Tuukka Rask wasn't tested often but he made the timely saves as the Boston Bruins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 Wednesday night at TD Garden. It was only Rask's fourth win of the season, but it could be the turning point as he helped his team beat the best team in the Eastern Conference.
Overall, he's struggled this season and entered the game with a 3-8-2 record, a 2.91 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. There's been a public debate that backup Anton Khudobin (7-0-2) should start this game, but coach Bruce Cassidy is thinking about the team's long-term plan and that includes getting Rask's game back on track.
Even Lightning coach Jon Cooper expected Rask to be tough to beat tonight.
“I can’t tell you how many times a struggling goalie has played against us and just stoned us," said Cooper prior to the game. "If anything, Tuukka Rask has owned us. He’s been unreal.
"Tuukka's been way too good of a goalie in this league to let (struggles affect his game.)"
Here are two things to watch for with Rask tonight: If he's sharp going post-to-post and if he's reading the play well. Those are normally his strengths but he's been struggling in those areas this season. He was much better in both areas tonight.
Forward Brad Marchand, who has missed eight of the last 10 games with a concussion, returns to the lineup. David Backes also returns after having surgery to remove portion of his colon due to a bout of diverticulitis.
Cassidy is going with seven defensemen, so Matt Beleskey is the healthy scratch.
Observations from the third period
- Tampa capitalizes on the power play to cut the deficit to 3-2. Can't give the Lightning those types of chances.
- Bad penalty to start the third period for Brandon Carlo.
- Rask sharp going post-to-post to stifle a quality scoring chance with a solid left-pad save on Nikita Kucherov's shot from the right circle.
- Noel Acciari just outworked three Lightning players in the corner, won the puck battle, which resulted in Tim Schaller drawing a tripping penalty.
- A lot of traffic in front of Rask on Tampa's first goal.
- Bruins doing a solid job of clogging up the neutral zone. They've been good in transition too.
- Torey Krug responds with a goal to give Boston a 3-0 lead. Blasts a one-timer past Andrei Vasilevskiy.
- Cedric Paquette with a nasty hit from behind on Krug.
- Tuukka's playing the puck a lot tonight.
- Bruins can't let up after an outstanding first period.
- That was one of the better periods for the Bruins all season. Ties a season-high 19 shots in any period.
- Breakout working well for the Bruins so far.
- Riley Nash gives the Bruins a 2-0 lead. Boston outshooting the Lightning, 18-4 this period.
- Great example by Krug right there for young defensemen. Have the lane, take the lane.
- Cassidy wasn't happy with the team's lack of energy against the Oilers on Sunday. The Bruins have plenty of it so far against the Lightning.
- After review, it's a goal and Boston has a 1-0 lead on Charlie McAvoy's third goal of the season.
- Appeared McAvoy gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead but the ref waved it off due to goalie interference. Cassidy is challenging the call.
- And that didn't last long as Marchand whistled for slashing. 4-on-4 for 1:37.
- Bruins are 14-for-73 on the power play this season. They get the first PP of the game.
- Backes, who lost about 13 pounds after his procedure, already working hard in front of the Lightning net.
- Bruins with some early jump.