Boston Bruins: 3 takeaways from statement win against Lightning
By Sam Minton
The Boston Bruins faced off against the #1 team in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night. They certainly didn’t disappoint.
When the Boston Bruins faced off against the Tampa Bay Lightning on St. Patrick’s Day it was more than your run of the mill regular season game. The B’s are looking to possibly catch Tampa and get home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. It appears the Bruins may not even need it after a stellar performance on Saturday night.
Switching things up
Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy played around with the lines having David Backes center the first line and moving Riley Nash down to his regular spot on the third line. The move seemed to work out as both Backes and Nash scored on the night. The goals were scored on the powerplay which is just what this team needs.
If the Bruins can get their special teams going they will be a hard team to beat.
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Cassidy seems to be great at making these small tune-ups. He knows exactly what to do to get the team running on all cylinders.
A scary moment
There was one scary moment during Saturday’s game. At the end of the 1st period, Backes quickly skated off the ice. He got sliced by a skate which is always something that will make fans nervous. Luckily for the Bruins and Backes, he was not seriously injured (besides 18 stitches). He should hopefully be able to play in the Bruins next game on Monday.
Rask is back on track
Well, this is exactly what Bruins fans wanted to see. Tuukka Rask has been allowing a lot of goals as of late. Bruce Cassidy gave Rask a short break and it seems to have worked out as Rask is back on top of his game. On Saturday night Rask stopped 23 shots. He was on top of everything and was an impenetrable force.
This is the type of goaltending that the Bruins are going to need in the playoffs. A hot goaltender can take any team far in the playoffs.
This was a big win for the Bruins. They are now a win away from being tied for first place in the Eastern Conference. They have a game in hand on the Lightning and have two games left to play against Tampa Bay. If the Bruins could somehow manage to steal first place it would be tremendous. Having the home ice advantage would be especially advantageous since the Bruins have such a young team.
Next: A look at the B’s roster of the future
This years team continues to prove that they are something special. Hopefully, the magic doesn’t wear off when they face the Colombus Blue Jackets on Monday night.