Boston Bruins: 3 Stars of the Week
The Boston Bruins just completed their four-game road trip through Washington and Philadelphia with a very impressive 3-0-1 record. The trip featured third-period rallies in each game that helped the Bruins secure seven out of a possible eight points.
There were several players that stepped up and played a big role in the Bruins’ comebacks in each game. Here are three Bruins that stood out as they head into a four-day break.
3. Brandon Carlo
It is very rare to find Brandon Carlo‘s name on the scoresheet after a game as producing points, but Monday night against the Capitals, Carlo had a big hand in the Bruins rally.
He assisted on a second-period goal by Davis Pastrnak to cut the deficit 3-1 and then played a big part in the four-goal Boston third period that completed their comeback against the Caps.
Goals from Pastrnak and Craig Smith tied the game with just under seven minutes left. The Bruins continued to carry the play against the stunned Capitals and the relentless Boston forecheck paid off.
Sean Kuraly collected the puck behind the Washington net and fed a pass to Carlo who blasted a slap shot from the right circle over the shoulder of Capitals goalie Vitek Vanecek and under the crossbar with 2:36 left for the game-winning goal. It was Carlo’s second tally of the season.
Brad Marchand closed out the scoring two minutes later with an empty-net goal, but Carlo’s goal capped a wild Black and Gold comeback in the final 27 minutes to leave the Nations Capital with a victory.
Carlo failed to record a point in the two games against the Philadelphia Flyers, but his long reach frustrated the Philly forwards in both games.
2. Tuukka Rask
Early in the season, coach Bruce Cassidy has rotated Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak between the pipes. On Tuesday, the NHL announced that the Buffalo Sabres were entering the leagues COVID-19 protocols and their games through Monday were being postponed. The Sabres were scheduled to play two games in Boston this weekend, but these games were wiped out.
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Knowing that his team was getting a four-day break, Cassidy announced before the two-game set in Philadelphia that Rask was going to play both games against the Flyers. Rask was up to the challenge as he posted a pair of victories to help the Bruins end their trip unbeaten in regulation.
Wednesday night, the runner up for the Vezina Trophy last season, stopped 22 of the 25 shots sent his way by the Flyers. He withstood a second-period onslaught by Philadelphia and stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced to keep the Bruins in the game and allow them to rally in the final minute to force overtime.
Friday night, Rask was just as good as he was Wednesday. He stopped 23 of the 24 Philly shots, including 12 in the third period. Once again, Rask kept the Bruins in the game while their offense struggled against Brain Elliott until they scored two goals, 27 seconds apart with seven minutes left in the game for a 2-1 victory.
1. David Pastrnak
The Bruins leading scorer from last season missed the first seven games of the season. After missing the first two weeks, it would have not surprised anyone if it took a couple of games for David Pastrnak to get his feet under him.
Well, despite missing seven games, Pasta returned and it looks like he never missed a beat following offseason hip surgery. After picking up an assist on Charlie McAvoy’s goal last Saturday night that sent the game to overtime, Pastrnak started scoring and scoring in bunches Monday night.
He got the Bruins going Monday night when they were trailing the Capitals 3-0 with a second-period goal for his first of the season. He scored early in the third period to bring the Bruins within a goal at 3-2 and started a four-goal Boston outburst in a 5-3 win.
Wednesday night, Pasta picked up where he left off 48 hours earlier against the Capitals. He opened the scoring 12 seconds into the game, before the Flyers scored the next three goals for a 3-1 lead midway through the final period.
Pastrnak’s second goal on the power play cut the deficit to 3-2, then he tied the game when he knocked in a bouncing puck with 15 seconds left in the game with his second man-advantage goal of the night. In overtime, Pastrnak set up Patrice Bergeron for the game-winning goal (on the power play again) just 27 seconds into the extra session.
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If this is going to be the David Pastrnak that the Bruins are going to get this year in a shortened season, then it’s good news for them and bad news for the other seven teams in the East Division. Just ask the Capitals and Flyers.