BSJ Playoffs Report: Bruins 5, Blues 1 - Rask, Top-6 keep B’s season alive, force Game 7 at TD Garden taken at Enterprise Center (2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs)

(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs

BSJ Playoffs Report: Bruins 5, Blues 1 - Rask, Top-6 keep B’s season alive, force Game 7 at TD Garden

By Conor Ryan

Jun 10, 2019 • 12:42 am

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ST. LOUIS — Everything you need to know from the Bruins’ 5-1 win over the Blues in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, with BSJ insight and analysis:

Box Score

THREE TAKEAWAYS

Bruins take their lumps in lockdown effort: With their season on the line, the Bruins needed a dominant performance in net from Tuukka Rask. By the time the dust settled in what was a 5-1 victory, Rask more than held up his end of the bargain, stopping 28 of the 29 shots that came his way to improve his postseason save percentage to .938 and send Boston to its first Game 7 on home ice in franchise history.

Rask certainly did not do it alone, though. On a night in which the Bruins only managed to generate two high-danger scoring chances in 46:43 of 5v5 TOI, Boston did not relinquish much of anything down the other end of the ice, going a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill while blocking 16 Blues shots.

While the stars on the roster paved the way, contributors like John Moore (three blocks in 17:06 TOI), Joakim Nordstrom (18:31 TOI - tops among Bruins forwards), Sean Kuraly (three hits, three takeaways) and a certain rookie all played a major role in Boston’s season staying alive.

A gamble on Karson Kuhlman pays off: In a win-or-go-home scenario, Bruce Cassidy put forth quite the gamble when it came to his lineup, opting to slot rookie Karson Kuhlman into the lineup in an effort to spark a stagnant second line with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. Despite not playing in a contest since April 30, Kuhlman’s speed made an instant impact, as the winger used his wheels to elude St. Louis forecheckers on breakout attempts while also winning races to the puck in the O-zone that Backes would have labored with. Soon enough, that line broke through on the box score, with Kuhlman snapping a puck past Jordan Binnington at 10:15 in the third.

With Kuhlman’s tally, the Bruins have now had 21 different goal scorers this postseason — tying the all-time record with the 1987 Flyers.

The Top Six breaks through: It was inevitable, right? After going silent for most of the Blues series, Boston’s top-six finally broke through, combining for three goals and seven total points Sunday, five of which came during 5v5 play. As has been the case all season, when Boston’s big guns up front are clicking, Boston is nearly unstoppable. In 18:57 of 5v5 TOI in which both Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci’s lines were deployed, Boston held a 13-7 edge in shots on goal. More of that on Wednesday, and the Bruins should have their hands on the greatest trophy in sports.

FIVE UP

Brad Marchand: Brad Marchand picked a great time to wake up on the power play, going bar down on a one-timer at 8:40 in the first to put Boston on the board. Marchand now has seven career goals in the Stanley Cup Final, tying him with Wayne Cashman (7 in 26 GP) for second overall in franchise history. Only Bobby Orr (8 in 16 GP), Johnny Bucyk (8 in 24 GP) sit ahead of him. Following Sunday’s win, the Bruins are 25-1 when Marchand scores a goal in the postseason.




Charlie McAvoy:
After having a bit of a so-so showing in Game 5, McAvoy put together the save of the night, batting a tumbling puck out of the air and into Rask’s back to prevent St. Louis for tallying the equalizer in the middle stanza. While
Danton Heinen
ultimately whiffed down the other end of the ice, McAvoy also orchestrated one of Boston’s best looks of the night with a marvelous stretch pass that hit Heinen in stride. McAvoy finished with a team-high 62.86 CF% and 25:22 TOI.




Penalty Kill:
Marchand’s power-play tally might have set the tone, but the special teams battle was really won on the PK, as Boston held the Blues’ man advantage to an 0-for-4 clip.  So far this series, the Blues are just 1-for-18 on the power play.


Tuukka Rask:
With tonight’s victory, Rask is now 5-0 with a .973 save percentage this postseason games in elimination/closeout scenarios. Ice cold.


Karson Kuhlman:
Welcome to the Stanley Cup Final, kid. What a debut for the forward, who fired a bullet past Binnington in the final stanza. Looks like he’s not going anywhere for Game 7.


TWO DOWN


Connor Clifton:
The Blues forecheck can eat you up quick in the O-zone, and Clifton was often on the receiving end, with the rookie generating a 37.50 CF% in 10:19 of 5v5 TOI. During that stretch, the Blues held a 3-0 edge in hi-danger looks.


Danton Heinen:
Tough look for Heinen, who failed to get a shot off on the sequence starting with McAvoy’s brilliant stretch pass. Boston’s third line was quiet for most of the night, generating a 42.86 CF% and only landing one shot on goal in 8:01 of 5v5 TOI together.


PLAY OF THE GAME




PARTING THOUGHT


Ooooooooof. Tumbling pucks are never fun, but
 
Binnington
is gonna want to have that one back.




LOOKING AHEAD


Game 7. Wednesday night at TD Garden. 8 p.m. puck drop. It’s going to be crazy on Causeway Street.  

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