Boston Bruins 2011-2012 First Quarter Grades: Goalies
Causeway Crowd’s Quarterly Grades by Position
It’s time here at Causeway Crowd to do our grades at the quarter part of the season. This week we’ll take a look at each area of the Bruins team: Goalies, Defensemen, Forwards, and Coaches.
Today we’re gonna take a look at the Goalie position. The Bruins have one of the best goalie tandems in the league. They rank 3rd in the league with a combined 2.09 GAA.
Rask has started 7 games this season and has a 3-3-1 record. He was a tough luck loser in the beginning of the year getting very little in the way of goal support. Rask has given up 2 or fewer goals in 4 of his seven starts. He currently has a 2.25 GAA and a .921 save %. He’s arguably the best backup in the league and one has to wonder if sitting behind Thomas is starting to wear on him. At times, it appears he either loses focus or isn’t sharp. Either way, there’s no way I trade Rask. Tim Thomas may not play like it, but he is 37, and injuries happen to 37 year old goalies. Rask may not like it, but he’s got to wait his turn, much like Aaron Rodgers behind Brett Favre, without the narcissism!
GRADE: B
About the only player on the Bruins who did not have a Stanley Cup hangover, Thomas has picked up right where he left off last year. That may be due to the fact that Thomas continually feels like he has to prove himself and this year he’s out to prove that last year was no fluke. To this point Thomas is 11-4 with a 1.86 GAA and .937 save %. He’s also posted 3 shutouts in 15 starts. With those 15 starts in 22 games this season, that works out to about 55 starts by the end of the year, which is where the Bruins want that number to be. Thomas doesn’t look like he’s slowing down at 37 and with each win, Thomas is making Peter Chiarelli look smarter and smarter.
GRADE: A
Tomorrow we’ll take a look at the Defense. Don’t miss it!