Everything you need to know from the Bruins' victory in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis.
HEADLINES
Going viral: And not in a good way. It happens every winter when teams around the league are hit with the flu bug and the Bruins are dealing with it right now. Ryan Spooner and Riley Nash were unable to play because of illness, while a few other players were able to fight through it, including Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask. Marchand exited the rink soon after the game was over and he looked terrible leaving the locker room.
Nearly unbeatable: Rask is 7-0-1 in his last eight starts. He finished with 37 saves against the Jets. Winnipeg produced some quality chances time and again, but Rask was able to fend off the puck. The one goal he allowed by fellow Finn Patrik Laine, Rask had no chance.
https://twitter.com/mkmolnar/status/944018118912946176
Mr. Shootout: After the first round of the shootout was complete, Bruce Cassidy sent rookie defenseman over the boards in sudden death. He worked as McAvoy beat Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck for the game-winner. It’s the second time this season McAvoy scored the deciding goal in the shootout. It was a good way to celebrate his 20th birthday.Birthday cake for everyone. ? pic.twitter.com/4mNusLxNuF
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 22, 2017
TURNING POINT
Not tonight: Laine is a prolific goal scorer. He has 18 goals this season after posting 36 during his rookie campaign in 2016-17. He finished with six shots against the Bruins with half of those quality-scoring chances. He scored one goal, which Rask had no chance at stopping. There were two specific chances by Laine that Rask totally stoned that proved crucial in Boston’s victory. With the game scoreless at 6:45 of the third period, Laine unleashed a wrist shot that Rask stopped with a reactionary save off his elbow. The other stop came in overtime on a slap shot at 2:43.
Even though the teams don’t face each other, it helped that Rask and Laine were teammates for Team Finland in last season’s World Cup of Hockey. It was the first time Rask played with the young superstar and it made a difference Thursday night.
“When you practice with a guy like that you know he can shoot the puck,” admitted Rask. “He gets the puck on his stick and it’s off in an instant, so it’s tough for a goalie to get into position, or try to react to the shot. He had a great shot in the third that I saved with my elbow and another in the overtime.”37 saves. First star. And seven wins in eight games for @tuukkarask. pic.twitter.com/UIHBGgcuIy
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 22, 2017
.@ToreyKrug's sixth of the year got the B's on the board midway through the third. #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/au6A5sd2pw
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 22, 2017