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Boston Bruins 2018-19 player grades: Tuukka Rask showed up when it mattered most

By Sam Minton

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 12: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins stops a shot against the St. Louis Blues during the second period in Game Seven of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 12, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 12: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins stops a shot against the St. Louis Blues during the second period in Game Seven of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 12, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Tuukka Rask may have had a rough start to the season, but he ended up being one of the best players on the ice for the Boston Bruins.

Well enough time has passed for this Boston Bruins fan. The pain has gone away and we can look back on what was an impressive season for the team.

One of the team’s best players ended up being Tuukka Rask. The goaltender had one of the best seasons of his career.

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Still Rask struggled mightily to start the year. He was giving up easy goals and couldn’t stop anything. At one point it looked like Rask might be replaced by Jaroslav Halak.

Then Rask found his game and he never let it go. He was an absolute beast making clutch save after clutch save.

At the end of the regular season, Rask had a 27-13-5 record with a 2.48 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. The tough start to the season hurt Rask, but his postseason numbers paint a much more pleasing picture.

Rask was absolutely amazing in the postseason. No loss can be blamed on him. If the Bruins won Game 7 he probably would have won the Conn Smyth trophy.

In 21 games this past postseason, Rask had a save percentage of .934 and a goals against average of 2.02. It’s hard to do any better than that.

Tuukka Rask’s 2018-19 grade:

TUUKKA RASK. A-. . G. Boston Bruins

All in all, it was a pretty great season for Rask. He did everything he could to lead the Bruins to a Stanley Cup. His teammates really spoiled what would have gone down as one of the best goaltending performances in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Now Bruins fans need to stop complaining about Tuukka Rask. He proved that he is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL.

Next. 3 Bruins who disappeared in Stanley Cup Finals. dark

If Tuukka Rask continues to play as he did in 2018-19 the Bruins could very well find themselves back in the Stanley Cup Finals.

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