Rask is up for the task

The Boston Bruins have finally arrived!

For most of the regular season, the team exemplified mediocrity through mistakes, injuries and a seeming overall lack of passion. Then all of a sudden things turned around and they found ways to win. The Bruins finished the season in spectacular fashion by earning nine points in the standings through their last five games, good enough to place sixth in the playoff lineup.

Now we are on the brink of eliminating the tough and gritty Buffalo Sabers with a 3-1 series advantage going into tonight’s game 5 matchup. It’s hard to image the Bruins have only held a lead in this entire series for a total of 20 minutes. They seem to thrive on desperation as their game consistently elevates in third period action. No doubt, this series is playing out as originally advertised with low scoring games, superb goaltending and tight defense. The difference maker here is the goaltending. The Sabers, backed behind Ryan Miller, was the favored team in this first round. Miller has had an outstanding year with 41 wins in the regular season and played on the US Olympic team where he gave everything he had to help win the Silver medal.

Add to that, he finished the regular season with the second best save percentage (.929) and goals

against average (2.22). But that means only one person finished ahead of him in these two categories and that person is Tuukka Rask with a .931 save percentage and Tuukka Rask again with a 1.97 goals against average. Albeit, Rask played considerably fewer games than Miller but he still posted a 22-12-5 record behind the lowest scoring team in the league…so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.

The Bruins are winning games with rookie sensation Tuukka Rask between the pipes. When the pressure is on, Rask rises to the occasion while Miller cracks. Rask is keeping his team in games when Miller is giving up late-game goals. I therefore declare that the torch is being passed in this series. Rask is the best goalie in the league right now.

Tonight, the Bruins will defeat the Buffalo Sabers and go on to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. It’s hard to bring down a team when their goalie is hot and right now Rask is on fire.

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Photo Credits: Rick Fink