The second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs is officially over for the Boston Bruins and they have survived it for the first time in six years. In a very eventful series against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the most valuable player for the Bruins was clearly their own goaltender – Tuukka Rask. The MVP award is well deserved for him.
Tuukka Rask Carried Bruins over Blue Jackets
When the series against the Blue Jackets started, the spotlight was on Sergei Bobrovsky. Coming off his great first-round performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he also started the series versus the Bruins on the high note. In the first two games in Boston, Bobrovsky was the key man for the Blue Jackets, who earned a split.
In Game 3 in Columbus, the Bruins couldn’t solve Bobrovsky. Boston only got one goal in that game. In a losing effort in Game 3, Rask made 32 saves on 34 shots he faced. In Game 2, Rask made 38 saves on 41 shots on goal. There was a feeling inside the Bruins locker room, that they needed to support their goalie better.
They just haven’t been able to show anything for that. Nearly all the praise went to Bobrovsky again, who was terrific as well with 36 saves on 37 shots in that Game 3. But ever since then, Rask took off and demonstrated why he is the better netminder than Bobrovsky.
Rask´s Three Statement Games Lifted the Bruins
After that Game 3 loss, the Bruins were in the trouble. Just like in the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They won Game 4 that time, but Rask gave up four goals. Since Game 5 versus the Maple Leafs, Rask has given up just five goals in the remaining three contests of that series. He made a statement with his huge performances.
Facing the Blue Jackets in the second round, it wasn’t like Rask needed to repair his image from the first few games. He was brilliant throughout the whole series right from the beginning. He just sensed that he needs to help his team even more, even though the Bruins already got a ton of help from their goalie. In Game 4, Rask made 39 saves on 40 shots on goal in a 4-1 victory. Practically, that was a shutout showing as Artemi Panarin´s goal should not have counted.
Back at TD Garden with the series tied at two apiece, Rask was spectacular again. In the third period, the Blue Jackets scored three quick ones to climb all the way back to get the game tied at three. After the B’s retook the lead, Rask made two gigantic stops on Cam Atkinson and Matt Duchene in the final minute of Game 5. He finished the night with 33 saves on 36 shots on goal. The Blue Jackets Head coach John Tortorella felt like his team has ´dented´ Rask.
After All, Columbus Did Not Dent Tuukka Rask
Tortorella didn’t see enough from his team throughout the first 50 minutes of Game 5 or in Game 4 back in Columbus. Then all of sudden, the Blue Jackets scored three times in something over three minutes to get the game tied from two two-goal deficits. After the game, Columbus Head coach thought that his team solved Rask. He thought it should carry over to Game 6 to help them force a decider back in Boston.
“We’ve dented their goalie. We’ve put a dent in Rask.”
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: John Tortorella is running his mouth before a huge playoff game.https://t.co/eNAKucazTq pic.twitter.com/07xGFVlNam
— NESN (@NESN) 6. mája 2019
In Game 6 on Monday, the Blue Jackets faced the goaltender they have supposedly ´dented´ on Saturday. However, Rask turned out to be a brick wall as he made 39 saves to record the sixth post-season shutout of his career. Those 39 saves should have been good enough for the clean sheet in Game 4 as well. However, the Finnish netminder got his revenge this time and finally grabbed a playoff shutout for the first time in five years.
In the game of dents, Rask silenced his critics. In three games played on the road at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, he made 112 saves on 115 shots on goal. He only gave up only three goals in three road games in the series. And one of those goals should not have counted. In six games versus the Blue Jackets, Rask has had .948 of the save percentage and 1.71 of the goals against average. One thing is sure – Rask has definitely ´dented´ the cannon which scared the NBCSN analyst Mike Milbury just three times in the series.
Tuukka Rask Showing up Big-Time For Boston Bruins
Over the past seasons, the 32-year-old has been very reliable for Boston. Although his very good track record with the Bruins, he has had a difficult regular season. Backup goaltender Jaroslav Halak really pushed Rask, as the Finn posted the save percentage of .912, which was his worst in the regular season with the Bruins, and GAA of 2.48, which was his third-worst during his time in Boston.
Last season in the playoffs, Rask recorded the save percentage of .903 and the GAA of 2.88 in 12 games, ranking as the worst numbers from his playoff career. This time around, Rask has posted .938 of the save percentage and 2.02 of the GAA in 13 games. That just perfectly documents how much Rask has improved.
Rask, asked if he thinks it’s important to be known as a Big Game Goalie:
“Yeah, well. It’s better than sucking.”
— Matt Porter (@mattyports) 7. mája 2019
But it wasn’t only about improving, it was also about showing up in big moments and making a statement. Many times during his time in Boston, he has been questioned whether he is or is not a big-game goaltender. “It’s better than sucking,” he responded. He hasn’t responded just to media with his words, but also to many fans watching with his brilliant goaltending.
Carolina Hurricanes Await Next For Rask and Boston Bruins
The Carolina Hurricanes will come next for the Boston Bruins. Last time they faced them, they lost it in the second round in 2009. But that time it was still Tim Thomas as the number one goaltender and Rask was on the bench. The Bruins have made it to the Eastern Conference final just once with Rask. He has given up only two goals in a four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013 that time.
Over his career, he has faced the Hurricanes in 17 occasions with the record of 9-4-3 and the save percentage of .928 and the GAA of 2.27. Throughout the playoffs, the Bruins clear MVP has been Rask so far. Ever since that Game 5 against the Maple Leafs, he has been almost impeccable. He will hope to carry that momentum over against the Hurricanes as well.
COLUMBUS, OH – MAY 6: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins stops a shot by Brandon Dubinsky #17 of the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 6, 2019 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
