Tuukka Rask Stays Hot, Steals Win For Bruins In Florida [VIDEOS]
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Over the past two seasons, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask has faced scrutiny over whether he can really be the kind of netminder who can consistently bail out a subpar defense by standing on his head and stealing games. It's still early, but Rask is taking over the 2016-17 season as the Bruins' early MVP. When he's been in the net, Rask been virtually unstoppable.
The goalie continued his hot start on Tuesday night in Florida, stopping 33 of 34 shots from the Panthers to move the Bruins to 5-0 on the season in his starts. Rask is second in the NHL with a 1.20 goals-against average and .961 save percentage.
The Bruins defense could not hold off a flurry of Florida rushes and scoring chances for much of the game, as Boston got out-shot 34-26. Florida also dominated puck possession, making over 67 percent of all shot attempts and taking about 66 percent of their faceoffs in the offensive zone.
But Rask and the Bruins proved on Tuesday night that out-possessing the opposition is only half the battle, and possession is good in the long run but inconsequential on a given night where you can't finish your chances or you run into a hot goaltender. Rask simply cannot be solved right now.
The goalie set a good tone by making two saves within the first 30 seconds, then later denied Mark Pysyk's one-timer by calmly kicking it away. This was a good example of what makes Rask so hard to beat when he's at his best: his ability to anticipate the play and get himself in the right position before the shot is taken is what made the save look so easy.
Later, with the Bruins up 2-0 in the second period, Rask bottled up a one-timer from the slot by Greg McKegg on a Panthers odd-man rush. Bruins defenseman John-Michael Liles deserves credit for sliding to the ice and forcing the pass to the slot, which allowed Rask to properly diagnose the play and give the puck no chance of squeaking by him.
About five minutes into the third, Rask saved yet another one-timer, this time by winger Shane Harper. McKegg made the pass this time with Adam McQuaid defending him, but as was the case all night, Rask was right there to stone Harper's quick snap-shot from the left faceoff dot.
The Panthers finally got one by Rask with just 4:35 left in regulation after Denis Malgin fired a snap-shot from the slot into the back of the net. But overall, it was another outstanding effort by a goalie who will need to be consistently great for the Bruins to be a legitimate contender in 2016-17.
The Bruins continued to make sloppy defensive turnovers on Tuesday, especially in the first period. But Rask credited the team with giving him good looks at the puck, which has long been a hallmark of Claude Julien's defensive system when the team is at its best.
"I felt good all along probably because of the chances we gave up. I had to make more saves, but I felt good all along," said Rask. "But after the first period, we shut down the backdoor plays and blocked a lot of shots, so that really helps a lot. As long as I can see the puck I try to make the save, and I have a better chance of making the save."
The defense may still be slightly improved from last season's trainwreck, but the biggest improvement on last season bay far has come in goal. This Bruins team as currently constituted, even when it has a full complement of players, will continue to live and die by its goaltending, and Rask's performance so far has breathed life into the team.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
