In elimination games this post-season, Tuukka Rask has been pretty much impenetrable for the Boston Bruins. They’ll be hoping for more of the same in Game 7.
Tuukka Rask, in the Boston Bruins’ three elimination games these Stanley Cup Playoffs has a remarkable record; a 1.34 goals against average and 0.953 save percentage, resulting in three out of three.
Tonight, the Boston Bruins faithful will be hoping and expecting Tuukka Rask to back-stop them to a four out of four record!
It’s been extensively written that Tuukka Rask is the key to this Boston Bruins’ post-season run; he’s the guy that is stealing the wins for the team and is pretty much a shoe-in for the Conn Smythe Trophy as a result.
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Whilst his regular season story may have been about sharing the crease with Jaroslav Halak and the additional rest it offered him, his post-season story has been about battling back; proving his is still number one in Boston even if Halak put that to the test at times.
The Finnish netminder is rocking a truly top-tier 0.938 save percentage in these playoffs and a 1.93 goals against average, despite the fact that the Boston Bruins have faced the likes of John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko on their path to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
All of those names are formidable in front of net and Tuukka Rask has for the most part kept them quiet, hence why the Boston Bruins find themselves within one game of lifting the Stanley Cup for the second time this decade.
Look back a few short days ago; St. Louis had the chance to win the Stanley Cup in front of their home crowd. The Bruins’ whole season was on the line; Tuukka Rask stepped up with big-time saves, allowed just one goal on the night despite facing twenty nine shots and prevented a gut-wrenching Game 6 loss.
It was the same back in Game 7 against Toronto. Backs against the wall, the Bruins’ post-season could’ve ended in the first round. Instead, we saw him go 0.970 in terms of save percentage on the night and ensure heartbreak for the Leafs once more.
Tonight will be the truest test in the battle of the two goaltenders; Tuukka Rask has seen how it’s down as Tim Thomas‘ back-up and has played elimination Stanley Cup Final games before, no least of all the one a few nights ago.
Jordan Binnington, his counterpart at the opposing end, doesn’t have that wealth of experience to lean on. He has never felt the pressure of potentially losing a Stanley Cup Final. At the end of the day, surely Tuukka’s steadying veteran presence and experience counts for something.
If you ask me, this is Tuukka Rask and the Boston Bruins’ Final to lose.