Kalman: Much-Criticized Rask, Rick Nash Put Haters To Shame in Bruins' Game 1 Win
By Matt Kalman, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Bruins were overjoyed Feb. 25 when they completed a trade with the New York Rangers for forward Rick Nash.
Any team would've been ecstatic to add a player with almost 450 goals and more than 800 career points to a lineup that already was challenging for the Presidents' Trophy.
Although no polls were conducted among Bruins players, Tuukka Rask probably should've been the most eager to share a dressing room with Nash, and not just because of the offensive support and strong defensive-zone play the 6-foot-4, 211-pound power forward would provide.
Because of his large salary ($7 million) and his lack of a Stanley Cup championship as a No. 1 goaltender (like just about all but a handful of goalies active in the NHL), Rask is a favorite undeserved whipping boy for the quasi cognoscenti in Boston hockey circles. Nash came to Boston from New York, where he was pelted by similar unfounded criticism when things didn't go the Rangers' way.
Since Nash's arrival in Boston, he has sliced off a little bit of the complaint pie that's typically fed to Rask. Even after the Bruins prevailed in an excruciating seven-game series in the first round against Toronto, Rask's sub-.900 save percentage and Nash's one goal scored were talking points that were beaten to a pulp. Heck of a way to celebrate a victory.
After the Bruins' 6-2 victory in Game 1 of their second-round series against Tampa Bay,there should be a moratorium placed on any and all negative reviews of Rask and Nash. Although the Bruins' first line continued to run roughshod over the opposition by combining for 11 points, the Bruins may not have won without Nash's two goals and Rask's 34 saves.
The Bruins out-shot the Lightning in the first period, but Tampa Bay had the better scoring chances. It took Steven Stamkos just 1:54 to get a golden scoring opportunity from the left side of the slot, but Rask slid left to right to make that stop and 10 more without a goal allowed in the first period. The Bruins weren't able to get the matchup they wanted (Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy against Stamkos' line) but kept the Lightning off the scoreboard with Kevan Miller and Matt Grzelcyk hanging on for dear life and Rask playing with laser focus.
With 2:49 left, Nash did what he does best – scored a power-play goal on a tip-in from the slot. It was his second goal of the playoffs but it was more of a reward for all his efforts getting to the dirty areas, drawing penalties and getting off his shot under duress than it was some sort of sign of life. As advertised, Nash has been using his monstrous frame this postseason to create off the forecheck and out of battles along the walls. He just hasn't gotten as many bounces as everyone involved with the Bruins would like.
He made sure he wouldn't endure another one-goal series at 12:33 of the second period, when he made the score 3-1 with a wrist shot off the post and in on the rush after a back pass by David Krejci. The beauty of the playoffs is that when you win, you have a chance for a fresh start in the second round. All the hitting, penalty killing and chance creating didn't pay off for Nash in the first round. He's off to a great start in the second round with a chance to become a major positive storyline in this Bruins' run. Just ask Krejci, who many forget had just one point (a goal) against Montreal in the first round in 2011 and then led the playoffs in points.
The Bruins kept scoring and Rask kept on saving. The matchups started to go Boston's way, so the chances got less dangerous. The Lightning scored twice, once on a Dan Girardi point shot that was deflected off a body in front and a second time on a power-play shot that got past Rask while he was trying to get a whistle because his skate blade popped off. Rask's save percentage wasn't perfect, but it was strong enough to make this an easier win than expecting, and his pass completion rate was fine considering he threw that blade without harming anyone.
"It sucks, but I'm glad we won," Rask told a national television audience after the game.
That should be the attitude everyone has after every victorious game, every triumphant series. Rask and Nash, however, can't seem to shake the haters and the complainers. With their dynamic-duo performance in Game 1, they silenced the peanut gallery ... at least for a couple of days.
Matt Kalman covers the Bruins for CBSBoston.com and also contributes to NHL.com and several other media outlets. Follow him on Twitter @MattKalman.
