Cats Scratched: Rask Backs Bruins to Hard-Fought Two Points

by Ryan Durling on Jan 16, 2012 10:30 PM EST in Game Recaps

SUNRISE, FL - JANUARY 16: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins is congratulated by teammates after scoring a first period goal against the Florida Panthers on January 16, 2012 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Good hockey teams don't always win games that they deserve to. Great hockey teams do.

So, too, do great hockey teams sometimes win games that they don't deserve to.

David Krejci followed up Patrice Bergeron's shootout marker with one of his own, and Tuukka Rask earned the two points in spite of a gaffe in the shootout that nearly cost Boston a point.

Bergeron had two goals for Boston, but it was Shawn Matthias' game that kept Florida around long enough to give the Panthers a chance.

After a first period that saw the Panthers record 12 shots to the Bruins' just six, Boston's offense picked up to start the second period, and Tyler Seguin put an emphatic punctuation on a 5-on-3 chance, touring the offensive zone and finding Bergeron at the net for the center's second goal of the game.

But Matthias got behind Andrew Ference coming out of the box as his delay of game penalty ended, and he neatly deposited the puck between the legs of Rask and into the Boston net, tying the game at two.

The two teams spent the last third of the game trading chances in an environment that pretty quickly resembled that of a playoff game. Florida's forecheck kept Boston on its toes, but Tuukka Rask held his crease and didn't give the Panthers any easy chances, including forcing Michal Repik wide on a breakaway with just one minute remaining in the game.

But despite Bergeron's otherwise stellar play, it was a hook by the Bruins' assistant captain that put the Panthers on the power play just 36 seconds into overtime. The Bruins killed the penalty, but not without having what little wind left in their sales taken away.

With overtime winding down, Kris Versteeg got behind the Boston defense and got a breakaway - Florida's fourth of the game - but Rask stopped him cold and the extra five minutes ended.

The Bruins first shootout since they lost to Detroit on Black Friday saw the Black and Gold on the verge of another defeat after Stephen Weiss deked Rask and scored on an empty net with the third Panthers attempt of the game, but it was Bergeron who scored to keep the Bruins alive, and Krejci - whose 11-game point streak ended at the close of overtime - beat Scott Clemmensen five-hole to get Boston a barely-earned two points.

Notes:

Rask made 38 saves for Boston. Clemmensen, playing in Jose Theodore's stead, made 33 saves, but let the last two pucks he saw past him...After going 2-6 in shootouts in 2010-11, the Bruins are 4-0 in the skills competition this year.

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I’ll take the win, but WHAT happened to the D???

by I Love Ska on Jan 16, 2012 10:57 PM EST reply actions

New pairings, but I am not sure you can blame it on just that. They seemed sloppy.

Keep Calm and Tim Tom

by Big Bad Me on Jan 16, 2012 11:00 PM EST up reply actions

sloppy, a step slow, a crap ton of small mental errors. Tuukka saved their arse’s tonite. And I think it should be noted that whoever hooked Mattias on that delay of game got lucky. Should have been incidental minors imo.

by Pig Phister on Jan 16, 2012 11:25 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

They were wicked sloppy, hopefully they look better tonight, but I can’t help but be fearful of the 2nd game in as many days.

Kick his ass, Seabass!

by phonymahoney on Jan 17, 2012 8:31 AM EST up reply actions

It was pretty hard to read the Facebook comments that stated “Yeah! We’re repeating this year!” after “winning” like that! I’m glad they won, two points is two points, but eeeesh.

by Miss Muse on Jan 17, 2012 4:45 PM EST up reply actions

Bruins lost to Detroit in the SO

by BobbyOrrsBastard on Jan 16, 2012 11:08 PM EST reply actions

Admittedly

I do not watch a lot of hockey beyond the Bruins. (or UMaine) But it seems that the B’s get into these intense emotional games quite often. I understand that opposing teams get up to play the defending champs. And I get that every team has their ups and downs. I’m just wondering if these games could possibly have a bigger impact over the long haul. I mean, how many of these games can the Bruins get themselves involved in before they start showing signs of fatigue? Are they at that point now? I may be projecting a bit, ‘cause I’ve felt wiped after watching these guys recently.

by Pig Phister on Jan 16, 2012 11:47 PM EST reply actions

Tuukka Stole one for us

Tuukka Rask came up big today. He stopped 3 or 4 breakaways. It could have easily been 3-2 or 4-2 Panthers as the final score. Thank you Tuukka.

by LazerShow15 on Jan 17, 2012 1:30 AM EST reply actions

2 U's 2 K's 2 Points!!

Need to refresh my memory, why were we discussing trading Tuukka back in October? I am sure glad the Bruins did not listen to that talk…

by pemci on Jan 17, 2012 8:50 AM EST reply actions

One other point, I was over at Yahoo reading some of puck daddy...

and there was a story about Ryan Miller, and how he was pullaed last night after giving up 5 goals on 14 shots to the Red Wings. Enroth came in and did not give up one goal, btw… Anyway, sure enough Puck Daddy made mention of Ryan Miller’s GAA after the Lucic incident and how he suffered “concussion like symptoms”…Puck Daddy can not seem to let it go….pathetic…I am sure they will be bringing up Marchand and his “dirty” play for quite some time to come.

by pemci on Jan 17, 2012 8:55 AM EST reply actions

To be fair, Miller’s been real bad recently.

Your 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins

Hockey Blog Adventure is my blog but I'm way more active on Twitter.) GO BRUINS! (and Wild!)

by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 17, 2012 9:01 AM EST up reply actions

He was bad before the hit.

Four games prior to Boston he gave up 15 goals on 101 shots. Works out to .851 and 4.76GAA (pulled 7 minutes into one of the games) for pre-concussion Miller.

Yea, I don’t buy that its all due to Lucic’s hit.

by BobbyOrrsBastard on Jan 17, 2012 9:09 AM EST up reply actions