins news follow Jamie Gatlin on Twitter @JamieGatlin1217

Boston Bruins vs Philadelphia Flyers

Tuukka Returns; Bruins vs Flyers

Leave a reply

Tuukka Rask returns tonight after suffering a concussion that saw the goaltender out for one game. The return also marks a possible career-milestone for Rask, who looks to overtake Bruins goaltender Tiny Thompson’s record for most career wins. The B’s are also looking to win tonight to get back into 3rd place in the Atlantic division, as they are now one point behind Montreal. With Monday’s shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the Bruins are now 0-1-1 in their last two games.

A FLYING STREAK

In their last meeting during regular season, the Philadelphia Flyers (21-23-6) will face the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden. Philly is looking to extend their five-game win streak to six, after going 1-7-2 in their previous 10 games. Rookie goaltender Carter Hart will get the start in net for the Flyers. The two teams played against each other January 16th, with the Flyers nabbing the 4-3 win. Sean Couturier had a hat trick, and Claude Giroux reached a career high of 500 assists.

Boston Bruins vs Philadelphia Flyers
(Photo Credits: Rob Carr/Getty Images North America

Giroux currently leads the team with 52 points and 38 assists. Couturier leads the team with 19 goals. If the Flyers win tonight, it would be their longest winning streak since 2010. It will also give them their 2,000th road point. Despite having won two of the last three games, they have lost nine of their last games in Boston.  Couturier has recorded a point in seven of his last eight games played.

LOOKING FOR A WIN

Boston Bruins face Philadelphia Flyers
(Photo Credits: Eric Hartline-USA Today Sports)

The Bruins (27-17-6) are coming off  their mandatory bye-week and  suffered a shootout loss to the jets 4-3. Despite the loss, the Bruins played with little rust, although by the third period, things got away as the Jets scored two goals seconds apart in the third period.   Boston is 2nd in the league for the power play at 27.3%. Joakim Nordstrom will return to the lineup tonight after suffering a fractured fibula.

WELCOME BACK

Boston Bruins vs Philadelphia Flyers
(Photo Credits: Leon Halip/Getty Images North Americ)

With Halak slipping in his numbers, news of the return of “Tuukka Time” offered fans a bit of relief:


“…we trust him. If he’s not ready that fine. He’s coming off a pretty serious hit there..”

Coach Bruce Cassidy on Rask

Rask’s season has had many ups and downs, but recently looking to be back on track. Rask is now third in the NHL for goals against average with 2.43. Nordstrom will be slotted alongside Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner. John Moore will also be back in the lineup with Matt Grzelcyk out. He’ll be playing next to Brandon Carlo. David Pastrnak still leads the team with 59 points and 28 goals. Brad Marchand continues to lead the team in assists with 37.

WHEN TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop at 7:00 PM

WHERE TO WATCH: NHLN, NESN, NBCSP+

Follow me on Twitter @pastagrl88

Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers

Game Preview: Bruins vs Rangers

Leave a reply

The Boston Bruins will be facing the New York Rangers tonight at the TD Garden in their last game before the NHL All-Star break. After the game, Boston players will have the next eight days off (except for David Pastrnak).

After a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues this past Thursday night on home ice, the Bruins will be looking to get one more win and perhaps take over the second spot in the Atlantic Division. The B’s are on the heals of Toronto and with a win tonight, goaltender Tuukka Rask will be looking to make Bruins history as he would become the winningest goalie in franchise history.

Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask
(Photo Credits:: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)

HOT IN THE NET

Currently Rask is on a hot streak with a 6-0-1 record and has a seven-game point streak. After having a tough start to the season, Rask has slowly surged back to reclaim the number one goalie spot. While there will always be naysayers in regards to the goalie situation in Boston, the Bruins really have had two great goalies on their roster. Despite his recent slump, Jaroslav Halak has certainly provided much needed help in net as Rask worked to get his groove back.

RETURN TO THE GARDEN

Former bruins D-Man Adam McQuiad
(Photo Credits: Getty Images)

For tonight’s game against the Blues, expect Rask to get the start in net. The Bruins are now 10-4-1 in their last 15 games played. In the first meeting between these two teams, fans will see the return of former Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid, who had been in Boston throughout his career up until last season when he was traded to New York. Tonight will mark his 486th NHL career game and first against the B’s.

Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

Another little side note: David Quinn, a native of Rhode Island, coached Charlie McAvoy at Boston University for two years. Quinn was a Terrier for three years before becoming the assistant coach and eventually becoming head coach in 2013. This past Spring, he stepped down to become the new head coach for the Rangers and will be returning to his old stomping grounds at the TD Garden. For McAvoy, tonight’s game will a special one:

“Couple guys who I’m really excited to see. Both guys are great friends of mine. (Quinn) he really molded me pretty well, allowed me to grow up while I was at school there, taught me a lot of life lessons on the ice…I’m thankful for the things that he taught me.

Charlie McAvoy
Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers
(Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports)

BROADWAY BLUES

New York will be coming off winning their last two game straight and beat Chicago this past Thursday 4-3. Their record is 20-20-7 while Boston is at 27-16-5. With the recent win over the Blackhawks, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is now tied for 6th place for the NHL’s all-time wins (445). Forward Chris Kreider leads the team with 22 goals. Mika Zibanejad leads the team with 42 points and has 27 assists. The Ranger top line of Kreider, Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello have a combined 13 points in their last few games. They are 7-1 against the Bruins and have outscored them 26-12.

Here were this morning’s rushes for the Boston Bruins:

For the New York Rangers, here are there projected lines:

KREIDER-ZIBANEJAD-ZUCCARELLO

CHYTIL- STROME- FAST

VESEY- NIEVES- NAMESTNIKOV

MCLEOD- HOWDEN- BUCHNEVICH

STALL-DEANGELO

SKJEI- MCQUIAD

LINDGREN- SHATTENKIRK

LUNDQVIST

MAZANEC

WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH: Tonight with puck drop at 7:00 pm on NHLN, NESN, MSG

Boston Bruins defeat Ottawa 4-1

Boston Bruins win 4-1 against Ottawa

Leave a reply

Last night, the Boston Bruins snapped their losing streak ending their road trip with a 4-1 win against the Ottawa Senators. The B’s looked solid all around with amazing saves by defenseman Brandon Carlo, goals from the top lines and a sick dangle from Brad Marchand.  The star shined brightly for David Pastrnak who ended the night with four-points, posting two goals and two assists. The top forward line had a combined eight points in the game. Throw in a good old-fashioned fight, courtesy of Marchand, and you had yourself a hockey game.

Boston Bruins Tuukka Rask

(Photo Credits: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports)

In the first period, Pastrnak had a wrister shot on goal, putting Boston on board at 11:17. Ottawa tied the game in the second when Thomas Chabot scored on a power play at 17:51. Boston would take the lead at 19:09 when David Krejci one-timed a Pastrnak feed on a 5 on 3 power play when Ottawa was called on a “too many men on the ice” penalty. Heading into the third, Patrice Bergeron scored on a tipped shot on a power play mere seconds into the period, making the score 3-1.

The Bruins would extend their lead after a filthy play by Marchand who deked Senators defenseman Dylan DeMelo and backhanded a pass to Pastrnak, who quickly sent the puck by goalie Craig Anderson.

FUN FACTS

Boston Bruins David Pastrnak celebrates with Brad Marchand

(Photo Credits: Associated Press)

David Pastrnak become the sixth player in Bruins history to have 10 goals in October, just shy of Phil Esposito’s record of 13 goals.  He is now tied with Auston Matthews for the most goals in the NHL with 10. Bruins played with great effort throughout the game. Defenseman Urho Vaakanainen sustained a concussion after an unnecessary elbow hit to the head by Senators Mark Borowiecki. According the NHL Department of  Player Safety, there will be a hearing. The Bruins will be looking to call up a defenseman from Providence.

Patrice Bergeron posted a goal and two assists while David Krecji had one goal and one assist in last night’s game. For Ottawa, Thomas Chabot scored the lone goal while goalie Craig Anderson made 28 saves. The loss would snap a three game winning streak for the Senators. Boston had 32 shots on goal while the Senators had 39 shots. Boston goalie Tuukka Rask made 38 saves. Zdeno Chara had a tough night with the officials; he had three penalty calls for cross checking, hooking and a trip. Brandon Carlo made two spectacular saves in net, keeping the Senators from scoring. Brad Marchand threw gloves down against the Senator’s Zack Smith with both men being sent to the penalty box.

 

The Bruins will be traveling back home and will host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, October 25th with puck drop at 7:00pm

Oilers

Bruins Vs Oilers Preview

Leave a reply

On Thursday night the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers will meet at 7 PM at TD Garden. This is the first matchup between these two teams in the early going of the 2018-2019 season. The Oilers will be looking for their first win of the year while the Bruins are looking to extend their win streak to three. It will be an interesting matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions.

Bruins and Oilers 2017-2018 Season’s So Far

The Bruins will come into this game having won back to back games after being embarrassed on opening night. Their defense has improved over the last two games while their top line has been dominant. In their 6-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Monday, the Bruins top line contributed to every goal. The Oilers will have to contain that line which is no easy task. They are a young team and will be looking to rebound following a tough opener.

Oilers

Photo Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Jason Franson

The Oilers first game of the season like the Bruins opener was forgettable. They fell to the Devils 5-3 and struggled in many areas of the game. Conor McDavid was a bright spot as he had an assist on two of Edmonton’s three goals. Former Bruin Milan Lucic will return to the Garden following a strong opener for Edmonton in which he recorded a goal and an assist. The Oilers must limit the Bruins offense which has scored ten goals in their past two games.

Keys To The Game

The Bruins top line early on has proved that it is still one of the best lines in hockey, but they will need help. Of the Bruins 12 goals this season only two have not come from the Bruins first line. The Bruins other lines have looked better of late but they will need to put the puck in the net. The Oilers will be looking to limit Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak and challenge the Bruins other forwards. The Bruins will have to limit McDavid and Lucic who are coming off strong performances against New Jersey.

Oilers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

For Edmonton, the key will be to limit the Bruins top line and challenge the Bruins depth. The Oilers will have to play better defensively and can not allow five goals again. They have had four days to rest meaning they should be at the top of their game. They will be getting reinforcements in the form of one of their top forwards in Ryan Nugent- Hopkins. He was held out of practice Monday after getting banged up against New Jersey but is expected to play.

Goalie Matchup

Jaroslav Halak will get the nod in net making his second start this season. He is coming off an impressive game against Buffalo in which he stopped all 32 shots he faced. In two games this season he has a save percentage of .960 and goals against average of 1.29.

Cam Talbot will get the start for Edmonton looking to bounce back after allowing four goals on 26 shots against New Jersey. He has been successful against the Bruins in his career recording a 5-2 record. In those seven games, he has a save percentage of .922 and goals against average of 2.72.

For more Bruins news, follow @JamieGatlin1217 on twitter

Goalie

Bruins 2018-2019 Goalie Outlook ( JamieGatlin1217)

Leave a reply

With the signing of Jaroslav Halak, the Bruins goalie situation is set for next season. Barring any unforeseen injury, Halak will be the Bruins backup goalie. The Bruins also have prospects, Zane Mcintrye and Dan Vladar, waiting in the wings. Rask will be 31 when next season starts and entering his 11th season in the NHL, all with the Bruins. He and Halak will be key for the Bruins next season as they will be looking to make a deep postseason run.

What To Expect from New Bruins Goalie Jaroslav Halak

Last season Halak did not have the best numbers. He appeared in fifty plus games for the first time since the 2014-2015 season. He had a goals-against average of 3.19 and save percentage of .908. Those numbers should improve in Boston as he will have a better defensive unit in front of him. Halak will not have such a heavy workload as he will not be expected to appear in fifty games. Last season, Anton Khudobin appeared in 31 games while backing up Rask, which is what will be expected of Halak. With a smaller workload, Halak has been better. During the 2015-2016 season, he appeared in 36 games recording a 2.30 Goals Against average and .919 save percentage. His six shutouts last season were his most since the 2011-2012 season when he had seven.

Goalie

Photo Credit: Jim Mclsaac

The Incumbent

Rask will be the starter barring any dramatic changes. During his tenure in Boston, Rask has received heavy criticism for a lack of postseason success. After struggling at beginning of last season he went on an incredible streak. Rask helped the Bruins earn a point in at least 21 straight games. He finished with a save percentage of .917, his highest since the 2014-2015 season. His 34 wins last season made him the first Bruins goaltender to win 30 or more games in five seasons. In the postseason, Rask was not dominant as he allowed 33 goals but it was not entirely his fault. The Bruins struggled to prevent the stretch pass and were prone to turnovers leaving Rask in tough situations.

Goalie

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson/ USA TODAY SPORTS

What To Expect From the Bruins Netminders

Last season, Rask’s goals-against average rose from 2.23 the season before to 2.36. Rask was still solid and carried the Bruins at times throughout the season. He is at his best when he is not overworked like last season when he appeared in 54 games. The three seasons prior Rask had appeared in at least sixty plus games during the regular season. Halak will have to be solid to give Rask rest and, like Khudobin, push him at times. Trading Rask is unlikely to happen and keeping him fresh for the postseason will be a priority.

The Under Appreciation of Tuukka Rask- By the Numbers

Leave a reply

It’s no secret that fans of Boston sports have become spoiled over the years. Our four teams have collectively won ten championships since 2001 and Boston is the winningest sports city of the 21st century. It’s a great label to have, but these consistent banners have led to fans expecting nearly unattainable results. High expectations are nothing new in Boston, but Tuukka Rask shouldn’t be under any scrutiny.

A DEPENDABLE ASSET

Rask has a .922 career save percentage to go with a 2.26 goals-against average. Anybody would admit that these are solid numbers, but most don’t realize just how impressive they really are. According to www.quanthockey.com, Rask leads all active NHL goalies in both categories. He beats out Lundqvist, Schneider, Quick and all the other superstar goalies in the NHL. Fans might want to consider this before begging for someone else.

He’s also yet to have his first statistically “bad” NHL season. The league average for save percentage typically hovers around .915, which is the lowest Rask has ever gone in a single season. This essentially means that even in his worst season, he was still average in comparison to the other goalies around the league.

His goals-against average is just as impressive.  The league average spiked 7% this season but it usually hovers around 2.6. Rask’s career low is 2.67, and this speaks volumes to his consistency.  Even in an off year, he’ll still allow less than three goals per game.  That’s the kind of dependability teams need to be successful.

His play in the postseason, believe it or not, is even better.  He has a career goals-against average of 2.25 and a .924 save percentage, both of which top his career regular season stats.  Goalies are under an even bigger microscope in the playoffs, but this is a guy you can win a cup with.

A FLAWED PERCEPTION

The reality is that Bruins fans have been spoiled by both Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask.  Even the backups have been reliable.  It’s been so steady between the pipes that some fans have forgotten what bad goaltending is actually like.

Rask has been a victim of high expectations, and the Bruins are incredibly lucky to have him signed through 2021.

Keys for the Bruins Ahead of Game 2 in Tampa

Leave a reply

The Bruins hope to take Game 2 tonight in the same fashion they took Game 1: by dominating one of the best teams in hockey in all three zones. Heading into this series the Bruins were considered the underdog, with many expecting the Lightning to handle them. But the B’s took it right to the number one seed in the conference, playing their best game of the playoffs. Now let’s take a look at what it’s going to take for the Bruins to take a commanding 2-0 heading back to Boston.

Embed from Getty Images

The Perfection Line Must Be Perfect

En route to a 6-2 beat down of the Bolts, “the perfection line” was, well, perfect. The Marchand/Bergeron/Pastranak line reminded the Bolts why they are the best line in hockey. The Lightning’s top line of J.T. Miller, Steven Stamkos, and Nikita Kucherov gives the team an edge against just about any other line in hockey. Except for the fact that on the other end Bergeron is heading a historically good line. In Game 1, the trio combined for 11 points, torching the Bolts in all facets of the game. Marchand scored and added three assists, Bergeron potted two goals and added a helper, while Pastranak dished out four assists continuing his phenomenal start to the postseason.

This was the best way for the Bruins to play defense against J.T. Miller, Steven Stamkos, and Nikita Kucherov. The Bolts’ top line was a minus -4 with only seven shots on goal. The Bolts are going to come out with a lot of passion in Game 2, and the Bruins have to be mindful of the elite talent of Stamkos and Kucherov. Let’s see if the Lightning can find an answer to a problem no other team has been able to.

Embed from Getty Images

Tuukka Rask Must Continue to Play with Passion

It’s amazing how much can change from game to game in hockey. In Game 7, when the Bruins were down 4-3, people were calling for Tuukka Rask to never start another game for the B’s. Now less than a week later, Rask just played one of his more impressive games of the season. That’s how fine the line is when you have a goalie like Rask. He needs to be engaged into every single play fighting for every single puck. When Rask is emotionally engaged he never misses an angle and makes it look effortless.

Maybe the most promising thing from Rask was after he lost his skate blade. Rask was noticeably furious throwing his broken blade against the boards. This is exactly what we need to see from Rask: some fire and fight to his game. Do not be fooled by Game 1; Tampa can flat out score and Tuukka needs to play like an elite goaltender for the B’s to win the series.

In Game 2, the Lightning are going to come out firing on all cylinders in the first period. The Bruins are going to have to weather the storm in Tampa. Rask is going to have to be ready to be able to make some big time saves tonight. The question is which Rask is going show up: Game 7 Tuukka or Game 1 Tuukka?

Embed from Getty Images

The Bruins Must Feed Rick Nash

Throughout his career Rick Nash has been snake bit in the playoffs. Nash only put up two points in round one against Toronto. In Game 1, Nash matched his point production from the first round, scoring two goals, and was one of the best players on the ice. Nash is one of the keys to this series. Everyone knows how good the top line is, but the Bruins need their second line to be dominant. On Saturday, everyone saw why it is so important that this line produces. Now that Nash has some confidence going and has put a couple past a Vezina candidate, the B’s must continue to feed the awoken giant. Nash can tip the balance in this series. All eyes will be on him in Game 2.

In the third period Jake Debrusk showed why this Bruins team has made it this far. He took a high hit, got right back up blocked a shot. Then, he out hustled everyone on the ice to make a diving clear of the puck. Seeing Debrusk hobble back to the bench showed what this kid and this team is made of. Later in the period Debrusk was rewarded with his sixth goal of the postseason. That is what it’s going to take to win the Stanley Cup.

The Bruins Answer the Bell Once Again

Leave a reply

The 2018 Boston Bruins answer the bell when it matters, no matter what. Want to play run and gun hockey? They have the skill to beat you 6-5. If the game is a grind it out defensive battle, then fine by this team. They will still beat you 2-1. What about handling injuries to key players in the middle of a playoff push? Nope, that cannot slow this team down either. They just beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-0 on the road.

Embed from Getty Images

Looking Back

The Bruins had a few noticiable concerns ahead of their anticipated matchup with the division-leading Lightning. Coach Cassidy was publicly critical of the Bruins’ defensive performance in the past week. He was especially critical following Thursday’s loss to the Panthers. Add the fact that the Bruins’ top two defensemen, Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy, were out of the lineup. Along with one, if not the best, defensive forward in hockey, Patrice Bergeron. Just as Bruce Cassidy has done all season long, he pushed the right buttons ahead of the daunting matchup. Cassidy made sure to address the Bruins defensemen who have been battling for playing time. Making it clear that this was their shot to earn playing time and trust.

Results

The Boston Bruins did not let a chance to prove doubters wrong once again go by. As shorthanded as they were, the were facing a Lighting team averaging an NHL best 3.54 goals per game. Many expected the Bruins to take a loss. Yet they went into Tampa and completely stifled the best offensive team in hockey, and earned an extremely impressive 3-0 victory. Tuukka Rask, who has been under a microscope as of late, played a solid game all around, making key saves when the Bruins needed them most. Rask looked relaxed and energized in net. He was on top of his angles and had great anticipation all game long. Going forward the Bruins should try to alternate starting goalies every game, but it is definitely a good sign to see Rask step up.

Embed from Getty Images

Tampa Bay has been the class of the East all season long. If the Bruins plan on going deep in the playoffs, then it is very probable that a matchup with Tampa will occur. To see this team answer the bell like that on the road against better team is really eye-opening. Right now I’m taking the Bruins in a seven game series over any team. This team has that it factor and it’s going to show in April when they answer the bell once again.