BSJ Game Report: Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 2 - Sean Kuraly, Tuukka Rask help Boston outlast Leafs on road taken at BSJ Headquarters (Bruins)

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BSJ Game Report: Bruins 3, Maple Leafs 2 - Sean Kuraly, Tuukka Rask help Boston outlast Leafs on road

By Conor Ryan

Jan 12, 2019 • 10:52 pm

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Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Bruins proving they can hang with big guns in East: It’s a shame that both the Bruins and Leafs aren’t going to meet again for the remainder of the 2018-19 regular season. But after that frantic final pushback by Toronto in the closing minutes of regulation, perhaps it’s best for all of our cardiac health if these two Original Six clubs hold off for a bit. Still, after suffering a disappointing loss on home ice to the Capitals on Thursday, what a response by the B’s to take the season series against a loaded Toronto club. It took some massive performances from players like Sean Kuraly and Tuukka Rask, but you can’t overlook a club that managed to clinch six out of a possible eight points against the Leafs. Boston still has an uphill battle in the Atlantic (with Tampa Bay continuing to obliterate the competition at the summit) and there are issues that still need to be addressed, but a win like that shows that this Bruins club has the moxie to hold its own once the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrive.

Sean Kuraly has been a force on the wing: He’s set to give up that fishbowl helmet once Boston returns from the bye week, but Sean Kuraly should be doing everything in his power to keep that shield on for the foreseeable future. Since moving over to the wing in early December, Kuraly has injected new life into a fourth line with Noel Acciari and Chris Wagner, using his speed to his advantage as the first man in on the forecheck while capitalizing on a couple of solid looks down low. Already boasting a pair of game-winning goals during Boston’s recent 6-1 stretch, Kuraly once again came up big when the Bruins needed a forward to answer the call, recording a career-high three points (one goal, two assists) in Saturday's win. Impressive stuff.

FOUR UP

Sean Kuraly: After a failed stint as Boston’s go-to third-line center to open the season, Kuraly was mired in a bit of sluggish start (one goal, four total points over 30 games). Since then? Four goals and five assists over 14 games. That fourth line has been something else for the past month-plus of action.




Tuukka Rask:
He’ll want to get that skittering goal from
Andreas Johnsson
back, but Rask was largely stellar in net against a high-powered Leafs team. Saturday’s contest easily could have gotten out of hand numerous times — whether it be 15 shots on goal for Toronto in the first period or a pair of Grade-A shorthanded looks in the opening minutes of the second frame. Rask didn’t budge in either instance, while standing tall over a frantic final five minutes of play en route to a 30-save performance.
Since that debacle in Carolina on Dec. 23,  Rask is 5-0-0 with a .955 save percentage.


David Krejci:
After not firing a shot on goal in a week,
David Krejci
now has two goals in his last two outings. Maybe he should shoot more? While his numbers have slowed a bit since getting bumped down from that top line, the veteran center has still notched 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in his last 18 games.




Bruins D corps:
With
Charlie McAvoy
back in the fold and not missing much of a step (18:28), Boston’s blue line fared well against a Leafs club that can capitalize on mistakes in a hurry. In particular, both
Matt Grzelcyk
and
Zdeno Chara
get stick taps for both blocking and deflecting shots from in close 
that seemed like sure goals.




TWO DOWN


Power play:
It’s never a good sign when your team only has a plus-1 shot differential (3-2) and is even in high-danger scoring chances (1-1) after four minutes on the power play. After a 1-for-5 showing against the Capitals on Thursday, Boston’s man advantage struggled once again on Saturday, failing to cash in on a pair of chances while coughing up a number of quality shorthanded looks that Rask was able to turn aside.


David Backes:
While he landed two shots on goal and added three hits, Backes found himself as the odd man out of a number of
Bruce Cassidy
’s regular lineup shuffles, finishing the game with a team-low 10:39 of ice time.


PLAY OF THE GAME:


What a fantastic play by Kuraly to hunt down a skittering puck and make something out of nothing with a great feed to a streaking Pastrnak down in front. Kuraly has plenty of skill for a bottom-six guy.




PARTING THOUGHT:


David Pastrnak
’s dominance against the Maple Leafs continues. What an absurd run for the young winger, who snapped a mini-slump (0 points, minus-3 in previous three games) with his goal in the final minute of the second period.




LOOKING AHEAD


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