Jones: Blowout In Toronto Throws Wrench Into Claude Julien's Goaltending Plans
It was an ugly, ugly night for the Bruins in Toronto, as they were blown out of the Air Canada Centre in a 6-1 Maple Leafs victory.
Tuukka Rask was pulled in the second period after allowing four goals, Phil Kessel scored twice, and the Bruins were never really in this game.
Adam Jones and Rich Keefe recapped the grisly game, starting with Claude Julien's decision to start Tuukka Rask on the first leg of the back-to-back, and how that might affect the goaltender decision for Thursday night in Montreal.
"If you're Claude Julien -- who said tonight, and rightfully so, his team stunk up the joint -- what do you do in net [in Montreal]?" Jones said. "After a showing like this, don't you have to go back to Tuukka [Thursday] night?"
"I definitely would, but I think the reason why he went tonight is because they wanted to avoid him going against Montreal in the first place," said Keefe, referencing Rask's dubious record vs. Montreal. "So it wasn't just your typical back-to-back, where it was just going with Tuukka in the first game and resting him in the second game. ... I would have gone about it differently."
Jones pointed out that it was hardly all Rask's fault, as the netminder didn't have much of a chance on three of the four goals he gave up.
"The Bruins came out extremely flat," Jones said. "From early on, the Bruins were playing from behind. Toronto came out hot, the Bruins came out flat-footed on the road in an electric building like the Air Canada Centre."
That's the bad news, but Jones doesn't expect a repeat performance at the Bell Centre.
"I don't think this is a stretch -- I'd expect a better showing from the Bruins [Thursday] night," Jones said. "I can't imagine they put forth another effort where they don't show up. I don't know if they'll win the game or not, but they'll be engaged early on. They have to be."
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