BOSTON -- Tuukka Rask wasn’t the shining No. 1 star for Boston’s 5-1 win in Game 1 over the Toronto Maple Leafs, nor was he a groan-worthy goat. The Finnish netminder stopped 26 shots, had the good fortune of a couple of pucks sliding through the crease without doing any damage, and was also aided by Jake Gardiner rocking the post with a bomb from the point in the first period.
That -- making the saves he’s supposed to, with perhaps a big stop or two thrown in, and generally not let in any super-duper, soft-serve scores -- is exactly what these Bruins need from their top goaltender in the postseason, and Rask was up to that task Thursday night. He made some high-degree-of-difficulty saves in the second half of the first period, then again in the second period as the B’s killed off a couple of penalties, and generally was solid if not spectacular.
Certainly, goaltending wasn’t a major issue in any of the Bruins' three regular-season losses to the Maple Leafs, but Rask took it upon himself Thursday to make sure he was up to the task . . . just as any elite goalie would naturally do in the postseason.
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“Well, I stopped more pucks, I guess,” said Rask when asked about the difference in Thursday's game from their B's-Leafs regular-season matchups. “You know, the regular season is over . . . I don’t even think about that anymore, really. It’s playoff time now, [so you] just stay focused and battle hard.
“It’s a different kind of game out there. Intensity picks up, and I think you have to match it as a goalie, too. Stay ready at all times, so I think everybody on our team was ready to play today. That was a good sign.”
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If the Bruins are going to venture on to a deep postseason run, Rask's Game 1 work is exactly what they need from their franchise goalie on an every-night basis. He's had playoff success before -- his .929 career postseason save percentage ranks him with Braden Holtby, Matt Murray, Craig Anderson and Martin Jones as one of the active all-time leaders -- and is now in perfect position to deliver, as he was well-rested during the regular season (only 54 games) and is completely healthy.
“[Managing Rask’s workload] is something we started with first part of the year to be very cognizant of," said general manager Don Sweeney, "and we’re appreciative of how Anton (Khudobin played as Rask's backup). Tuukka had a great run and hopefully he takes that, and the fact that we have managed it pretty damn well, and runs with it.”
If he does, everybody better watch out for a Bruins team that’s going to be a force in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
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