On Saturday afternoon, the Boston Bruins began their second-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning down in Tampa. All things considered, it went pretty well. I mean, when the score involves a four-goal differential favoring your team, it’s really good.
This game had everything: frustrating calls by the officials, a lack of attention to player’s needs, two Bruins scoring multiple goals, and a Gregory Campbell-esque performance by young Jake DeBrusk.
Patrice Bergeron: 2 G, A
Rick Nash: 2 G
Brad Marchand: 1 G, 3 A
David Pastrnak: 4 AGame 1 Recap and Highlights: https://t.co/I5bAQDCWHt pic.twitter.com/oIjJUQT91h
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 28, 2018
In the Bruins’ defensive zone, Jake DeBrusk took some contact from Tampa’s Alex Killorn that left him hobbled over in pain or breathless whichever makes you feel better. While he had difficulty staying upright for the remainder of his shift, he managed to go back to grab his stick, block another shot on goal, and make a valiant effort to clear the zone before he face-planted on the ice. Jake would come back later to score an empty netter after Andrei Vasilievskiy vacated the goal for 25 seconds during the power play to give the Bolts the extra skater.
Jake DeBrusk is a warrior pic.twitter.com/0gwdJMx8Yy
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 28, 2018
The officials seem to be on track to make sure that every game has dubious calls. Brad Marchand had a goal called back after the officials failed to call immediately on David Pastrnak for cross-checking. Instead, seconds passed with the puck still in the Bruins’ possession which allowed Marchand to score and have it called back. Brad would get his goal later but that’s not the point. Call that penalty right away refs!
Then came the trouble for Tuukka. Tuukka Rask had an equipment malfunction when his left skate blade popped out. Tuukka tried to get the attention of the official to no avail. With no blade, Rask couldn’t push off with his left leg to go right and the Bolts got a power play goal from it. Tuukka protested, brandishing the errant blade, then chucked it toward the boards when his protestations fell on unsympathetic ears. While it’s awful that this happened, especially the goal part, it’s great that Tuukk has the fire in him.
Tuukka Rask losing his temper will always be entertaining pic.twitter.com/j7HtOchn4G
— Because It’s The Cup (@CauseItsTheCup) April 28, 2018
Patrice Bergeron on Tuukka Rask’s blade fling: “I was like, ‘No, don’t do it.’ At least nobody was around.”
— Fluto Shinzawa (@FlutoShinzawa) April 28, 2018
Finally, Rick Nash scored not once but twice. Apparently, this Lightning team is what he needs to recover from his slump.
Rick Nash scores his second goal of the game. pic.twitter.com/ZCtVs3Cuhe
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) April 28, 2018
Game two is tonight in Tampa on NBCSN. At least I got my wish for Brian Boucher this series. Hope he gets to slip back to Rhode Island for some coffee milk this week.
Getting excited!!!
I hope Rick Nash is going to go on a tear now! Bruins will roll!
Hi folks.
More 3pm games please! I’m flagging already, not sure I’ll make midnight!
There were some moments of frustration in that game but generally I think they stepped up as a team on the Leafs series.
I got the HNIC feed – they came up with an incredible stat. None of the 63-33-88 registered a point in any of the Bs three losses in the Toronto series! Any time one of them had a hand in a goal, Bs won the match.
GB will play in the World Championship next year, and what’s more it’s in Slovakia! Mrs Bear says we can’t go as it’s the week before half term but if GB are in the group that plays their games in Bratislava I’ll have to try to change her mind!
I remember there was a lot of discussion at ref meetings about what we should do if a goalie loses a glove as the rule book only mentions the mask. Our referee in chief said “the goalie could put his hand behind his back.” Sorry dude, I’m blowing the whistle before someone’s hand gets destroyed.
Toronto’s AHL goalies seemed to give no shits about his hand:
https://twitter.com/TorontoMarlies/status/990694819470000128
Eh, it’s only muscle & bone, right?
I love that the Bruins stole a game in Tampa. It bodes well for the series, though I think they were due for a ‘freebie’ considering how the matchup has gone between these two teams in the regular season. I’m not sure ‘home ice’ makes a lick of difference for these two teams.
I saw a lot I like – especially from Tuukka – in that game. The only mistake I can pin on Tuukka is mishandling the skate blade thing, and I don’t think he learned the right lesson from it judging from his post-game comments.
Marchand trolling Tyler Johnson was priceless.
I’m glad to see that if there was to be a 2-goal swing due to weird breaks that it happened in what was going to be a blowout game anyway.
I enjoyed what I saw of Jets-Preds and G’Knights-Sharks. Didn’t see any of the Caps-Pens except for the one no-goal replay over & over again. Honestly, there was a lot of whining about it, but I couldn’t tell you if that puck was over the line – there’s often a lotta snow in the corner next to a goal post and the still shot didn’t fill me with confidence that I could actually make out the back of the goal line.
Morning all. Dear Bruins, The way you played Saturday, that was very good. I think you should play like that again tonight. Thanks. Love, Me.
Morning, Hockey Pals!
What’s cooking?
DeBrusk has been a wonderful little cub these playoffs.
Hey Pals!
Today is all about tonight!. Getting lucky clothes ready, preparing snacks, putting on game face!!!!! Go Bruins!!!!!!
The skate blade…… Tuukka admitted he had lost a blade a time of two in practice… If it happens once, you need to have a game plan for the eventuality, as we know that no whistle will be blown. I suggest putting bladeless skate against the inside of a post, and using the good skate to stand up and knock the net off it’,s moorings, but that’,s me.
Bruins just need to keep on keepin’ on!!!l!!
Coffee!!!!
We watched other teams yesterday. That Nashville/ Winnipeg series – wow!!! Caps vs ‘Guins isn’t bad, except I strongly dislike both teams.
With you all the way.
I don’t know if I’ll have my shit together to the degree that you do for tonight (my shit is generally never together), but I will be ready to go!
Mamma Mahoney is stuck with me as long as the Bruins are in it because we watched some successful games together. Poor lady!
(this way I can also monitor her wearing of the Bobby Orr t-shirt as well! Ha!)
Agreed — he should have known the rule, and it occurred to be afterward that he should have kicked the net off or pulled his mask up (scary!). But then again, I know the rules pretty well, and got sucked into it when I saw him complain about the skate blade. (I was already a bit uncomfortable that NBC never showed the penalty leading up to this)
What strikes me as weird/ominous is that he said one of the striped brigade told him they would’ve called it had they seen the problem. I wouldn’t count on it. I’d give em only a 30/70 odds of that. It makes sense to stop play whenever a piece of goaltender’s equipment comes off (safety) but the rule is not kind there, and ambiguity is not anyone’s friend in that situation.