1. Tuukka’s back
Tuukka Rask has been the subject of much criticism since his departure from the NHL bubble last postseason.
Fans had a right to be disappointed, but not angry.
With Jaroslav Halak in net, it was glaringly obvious that even slightly above average goaltending wouldn’t be enough for the Bruins to win a Stanley Cup.
Thursday night in New Jersey, Rask once again proved just how vital he is to any success the Bruins hope to have.
After a relatively quiet two periods, the Devils controlled play through most of the third period and almost all of overtime -- an overtime frame where Rask made three point blank saves, two of which were breakaways, to save the game for Boston and lead them to an eventual 3-2 shootout win.
Rask’s regular season performance has never been a concern for Bruins fans, but it was still great to see No. 40 dialed in on opening night.
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2. Kevan Miller doesn’t miss a beat
Having missed over an entire season due to lingering health issues including complications from a fractured kneecap, Kevan Miller returned to the lineup and looked engaged as ever. Questions were posed about if the duration of time missed would hinder Miller’s ability to keep up with a league continuing to get younger and faster.
The 33-year old right-shot defenseman answered any doubts that he could still be a player of value.
Miller was quick, physical and confident. He and Jakub Zboril played well together in front of Rask and made accurate breakout passes transitioning out of the defensive zone.
It’s encouraging to see Miller back in the lineup and playing well. His presence will be essential for the guidance of the younger defensemen, especially with the departure of Zdeno Chara.
3. The importance of Brad Marchand in the absence of David Pastrnak
With Pastrnak sidelined for the next few weeks, the Bruins offense will heavily rely on Brad Marchand for carb intake.
Marchand provided just that on opening night. A goal, assist and shootout winner propelled the B’s to victory over the inferior Devils.
With Pastrnak out of the lineup, the rest of the offense is simply out of sync. It’s more than just not having one of the league’s premier scorers, it’s the fact that many players are now forced to play further up in the lineup than they should be.
The Bruins hope Craig Smith makes an impact when he makes his Bruins debut, and other secondary scorers like David Krejci, Ondrej Kase, Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle carry their weight.
In any event, an abundance of scoring from Marchand will be essential for an all important start to an expedited season.