Tuukka Rask Leads Bruins Bounce-Back From Winter Classic Debacle
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Where were these Bruins at Gillette Stadium?
It's one thing that the team couldn't find the back of the net in the Winter Classic. It's hard to do that at a high level without David Krejci and Brad Marchand. It was another problem entirely to get simply out-worked, beaten to almost every loose puck and playing back on your heels in your own zone for the majority of regulation.
Tuesday night's thriller in Montreal, which the Bruins won 4-1, represented a virtual 180 from the last time the Bruins and Canadiens met. It wasn't a totally dominant effort by the B's, but they clearly were the better team Tuesday night. For a game in Montreal as the follow-up to the Habs leading the Bruins to the slaughter, it was an encouraging response.
It helps that the Bruins had not only Marchand but David Pastrnak back in the lineup. In a back-and-forth affair with plenty of chippiness along the boards, Marchand made his presence felt.
As for Pastrnak, he showed with his third-period goal the kind of offensive instincts that the Bruins sorely miss on most of their roster. With the Canadiens biting on the side boards and in front of the net, Pastrnak had a clear lane that looped down low around the net and he took it. And lo and behold, he buried his chance.
It wasn't a perfect effort by the Bruins - the Habs had their chances too - but the defense did a good enough job of keeping lanes open for Rask, who delivered one of his finest efforts of the season, highlighted by several key saves, including Torrey Mitchell on a sudden breakaway.
To do it in a place that haunted him for the better part of two years is a promising sign for his growing confidence playing in the Bell Centre.
Last time Rask played well in Montreal, I wrote that he had his "Monkey off the back" moment. With this effort, he stuffed that monkey in a locker and took its lunch money.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.